The Grit under the headliner is ???

[LFrank]

What is the black gritty stuff that has degraded beneath the headliner on my hardtop? Old foam? Adhesive? Sure hope it's not toxic, as I get a few mouthfuls whenever I put the windows down in wintertime...(probably time to restore it!).

LFrank
Washington DC
65 230 sl
DB334/Hellblau

[George Davis]

LFrank,

I understand it's dried up foam.  Mine needs to be restored, too, but that won't happen for a while.  Would it be sacrilege to glue some saran wrap up there in the meantime?  Is there something better?

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

[Ben]

Well I'm about to start restoration, a basic type, on my hardtop. Every time I went over a bump I got showered in that dust !

I intend to strip the chrome and either clean or replace the lining and soundproofing, refinish the wood and repaint the exterior. Mine has no real rust just some scratches and marks on it.

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

[France]

Oh, God.  Mine showers tan mealy stuff all over.  Apparently, according to my mad better half (he of the GT40 and the half-finished E-type), it is not expensive to strip out the lining and replace the foam.  This will definitely be done on the next visit to Sarasota, as I don't look too good with blonde crumbs in my hair...



Trice
1968 280SL auto
My tastes are simple:  I am always satisfied with the very best...a Pagoda -- Oscar Wilde
(Well OK, no, he didn't say a Pagoda; I made that part up.  But if Pagodas had existed in the late 1800s, he would have driven one!)

[rwmastel]

To temporarily "cure" this problem, couldn't the hard top be removed, placed upside down on the garage floor, and the fine material be vacuumed out through the perferations?

This material can also come from the under dash panels.  There is foam that dries and comes off.

Rodd
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[France]

Rodd, I tried that too, thinking that it would be the end of it.  Upended the top on a soft blankie on the front lawn and sawed away with the Hoover.  It lasted about a week before grit started sifting down again.  It may be that mine is in the initial stages and has plenty more foam to go!  



Trice
1968 280SL auto
My tastes are simple:  I am always satisfied with the very best...a Pagoda -- Oscar Wilde
(Well OK, no, he didn't say a Pagoda; I made that part up.  But if Pagodas had existed in the late 1800s, he would have driven one!)