OK, I'm going to try something new. I'll post about each piece as I do it and let you know what I had to do to get the old wood out and the new wood in. I'm doing this as I wait for adhesive to dry. I was originally going to use contact cement to put this stuff on, but changed my mind when I actually got the pieces in hand. I wanted to be able to adjust and get them perfectly aligned and contact cement doesn't allow that. As soon as the pieces touch, they're glued. Instead I used 3M Super Trim Adhesive that I already had.
First, the center console wood. To remove it (yeah, I know there's directions other places but why not put them here, too?) in my 78 450SL:
1: Take out the ash tray
2: Take the two screws out of the ash tray frame - they're in the back
3: GENTLY pull the ash tray frame out, first from the right. The power connector for the cigarette lighter is connected on the left and it's a big connector. Unplug the connector and remove the frame completely
4: Take out the two screws you just exposed in the center console wood
5: Lift up just enough to clear the shifter on the front of the center console wood (where you just removed the screws) and pull straight back, toward the rear of the car. There's a pin that latches into the center console and it's what holds the rear of the wood in place.
6: Unplug the two window switches and the emergency flasher relay. Big relay, huh? It also holds the relay for the blinkers.
7: CAREFULLY take out the window switches and emergency flasher relay by pushing them up through the top of the old wood. The chrome ring around the window switches is plastic, it's old, and it'll disintegrate if you give it half a reason to, requiring you to buy new window switches.
Set the old wood aside, paying close attention to the window switches. Don't break those chromed plastic rings. Keep track of the old wood, you may need parts off it.
Reverse the steps to install the new wood. On my new wood I found that the shaft they provided at the back end of the wood was positioned too low and left a gap. This is where the old wood piece comes in. On my old piece (the original factory piece) that shaft was on an aluminum plate that was glued all across that end of the wood. I took a flat blade screwdriver and gently pried it away from the old wood piece. It still bent, so I had to straighten it. Once it was out, I clipped the plastic shaft off the new wood, used the trim adhesive and glued it in place on the new wood. I used wood clamps to hold it in place (with a towel to protect the finish on the new wood) and it's now drying on my dining room table. Pictures to come later in another post.
Now tackle the ashtray. I'd read that I was supposed to drill out some rivets, but I didn't see any. I used the same small flat blade screwdriver and started from the bottom of the ash tray, working from bottom to top and side to side. It popped right off. It looks like MB held it in place with some kind of super strong two-sided tape that left the ashtray in pristine condition when it came off but held strong for 30 years. Score one for MB. The wood slides under the chrome cap, so angle it and pull it out of the chrome cap. Mine didn't look bad, if anyone wants a zebrano ash tray cover in good condition drop me a line.
Check to make sure the new ash tray cover is the same size as the old one, then smear a good amount of the glue you're using (assuming, you know, that it actually is the same size - mine is) around the ash tray cover. Angle it again, slide it under the chrome cap and push it into place. I've got more wood clamps and another towel clamping it in while the adhesive dries on it.
I'll take some picture of the old wood and the new wood drying so you can see what I'm talking about and post them. I'll also cover the additional pieces as I do each of them.
__________________ When I die, I want to go quietly in my sleep, like Grandpa.
Not screaming, like the people in his car.
Juvenis quod fanaticus nunquam concilio usus quod proditus
Last edited by ScottinSoCal : 07-04-2007 at 09:50 AM.
Oh, yeah, while you're waiting for the adhesive to dry it would be a good time to really clean out the center console. You can get under where the wood is and you won't risk getting cleaning solvents soaked into your beautiful new wood.
I'm not doing any of this work, but thanks for the thorough description, Scott. It's interesting reading, and it will be a great archive when needed. Hope your enjoying having your SL back!
Chief
Oh, yeah, while you're waiting for the adhesive to dry it would be a good time to really clean out the center console. You can get under where the wood is and you won't risk getting cleaning solvents soaked into your beautiful new wood.
Scott -
This is my first post and I am new 450sl owner. Thanks for the description. It's the first major project I plan to undertake!!
Sorry for the delay. Got caught up in brunch, lunch, drinks, dinner and now a marathon on Comedy Central that we're watching with neighbors. But I can type and watch at the same time.
Last piece I did today was the climate control panel. It should have been easy, but I'm one of the people who had a problem with it. The PO had an aftermarket stereo installed and the installer broke the center console. It doesn't hold the top of the panel any more. I wanted to find some way to hold it in and finally came up with something.
I went to a hobby shop and bought a piece of stainless steel thin enough to bend, but thick enough to hold shape. Cut it to shape, bent it to shape and then attached it to the button unit. There's a screw hole at the top that gave me a place to screw it in. I think the next time I'm back in my home town I'm going to borrow my uncle's shop to get a better shape on it, but this will do for now.
Once I had that to hold the climate control panel in place, it was as easy to sliding it into place.
I also have the wood trim for the strip along the dash, but that won't be put in till the weekend. Photos to follow.
Scott,
I noticed you have the same problem I had in my 77 450sl.The faded
center console.I had mine dyed to match by a company called Fibrenew.
They are a nationwide company that I am sure are available to you.It made
a huge difference,it looks like brand new.I had it done three years ago,and
it still looks great.
Bob
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