Sun visor recover/replacement

[Jack the Knife]

I just recently took my car home from storage and had the opportunity to really inspect my new interior. Seat tops need some more material and I was quite perturbed to see what happened to my sun visors. I didn't spec that they should be upholstered with my supplied leather, but I didn't think to tell them to leave them alone. Alas, the job they did was terrible, especially since I guess there had been no scarfed leather left. These were the original sun visors and I understand they're a little costly. Could anyone recommend how I might recover these and with what material, or if there's a good supplier of reproduction sunvisors around? I've browsed eBay and some of the approved suppliers but quality and pricing seems to be all over the place.

[JamesL]

I seem to recall someone here was making and selling repros in bamboo and black (?) but not seeing that on a forum search
I think the vinyl on them is “heat sealed” at the outer edges so a home rebuild is tricky but has been done (do a search on visors)

[stickandrudderman]

If you're lucky the trimmer has simply covered the original vinyl and you may be able to cut the new leather off and return them to original.

[zak]

Jack , they do match the seats very well and don't look bad in the photo at least.
That steering wheel looks vintage and a unique design with patinaed MB center cap.

Do other MB models during the pagoda period use the same sun visors ?

jz

[BobH]

If you want to retain originality, then only two colours were originally available for your car, and should match the hardtop lining

As Colin says, the original covering may still be beneath the new leather, if not then it can't be too difficult to recover them in vinyl, i'm not sure they were ever finished in leather originally

Have a look on here for a description of how to remove the cover and refurbish the innards if they need it

If you search sunvisors, you'll read some sorry tales about the aftermarket ones available, even the dearer ones, so i'd stick with the originals if you can, but that's just my preference

https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Interior/Sunvisors

[Jack the Knife]

Jack , they do match the seats very well and don't look bad in the photo at least.
That steering wheel looks vintage and a unique design with patinaed MB center cap.

Do other MB models during the pagoda period use the same sun visors ?

jz

O my brother if you saw the stitching you'd puke like I did. I think they had the D team on that one. The rest looks super, though. And great question about other models, I'm not sure myself but the early cars like mine seem to have slightly shortened visors with different mounts.

If you're lucky the trimmer has simply covered the original vinyl and you may be able to cut the new leather off and return them to original.

Great idea, though I just checked and it seems the old material was removed. And it's not like I think the old stuff was even better, they were a little worn out and could've stood to be dyed again. Aesthetically I think the cream would look better with the horn button. I haven't decided on the shifter yet, it was specced with the one there, and I'm not sure if the white will clash with the black of the ashtray. Ah well. Really if it comes down to it, I guess I could recover them.

[Jack the Knife]

If you want to retain originality, then only two colours were originally available for your car, and should match the hardtop lining

As Colin says, the original covering may still be beneath the new leather, if not then it can't be too difficult to recover them in vinyl, i'm not sure they were ever finished in leather originally

Have a look on here for a description of how to remove the cover and refurbish the innards if they need it

If you search sunvisors, you'll read some sorry tales about the aftermarket ones available, even the dearer ones, so i'd stick with the originals if you can, but that's just my preference

https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Interior/Sunvisors

It's really just aesthetics, and I'd sure hate to gamble on repros. I've had all kinds of experiences there with bunk. I did read some of those old threads before posting, and the one where the gent recovers his own was inspiring.

[GM]

Hi,
I'm the one who redid my sunvisors, and put it in the Tech Manual for inspiration...
If you're up to it, you might want to be on the lookout for some old visors that have simply collapsed from the foam degradation, and follow the sequence in the write up. Like these - https://www.ebay.com/itm/324943084929 - but they're for a 280SL.
If you're up to it, I'm happy to guide you (and still have some leftover materials).
Looks like someone else (just recently) is looking for them, too - https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=38630.0
Good luck.
Gary

[zoegrlh]

I remember some years ago when MB no longer had NOS visors, there was a member in UK that was selling “really” good looking visors, exact cream color. They were made for him in China, the difference from original was that there was no heat seal on edges. What the manufacturer did is sew edges inside out. I have personally seen these visors at PUD and they look fantastic, and price half the NOS. Look at the threads for sun visors. BTW MB now has their stock of visors again.