new interior what is realistic

[merrill]

hello
this summer i planned on replacing the original navy blue interior in my 66 230 to a parchment / tan combination.

i was planning on doing what i can myself and outsourcing other items. (dash, wood, glove box, quarter panels)

are there any items that may be difficult to re move for re covering on my own?

cover on inside top of the wind shield?

I didnt want to order a bunch of materials and then find out myself stuck

thanks in advance
matt

[lurtch]

Hi Matt - I did a complete change over from vinyl to leather about 8 years ago.

If you are a careful, methodical and detail oriented worker the individual re-covering tasks are not that difficult.
That being said, PATIENCE is really the most valuable tool you will need. You must be willing to tear-off and try it again if you are not pleased with how individual pieces turn out.

The horn pad covering will require a special tool to stretch it into position. I made a jig for this, but I passed it on to another Pagoda Guy.

I would recommend farming out the fitting of the seat cover pieces, because they frequently require trimming down  the horsehair pads. I did this and got very good results.

Also be aware that the vendors for the door card covers most often do not do it correctly where the horizontal seams are. I had to have mine taken apart and re-sewn.  Good Luck - - .

Larry in CA

[Pawel66]

Look at the Technical Manual - you have there information on how to do the horn pad under the steering wheel section. Check the Upholstery, Seats etc.

[doitwright]

I assume you are doing this job in leather? Recovering the dash pieces will require you to have the leather "skived" or made thinner than standard thickness. Gahh will do this but has limitations on their thickness. If you go vinyl, the vinyl stretches just enough to stretch it around the compound curves of the dash pieces.

I am working on and off on my interior. My car originally had dark brown (essentially black) leather. I wanted to go cheap (10 years ago) and ordered a replacement in cognac MB Tex (now for sale) thinking this would be easier for a novice to install. And it is not too hard to do. After peeling off all the leather and installing the MB tex which the supplier provided in sheet goods (not pre cut pieces), I have now decided to go back to leather. This time red. I am still challenged by what it will take to fit new leather on the dash pieces, instrument cover, hard door pockets, glove box, door handles, soft top compartment lid and the windshield trim. I got a name of an interior guy from John at German Auto Tops to do the leather installation on these pieces. He will take care of the skiving.

The next dilemma was the type of leather. I am not sure if people replacing their leather seats realize that the hides used today by most suppliers use a different dying process than Mercedes did back when the W113's were built. Today's leather commonly supplied for W113 interiors is vat dyed and the dye is through the leather. Original leather was vegetable dyed and just on the surface. When I compare the 2 samples, I can see, feel and smell a difference. For a premium, GAT will supply what they call Old-Timer leather.

In my case, I still have my old leather pieces. Before I install new leather (seat covers and door panels will be new) I am investigating dying my original leather and gluing it back on. This could potentially save me a couple thousand dollars. There are leather treatment products that claim this should be possible. I figure I have little to loose if I try. Besides, my old leather is already pre-fit to my pieces.

Matt. I have a question for you. Is your car automatic or standard shift? Are you planning to replace your carpet?

[merrill]

hello
thank you for the replies.

my 66 is an automatic and i plan to re do the entire car in mb tex and replace the carpet.

this will be my second car to work on, of course the SL is much more complex than my 300d.
i did most of the work on my 300d,   seats, carpet, b and c pillars my self in mb tex.   

lastly i did look at the interior section in the tech manual.  a lot of good info there but not everything. 
so i may have items to add to the tech manual when i am done.

thanks!

[doitwright]

Matt,

If you have an automatic and are looking to replace your carpet, do you have the molded rubber trim around the shifter like in the photo?

[zoegrlh]

I gave a topic talk at PUD 2017, and also wrote an article in Issue 21 of Pagoda World. It has a step by step process. Not that difficult if you take your time. GAHH is the best source to purchase the leather, German leather and is thicker then most leather suppliers. Suggest you buy new seat pads for the clean stretch look of the seats. You will need 1/2 a hide to make all the other trim. Seats come already stitched as well as the door panels. I did not do the horn center. That came either black or cream. Sun visors are available thru MB Classic or thru after market. Good luck and contact me if you run into any problems.
Bob

[zoegrlh]

I gave a topic talk at PUD 2017, and also wrote an article in Issue 21 of Pagoda World. It has a step by step process. Not that difficult if you take your time. GAHH is the best source to purchase the leather, German leather and is thicker then most leather suppliers. Suggest you buy new seat pads for the clean stretch look of the seats. You will need 1/2 a hide to make all the other trim. Seats come already stitched as well as the door panels. I did not do the horn center. That came either black or cream. Sun visors are available thru MB Classic or thru after market. Good luck and contact me if you run into any problems.
Bob

[merrill]

Frank - hi,  my 66 does not have the rubber grommet around the chrome shift plate.   its just sewn over with some blue material. maybe vinyl.

Bob - hi,   i will pull my PW #21 tonight and take a look.   yes, GAHH is the best source,  problem is they won some  big time award recently and wont return calls unless you are a reseller they used.   Buds says they can supply me with GAHH products for my 230 sl.

when i did the 300d about 20 years ago i worked directly with them. no issues.

matt

[66andBlue]

Matt,
when you worked with them 20 years ago Jack Dekirmendjian owned the company and he was extremely helpful.
Times have changed, GAHH is now owned by an Investment Company in Dallas that combined GAHH and Robbins Auto Tops. They have no interest in supporting older cars and their owners.
Your best bet now is GAT if you want service. https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=25939.

[doitwright]

I just purchased my interior from GAT. John the owner is helpful explaining your options. He responds to email.....eventually.

[merrill]

some feedback from Gernold at SL tech

you can remove all the dash pieces without removing the Windshield but changing the color on a 230 SL you have to replace the piece surrounding the Windshield Frame and that requires removing the Windshield,

removing the Windshield will help with the Dash work anyway and I would recommend you remove it,


your most challenging part will be the Door Panels and the Insert in the Conv. Top Cover, again it will depend on your skills or whoever you use for a Upholstery Shop more than anything else,

I may just keep the same colors for now.     I already have a roll of blue mb tex from GAHH i bought a long time ago.   

[swood1]

I gave a topic talk at PUD 2017, and also wrote an article in Issue 21 of Pagoda World. It has a step by step process. Not that difficult if you take your time.

Hi Bob,

What would be date of issue 21?  Looking in forum it doesnt seem to be available for back order.

Steve

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Steve,

You should have received PW Issue 21 it was issued late last year (see images below). As a Full Member you should have received one near the end of August 2017 or beginning of September 2017. Our Printer mails them out automatically to all our Full Members (and I checked your membership status your Membership was active so you should have received one).

The second photo below shows the upolstery article issued by Bob

Dieter

Rolf-Dieter
Membership Secretary

[swood1]

Ignore me I have just found it..  Shall spend some time reading the article.

Thanks

Steve

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Actually Steve I'm glad you posted, I looked for my issue #21 in order to help you and discovered I mailed it out to someone as a Welcoming Package. Garry Marks will mail to me a replacement. So your post did some good Thanks!

Dieter
Membership Secretary
for the Americas

[Shvegel]

I thought I would just throw in that there is a high temperature contact cement available that is used for vinyl tops.  Since contact cement can be removed using heat a can of the high temp might save you from having parts peel after a day in the sun.

https://www.zoro.com/dap-contact-cement-1-gal-natural-233/i/G5405994/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5Ifm4tOR2QIVgbrACh1HSAdDEAQYEiABEgJy0PD_BwE