Ohora,
If I were you
(and that's also what I did) I wouldn't go too far away from home to have your car (re-)done.
You can already do a lot yourself - and that is mainly organizing what has to be done.
Buy new dashwood (K&K or SLS or equivalent), polish your steering wheel and chrome with chome polish, use upholstery foam for your inner softtop and so on.
If you pass everything out-of-your-hand chances are high that you
1) pay top dollars .... uhem, .... Pounds
2) that the result will not completely turn out as you wanted to.
The more you get involved into your car - and stick your nose into (even if you do no maintenance, restoring yourself) - the more you can make sure that the outcome of the repair work of your car goes into the direction you want to.
One of the things that definitely helps is this: Get involved in the local and near distant (MB-) network !
Talk to as many fellow owners as possible, even of other car brands. You always learn something from the others.
Where to go, whom to ask, where to look for, how it works, etc.
This way you can guide the technicians doing the work on your car into the "proper direction" you want to have to.
The more "comfortable" you treat yourself, the more you pay.
Restoring a car ++ 3000 kms far away from your home is a pretty good guarantor that the result will turn out anyhow, maybe good. But surely out of your (direct) control.
Ask me how I know ....
Just my 2 cents ....
Achim
(1971 230 W114)
