1968 250SL olive green VIN 004979
Trying to figure out some interior details here.
First is color of upholstery. Are these dash parts "Natural" or "cognac" or "bamboo" ?
Next, notice the carpet.... square weave. I believe this car is supposed to have loop carpet. I read somewhere on here that the loop carpet started on later 250SL somewhere BEFORE my VIN....I think.
This square weave in my car may be aftermarket. this quote from the technical manual says:
"A good way of telling if your carpet is original is if you have the molded rubber pad next to the accelerator pedal (i.e. the gas pedal) on your front tunnel carpet in exactly (!) the same way as John's (thelews) and (Badali)'s cars. If it is different, yours is aftermarket."
I don;'t know those guys or what their carpet looks like, but I have NO pad on my tunnel carpet so I'm leaning toward it being after aftermarket...right?
I also looked at the technical manual upholstery code section...its hard to tell what is going on on a later 250SL because it's obviously much like a 280SL interior... colors included? So If one's late 250SL was delivered Olive green (and this one was) what would be the upholstery color, and carpet color, and carpet type that would belong in here? would it have been from the "230 250" section of the upholstery codes? or the "280" upholstery codes?
If it should be loop carpet, is there a quality loop carpet available now? I read many threads on carpets in here and saw a fair number of complaints about poor quality loop carpeting being offered out there, but many of the threads were from quite a few years ago. What is the current known loop carpeting supplier (if any) where you dont see carpet backing right through the new carpet as it bends around the door sills? (i would find this unacceptable)
The carpet in the car now is worn, faded, and missing the floor mats, It also seems aesthetically "too light" for the other colors of the car to me. It "feels like" the car should have cognac or brown carpet, to my eye.