speaker grille

[n/a]

Well, I got the glove box, clock, radio & two nuts off the chrome grille in 1/2 hour.  The last nut closest to the driver took over an hour using mostly fingers!  

Is there easier access removing the wood speaker grille and how does it come off?

What else should I do now that I have these parts off?  Clock is going to be rebuilt.

[JimVillers]

KGB .... It has been a number of years since I had my speaker grill off but I believe that there are two small screws that hold in in and they are accessed from the top.  Look down on the grill through the windshield and see if my memory is correct.

Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor

[enochbell]

The speaker grill comes out with two counter sunk screws driven through top.  Be very, very careful with these, I suggest you use a #2 stubby and don't try to actually remove the screws: instead back them out a little at a time on each side so that the speaker grill comes up with the screws still attached.  You will see what I mean when you get in there, you just want to avoid nicking the wood by pulling the screw heads up and through the fragile wood slats.

Now, the speaker comes out with four flat heads, and with it all out you will find you have accomplished very little in terms of gaining access to anything.  What are you trying to do?

Best,

Greg

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

[Naj ✝︎]

KGB,
You did not say what model you have.
On the 230 the grill is just a push fit on two studs on the grill.

quote:The last nut closest to the driver took over an hour using mostly fingers!
Is there easier access

There is a bit extra room if you move both the levers toward the middle (closed position)

naj

65 230SL
68 280SL

[n/a]

Sorry, I have a 71 280SL Automatic.  My main goal is to replace the broken levers. Without more access I can't see how I'm going to get the last nut fastened?

[jeffc280sl]

There are two small screws that go through the wood grill and secure it to quick nuts below.  Look carefully, they are recessed into the grill, countersunk and located on the left and right sides.

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[JimVillers]

KGB .... You need the grill out to replace the levers.  I did mine "in place" in that I did not try to remove the control cables or the mechanism from under the dash.  It IS possible to do this job it just takes patience and "finger finesse".

Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor

[Naj ✝︎]

quote:Without more access I can't see how I'm going to get the last nut fastened?

From what I can remember, you'll have to persevere with the trim nut with a fore-finger. Moving the levers towards the center will give more room, even for a 1/4 drive 10mm socket/rachet.
But taking the speaker grill off will help you to replace the levers from the top, once you push the lever plate forward into the dash. The pivot for the levers is a clear perspex tube with black covers at both ends. If you remove the bulb fittings on the top covers, undoing one more screw will take the cover off ( Caution: very fragile covers). No need to take the bottom cover off, you can just slide the tube out of the bottom.
New bulbs of course.
Hope this helps

BTW, here's what the Good Doctor has to say about the job:

 

quote:The job from hell created by Satan to frustrate people like me.......

Dan Caron

   More royalties due to the 'flower pot' man  

naj

[Cees Klumper]

Tip regarding the speaker grille: I fastened the two small countersunk screws a bit too tight in the past: this caused the grille slats to come loose. I reglued them and kept the screws a bit looser (yes, I have two screws loose now). While at the Ohio Tech Session last weekend, I noticed other speaker grills separating maybe due to the same cause.

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[n/a]

I am typing on my small PDA/Phone so please forgive my being brief.  Everyone is being so helpful and now I'm tearing apart the lower dash to have recovered.

Is it possible to replace the louvers on the Frigiking A/C?

The clear perspex need to be replaced also because the top screws have broken off.  Can they be ordered with the levers?