Soft top interior help needed

[cfm65@me.com]

Hi Guys,
I notice my Pagoda soft top has a piece of red leather covering the inside of the soft top leading edge.
In order to clarify the photo added, it is the left hand side of the soft top, inside. The LH lock as well as the LH sun visor is visible in the photo. The top is unlatched and the air gap between the wind screen and the soft top is clearly visible.
This piece of red leather matches the upholstery but I am quite sure this is not correct.
Am I correct in thinking that piece should have been covered with a strip of normal perforated hood lining as used inside of the hard top?
Much appreciated
Regards
Chris
Cape Town

[Sead]

If this is an early 230 than it is correct. Same is on HT front end.
See attached pics of my 03/64 230.
Dont know the "change to hood lining version" date.

Regards
Sead

[cfm65@me.com]

Tks Sead,
I have a 67 250SL. The hard top is also finished off with a strip of hood lining, but as I mentioned, the soft top inner edge is finished with matching leather.
I have just a had my car touched up and hard top repainted. The car is back on the road, but the hard top is still on my 29 Pickup waiting for the chrome bits, before assembly.
Thanks for your help and wishing you a better 2021.
Regards
Chris

[mrfatboy]

I don’t know the specifics of the earlier soft tops. Here is a picture of the area that you are referring of my 280sl.  I have seen the same on later 250’s.

It is a tan vinyl covering.

[Pawel66]

I have the 230SL soft top (the car was ordered without a soft top) and the finish is tan vinyl, as seen on on some of the pictures. I have read somewhere on the Forum or in Tech Manual, that this is how it was done, but many owners, while restoring their upholstery, did apply seat covering material on or instead of that vinyl.

[cfm65@me.com]

Hey, that looks familiar. I remember that now.
Thanks gents. Much appreciated.
Regards
Chris
Cape Town

[doitwright]

I know you did not ask but looking at your photo again it shows a red sun visor. That would not be original.

[114015]

I don’t know the specifics of the earlier soft tops. Here is a picture of the area that you are referring of my 280sl.  I have seen the same on later 250’s.

It is a tan vinyl covering.

Yes correct,
My 280 SL softtop (from serial 017000 something) had that greyish-beige vinyl lining as well. Car had bamboo leather.
So I assume should be the same on a 250 SL

Early 230ies (like Sead's and mine) had interior color leather on the softtop.
This was changed at least for the hardtop later during the production run of the 230 SL but don't remember exactly when.


Achim

[Pawel66]

Perhaps when the wooden bow and chrome stripe were abandoned, the ever present cost rationalization called for unified vinyl finish that anyway matched the colour of the soft top headliner.

[cfm65@me.com]

Thanks again, gents.
Chris