removing chrome pieces from the dash

[merrill]

Hello, new member with lots of questions.  However I will try to limit the number of questions per month.

I am in the process of removing my dash pads and dash wood to send to buds benz for re covering / restoring.  I'd like to send my chrome out to graves plating for restoration as well.
I'm stuck on how to remove the chrome around the vent levers in the center of the car and  I am also stuck on how to remove the vent assy's on each end of the dash.  I can get to the assy's however the I cannot figure out how to remove them. I do see a screw inside the large assy at 11 pm however when it was loosened the assy did not loosen.  also i see a pin sticking thru the dash above the small vent , however i do not want to push on it unless i am supposed to.

thanks in advance for all  of your help.
matt

[rwmastel]

Matt,

Hi and welcome!  I can't help you there, but the Search tool probably can.  For example:
http://index.php?topic=2548,dash,chrome

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

[Douglas]

The chrome around the heater levers is held on by nuts on the backside. There is no trick aside from that. Very straightforward, but somewhat tedious & awkward. The one on the left that holds the tiniest piece on is a real bear to reach when you're tightening it. You need small hands to get at it. I know people who have even given up and used double-sided tape.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[pagode.info]

Matt,

please note, that the chrome around the
heater control top discs (and the left
& right vent assys as well) cannot be
rechromed. I saw very few beeing success-
ful on that.

Tom

[Mike Heagney]

Hi Matt
The side vents are made of diecast/potmetal and are brittle.
They are held into the dash panel by two pegs which are part of the vent casting and are quite fragile.
The vents are held to the dash by friction fit on each peg.
One peg at top inner corner, one at lower outer corner.
Vents can be levered away from the dash by using a thin flat blade, such as a paint scraper,gently, in small increments, at top and bottom edges of the vent body.
These vents are NLA. Big problem if a peg is snapped off the vent body.
Be sure you need to remove them as to rechrome means dismantling the whole mechanism of the adjustable fins; a truly brave move.
Mike
64  230 SL....in bits.

[ChrisInNashville]

Merrill,
A couple months ago, my mechanic embarked on instrumentation repairs/replacement for me.   After a few days, he needed me to come over to 'see something' that he was having problems with.

Apparently in a prior repainting (that changed the color from green to red), the dash items were not removed, but instead taped.

As a resulted, all the dash instruments and trim pieces were essentially welded to the dash.   He eventually got everything off (with only a broken lighter) and I was able to sent the instruments off for restoration  This might explain the stubborness in light of you having removed the bolts.

Has your dash been painted?

Good Luck,
Chris

[merrill]

Hey everyone,
thanks for the replies.
let's see.  As far as I know the dash has never been repainted.
MB in Singlfingin (sp?) did rebuild the entire car in 78-79.
My father purchased the car as the third owner in 78.  This car moved around with us compliments of the US marine corps.
for the last 20 years this car was in honolulu hawaii.  Nice place but awful for chrome.

I had the instrument guages rebuild and replaced the chrome  bezels for 650.  
Since i have the guages off, i plan to pull the dash parts and recover them as well as refurb the wood.  (buds quote $410 dash and 500 for wood)
I plan to complete as much dash work as possible while it is apart.

so back to the chrome, I will attempt to r/r the chrome per the feedback below. knowing the parts are nla i am a little nervous now.

I plan to send the chrome to graves plating in ga or via buds benz in ga.  they will get me a quote for the vents early next week. (they have a pair at graves now)
My vents break out with tarnish / corrosion if exposed. Unfortunately they will need to be replated.

I may embark on removing this stuff today.

thanks
matt

[mdsalemi]

Hello Matt,

I am one who has rechromed EVERYTHING that is capable of being rechromed, including pieces that people generally said can't be done, or at least, "don't try".  Perhaps I am indeed fortunate that all has worked out.

You have received somewhat accurate information as to how to remove the chrome pieces.  All the interior chrome can be removed.  Nearly all of it can be replated.  One peg on the casting didn't survive; we glued a similar peg on the back and it has held quite well.

The ONLY thing that I didn't replate was the actual louvers, or "vent-vanes" on the fresh air supply.  These are removable as an assembly, and your best bet is to leave them intact.  You can clean them in a degreaser solution in a ultrasonic cleaner and then polish them with Q-Tips.  The vanes themselves, while indeed removable, can't easily be plated due to lack of adequate attachment points and their small size; at least that is what my plater indicated.  If one gets lost or falls off the electrode into the tank, you are dead in the water.

On mine, the entire casting was replated; the defrost vent flap was removed and replated; the ring around the fresh air vent was removed and replated.  These comprise the three pieces that can be done on the vent assembly.  In order to do all this, I had to completely disassemble the fresh air vent.  It was not a difficult thing to do; just need jeweler's pliers and tools, a good camera to record everything, and a lot of patience combined with a gentle touch.  I found it far more difficult to remove a wheel that had been fastened with an air impact wrench.

Here are two photos to show you that it can be dissassembled.  I took these photos as "evidence" for the plater of what I gave him.  He marked and checked off everything on two sets of photos; I kept one set and he kept the other.  One photo is of the three pieces that can be done on the vent; the other is the actual louver assembly intact.  If you have any other questions you can post again or contact me off line.

Download Attachment: Louver Base.jpg
49.15 KB


Download Attachment: Vent Assy.jpg
40.4 KB

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

[merrill]

Michael,
Thanks for the reply,  
Would you mind sharing which plater you used?

thanks
Matt

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by merrill

Michael,
Thanks for the reply,  
Would you mind sharing which plater you used?

thanks
Matt

Matt--no problem at all.  I didn't tell you because it has been detailed previously, albeit before you joined the group.

I used 3 platers in total, mainly for logistical purposes.  Most of the chrome trim (external) was done by Graves.  They are the most expensive, but my restorer had troubles with local platers on some things getting "mis-shaped" in the buffing process causing fit issues; so he wanted to handle that.  These pieces in question are the grill surround, and the pieces on the roadster top cover, but the restorer did handle most other external chrome as well through Graves. http://www.gravesplating.com/

The bumpers needed repair before plating, and this work was handled by:

International Bumper Repair & Metal Work
1441 McDougall Street,
Windsor, ON N8X 3M8
Tel. 519-253-4885

Yes that's Canada, just across the river from Detroit. After they did the repair (very small dents and dings) they sent all the bumper pieces out to some unspecified plater in the Toronto area; Dr. Benz could probably tell you who these guys are.

Lastly was all the interior chrome and some smaller pieces that Graves didn't do; I handled this myself through a local plater:

http://www.blplating.com
B&L Plating
21353 Edom Street
Warren, MI  48089
Tel: 586-778-9300

B&L were easy to work with; local to me; and they do a 4-step process rather then the more common 3-step.  I also found them to be a bit more reasonable in price then Graves.

All of the platers did a great job.  My interior chrome gleams and is far better then it ever was when new--as most replating should be.  Even the texture was preserved, which is something that my restorer was worried about when I told him Graves was NOT going to do the interior.  The bumpers are flawless.  Everything fit perfectly.  Again, I probably had a stroke of good luck to have everything plated with three different platers and have nothing lost and no fit issues.  For that I feel fortunate.

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

[merrill]

Michael,
Thanks,
Actually, I had seen your previous post.  
I will try to pull the dash chrome this weekend.
I still need to figure out how to remove the pieces that indicate whith vent knob is hot/cold/up/down etc...

Graves seems to be very cooperative, however I may send everything thru buds benz as they may take more responsibility for any items that are not correctly plated.

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by merrill

Michael,
Thanks,
Actually, I had seen your previous post.  
I will try to pull the dash chrome this weekend.
I still need to figure out how to remove the pieces that indicate whith vent knob is hot/cold/up/down etc...

Graves seems to be very cooperative, however I may send everything thru buds benz as they may take more responsibility for any items that are not correctly plated.

Those little pieces come off easily with an X-Acto knife.  When done glue them back with silicone.  It was a complete non-issue.  You'll find it quick, easy and unchallenging.

Unless Bud's is doing other work for you, and or your car is in their shop, why would you involve a middleman that is performing no value added?  All you are doing is running up your cost.  Bud's has to reship the goods twice, inventory them twice, and they'll probably mark it up 10-20%.  By doing this you are statistically increasing your odds of trouble.  If indeed there were a problem at Graves, I suspect you might have trouble because a) YOU can't deal with Graves; you were not their customer and b)Bud's may very well absolve themselves of any responsibility.  The choice is yours of course, but IMHO, I tend to avoid layers in the "chain of command" unless those layers are performing a value added function.  This is nothing against Bud's, just not in favor of the concept you seem to have proposed.

In my case, the restorer took care of a lot of the plating; his value added was the removal and reinstallation of the pieces at his work pace.  Some things (like the grill surround) needed to be plated in their final condition to be fit to the nose panel prior to painting, a complex iterative process.  He also had other trim going down to Graves at the same time.  The other trim--unnecessary until "final assembly"--is the stuff like the interior that I took care of without a middleman.

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