Wood Trim Color

[bpossel]

How many different colors (shades) of wood trim were originally offered on our cars?

The PO of my car restained the wood with a high gloss finish and I am thinking about taking it back to its original satin finish and to the "right" stain color.

Is there a color chart for the trim that corresponds to the interior colors?

What wood stain color originally came with a '71 with the cognac interior?

Thanks!
Bob

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[Douglas]

I've talked with Gernold about this exact subject and, as I recall, he feels there were basically two colors -- light and dark. Most cars were dark, but I believe some of the light-color interiors would sometimes receive wood with a lighter shade of stain. This is based on purely anecdotal evidence, but I do think it's pretty accurate given the source. (And yes, this takes into account possible sun fading over the years from UV exposure.)

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[bpossel]

Hi Douglas, thanks!

I have searched this site for information on this subject and it does appear that there was a light and dark color option, and the finish was satin on these cars.

What is still not clear is what color of stain was put on the light wood?  What color of stain on the dark wood?

Does anyone have any examples, pics?

Thanks!
Bob

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[ja17]

Hello Bob,

Bob Fellows' original 280SL has the dark wood. The finish is almost a chocolate more opaque stain which darkens the wood even more. It is a matte finish, close to semi gloss. The finish itself is not glassy smooth and does not fill depressions in the wood, but allows the wood grain to show on the surface.

In addition I recently replaced a set of wood in 230SL. It was ordered from Mercedes. This wood was obviously not new old stock but recently produced.  Unlike original, the wood was high gloss with a glass smooth finish and a slightly lighter color, like in their new cars. The wood grain colors were much more visible.  It was obvious to me that Mercedes is using new technology and materials to manufacture the wood today. Very pretty and excellent quality but not quite as original.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[Douglas]

Here's a photo of the wood that is in my former SL, now owned by Craig DeVine:

Download Attachment: wood.jpg
81.4 KB

It was untouched/original and exactly as Joe described it -- dark, satin finish, and with a slight grain on the surface.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[bpossel]

Thanks Douglas & Joe!

Nice picture, and this really helps!

This wood color looks nice on your former cars interior color and would look nice on other interior colors.

I guess MB didnt do much with color coordination back then because I'm not sure that this wood color would look nice with my "hard to match" cognac interior :?:   Do you know if MB did anything different on the cognac interiors :?:

B.

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[Ben]

The picture of Dougs wood looks very similar to the wood in my 230SL, although mine is lighter, but the finish and description is the same, satin with visible grain !

My unrestored hardtop is the same, just less faded !

I have seen plenty of cars, usually later models with very dark, highly polished wood, which actually looks plastic. Not very attractive and obviously as Joe said its the way the factory now make it !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[Vince Canepa]

I think this topic has been discussed before.  M-B did not lavish great care on the finish of the wood on the 113.  The really nice finishes were reserved for the big coupes and convertibles.  The finish for the 113 was a couple coats of brown tinted laquer.  This hid most of the grain visually, but the various depressions in the grain showed through the finish.  It is impossible to reproduce an exact copy of the factory finish by staining and clearing (varnish, poly, etc.).  The best you can accomplish is to come close in color.  Most folks think the "clearer" finishes look prettier.  My technique is to stain and follow with many, many coats of spar varnish, sanded carefully between coats, followed by hand rubbing with pumice and then rottenstone to get the desired gloss (or better stated "satin gloss").

Also, back "in the day", replacement wood pieces could be ordered without stating a chassis number or color, so I speculate that there were no wood choices.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[ja17]

Hello Doug,

Yes your photo pegs it exactly. This is the original finish.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio