Wood Set

[KevinC]

I just couldnt let this sit in the "items for sale" area...I received my wood set today from Kay in the UK. (He's supplying the sunvisors, too). Just LOOK at the difference in what's going in vs what's coming out...OUTSTANDING!

Download Attachment: PICT0376B.JPG
74.86 KB

Kevin Caputo
Boca Raton, FL
1967 230 SL Automatic
670 Light Ivory
113 Bronze/Brown MB Tex
2007 Lava Gray Audi Q7

[Douglas]

Kevin,

Looks very nice, but if originality is the aim, it's a little too glossy. The original had more of a satin/low-luster finish.

Naturally, exactly how close you want to stick to the original details on the car is a very personal choice, so I'm not saying either way is preferable.

"Beauty is in the eyes of the titleholder."

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[harleydan]

Kevin,

Did you ever think about re-finishing the old one?  If you are willing to depart with the old one, I would be in the market.

Danny
1970 280SL

[Benz Dr.]

The main problem with a really brite finish on the wood is that it will reflect back on to the wind shield on brite sunny days. This can be very distracting to say the least. I like a darker stain with a satin finish.
 Ordinary varnish won't work and will start to flake off in a year or two. Top resoration places use some sort of epoxy with a clear coat finish that's polished until it's perfectly smooth.

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[Khurram Darugar]

Hey Kevin,
          Im  glad to see you liked the woodset.  The finish is the epoxy clear that is mentioned below.  
Happy Motoring
Kay


Kay
Euro 280sl LHD Auto.

[hauser]

Kevin, did you also get a set of the visors?

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[Chad]

I got the reproduction sunvisors for 230SL from Kay.  Very happy with them. The quality is excellent and what I wanted for the car, and the price was very reasonable, even with the hit we take on the exchange rate buying from the US. It is amazing how expensive the sunvisors are, especially the 230.

I do agree that perhaps the wood should have a more satin finish; less glossy, more dull.  So many of us have different finishes of the wooden trim that it is more to the driver's taste, however. But that wood does look great. Oh boy, my own wood is the worst looking thing in the car - I dread removing the dashboard bows though.

1967 230SL

[KevinC]

I had purchased my sunvisors from SLS prior to hearing about those from Kay. Probably would have opted for his at the time. As far as the "gloss", I understand that the finish might not be exactly as original but for the price Kay charges, I feel I received a great alternative to what's on the car now and since I dont show the vehicle, I guess that I am the only one that needs to be pleased and I am. "Originality" kind of flew out the window when I opted for the nylon loop carpet meant for the newer cars instead of the square weave.

PS When I tackle removing the current wood set, I will likely post it for sale here.

Kevin Caputo
Boca Raton, FL
1967 230 SL Automatic
670 Light Ivory
113 Bronze/Brown MB Tex
2007 Lava Gray Audi Q7

[Chad]

Regarding removing the wood:  Can the three alleged blue nuts holding the driver's side wood in be removed through the tachometer hole (two of them) and the radio hole (the center one) as I have read on another forum?   Can the passenger's side piece (two nuts) be removed through the radio hole (one of them) and after the glove box is removed (the other one)?

Since my radio is removed already, can I do this wood removal through removing just the glove box and tachometer (in other words)? Granted there is some frustration in removing the tachometer, but still, I want to remove as little as possible.

C

1967 230SL

[Vince Canepa]

Chad - Yes.  I just did it Sunday.  It is hard to see the center nut on the driver's side.  It is behind a header in the dash structure.  It is right behind the center instrument.

Dan - I did my wood with 20 coats of Man-O-War Spar Varnish in 1975.  It is perfect to this day.  I rubbed the finsh with linseed oil, pumice and rottenstone to get the right satin gloss.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[Chad]

All right Vince I'm gonna give it a shot.  Stocking up on bandaids and vulgarities for the anticipated scraped knuckles.

1967 230SL

[Ben]

quote:I did my wood with 20 coats of Man-O-War Spar Varnish in 1975. It is perfect to this day. I rubbed the finsh with linseed oil, pumice and rottenstone to get the right satin gloss.

......sounds like the way I will go !!

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

[Vince Canepa]

Chad - The left stud on the driver's side wood will cut the vinyl/leather on the instrument binnacle if you don't protect it.  Slip a piece of stiff cardboard or thin leather between the stud on the binnacle.  After you lift the wood up a bit you can see what I mean by looking through the windshield.

It has been said before - if you a refinishing the wood, the veneer is paper thin.  It is EASY to sand through it.  Be careful.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[Malcolm]

Has anyone installed a new wood set on the dash, but NOT used the screws for fixing, just attached the set to the dash top with, say,  glue?  This obviously saves skinned knuckes and about two hours work upside down, but wondered if there were any disadvantages (apart form the fact that YOU know how it is attached!).  The wood itself is not structural and if it were glued firmly (not all over, just say on two or three places each side where the screws are/should be), it would surely still look the same as if it were screwed in.  

Just a thought as, guess what I'm about to do?!!

Malcolm

[enochbell]

Malcomb,

I would not recommend glue.  The studs in the bows and the keeping nuts also pinch the dash pieces to keep them tight against the dash frame.  If you just glue the wood you will probably watch a "roller coaster" effect on your dash as it goes through temperature and humidity cycles.  And it is really not that bad a job to get to the nuts, especially if you have small hands...
g

'64 230sl, fully sorted out...ooops, spoke too soon

[Bob G ✝︎]

I recently purchased a set of sun visors with the passenger mirror for my 280SL from Kay these are my Sunday with the wife visors. I cannot beleive the prices Mercedes-Benz charges it sort of remines me of the $3000 ashtry the government got billed for ? Prehaps Mercedes-Benz has a secert area 51 their not elling us about.

Bob Geco

[seattle_Jerry]

Too glossy should never be a factor in wood finishing. Satin finishes from a can are made that way by adding solids to the varnish or urethane. When woodworking I use gloss and then rub the cured finish with oil and superfine steelwool to arrive at a satin luster.

I would not use glue to adhere your wood. It is no major deal to get to the screws. I just replaced my ignition switch and that only took a couple of hours with removing glovebox, radio, tach and speedo.

You or the next owner will be cursing your name next time they need to get the trim off. If you really are looking for the easy way out what about velcro strips. Compared to the amount of time or money that goes into refinishing the wood, the removal/attaching time is nothing.

1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C

[Malcolm]

Thanks guys for the advise on screwing/glueing the wood trim - I sort of knew that there wasn't an easy answer having had the trim out a few years ago for a respray (windscreen out). So here's to a few skinned knuckes and choice language!

Regards Malcolm

[Malcolm]

Well I managed to get the old wood off and the new set in - and what a difference it makes.  Thanks to Kay (KD) in the UK for the woodset.

In the end the fitting was relatively easy.  If you take out the glove box, you can get a small socket on the outer nut.  Then if you take out the speaker grill and the radio, the two inner nuts can also be accessed with a small socket on an extension (hand in through the radio aperture).  Then if you take out the rev counter, you can then get to the other outer nut with a small socket (9mm).

For fitting the new set, the existing screws can be prised from the old wood (they actually unscrew from the wood but watch the threads cos you've got the grip them tightly to unscrew them) and re-screwed into the new wood in the pre-drilled holes but would recommend securing with epoxy glue.   Then with a bit of tinkering in they slip into the holes and the nuts can be tightened.

By the way, a tip for all RHD cars - to get better access to the back of the rev counter, leave the windscreen wipers pointing 'staight up' by switching them on and switching off the ignition when they are in the appropriate position.  This moves the windcreen wiper mechanism out of the way so the you can get easier access to the nut on the back of the instrument (ignoring the nut with his hand up the back of the dashboard!).

All the best

Malcolm

[Jerry66]

Hello everyone, this may be a redundant question but I am in need of the woodset for my 66 230.  I don't have either windshield piece for trade in.  I am relatively new to this and have been given a few names ie:Heritage woods,  Buds Benz, Adsit, just curious if anyone has had any experience with any of these (good or bad) or if anyone has a better suggestion. Thanks

[ja17]

Hello Jerry,

If you cannot find a good used set, find a MB dealer who will give you a good discount (try Caliber Motors) and price new wood there. I had a friend who bought all new wood from the dealer last summer. With his discount it was less than many places charge to repair and refinish old wood.

Here is some additional information;

Download Attachment: wood ill.JPG
44.04 KB

Download Attachment: wood ill2.JPG
42.77 KB

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[Malcolm]

Hi Jerry

Try 'KD' for a new set - see previous posts on the 'Wood Set' forum for his e-mail details.  I've just fitted a set from him (Kay) and it looks great (see my previous postings recently).  although he is in the UK, I know he posts to the US.

Malcolm