Tonneau: Foam Pads?

[mdsalemi]

When you lift up the tonneau (the cover over the stowage area where the soft top resides in the retracted position) you will see, on the underside, two indentations.  These indentations line up with the "screws" (for lack of a better word) that latch the soft top to the top of the windshield frame.  The good Dr. Benz reminded me to ensure that these screws are fully retracted prior to closing this cover, lest you have them damage the soft aluminum.

Some early photos show some kind of foam padding glued to these indents.

What is "correct" for this place?


Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[George Davis]

Michael,

in my car there are two black rubber pads, going by memory about 4 cm x 4 cm x 3 mm thick that fit in these indents.  They are not foam, rather a fairly firm rubber.  My guess is they are original, but can't prove it.

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

[Mike Hughes]

My 1966 230SL also has the two rubber squares glued to the inside of the tonneau lid.

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[Tom]

This is 1/2 inch Neoprene.  You can buy sheets of it from:

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Do a search on neoprene

_____________________________________________

1971 280sl Tunis Beige Metallic (restored & enhanced)
1971 280sl Tobacco Brown (low mileage stock)
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[Douglas]

George Davis is right on the money. The correct material is that same sound deadener/tar paper used throughout the trunk to route the wiring. It's cut into squares and glued into place on the backside of the tonneau cover.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[Tom]

My Tunis Beige car came with Neoprene pads.  I don't know if it is original.  I will visit my original Tobacco Brown car sometime soon and report back.

Here is a picture of that area of the original Tobacco Brown car.  Maybe you can determine the type of pad from the picture.

http://pagoda-113.blogspot.com/

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1971 280sl Tunis Beige Metallic (restored & enhanced)
1971 280sl Tobacco Brown (low mileage stock)
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[mdsalemi]

Anybody have a source for this "sound deadener/tar paper" that Doug talks about?


Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Douglas]

Wurth makes several different kinds of sound deadener in black sheets that should be a very good match. The one you'll want has no pattern on the surface. Just plain. You can use it in various places in the trunk as well, just as the factory did to route the wiring on the floor.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220