I thought I would share with you guys some pictures of how my wood restoration is coming along. I wish I had stained them a bit darker, but oh well. I'll explain the pictures as I go. Also, I apologize for the quality...most of these were taken with my camera phone, but that's all I have.
These first few pictures were taken about two years ago. I had only had the car for about two months in these pictures. My intent wasn't to capture the wood in these photos, but you can still see how cracked and faded it all is.
Here you can see that the cracked and chipped ashtray trim isn't even attached.
It's hard to tell from this photo, but this console piece was awful when I bought this car. The wood was mustard yellow and very dried out. There were cracks everywhere, most of which went all the way through to the wood, and the entire piece was warped. Unfortunately this is the only picture I have of this piece before I began stripping it.
This picture shows the original console piece and a new (used) ashtray piece as of yesterday. Both of these pieces will need several more coats of polyurethane with sanding sessions in between coats, but this is a glimpse into the future. For some reason both pieces looked lighter in this picture than they do in the next pictures.
This is some of the wood today. Obviously that is the old chipped away ashtray wood next to the replacement piece I bought on ebay. Both the ashtray piece and the center console have received some sanding since that above photo from yesterday where they are still glossy. The other climate control piece and the right door piece are still original. You can see, even though they aren't finished, how much darker and better the center console piece and the new ashtray piece look compared to the old faded yellow of the other pieces.
Here you can see that even with its current orange peel finish and some sanding marks, the console piece looks a hell of a lot better than it used to.
I bought an extra climate control piece on ebay because it came with a full set of switches. It is the piece on the left. I plan on restoring it instead of my original piece. I don't know why....that's just what I decided to do.
That's all for now, but there will be more to come. I'm off to put another coat of polyurethane on the two pieces that I've started.
Vehicle: 1982 500sec EURO AMG, 500sec convertible (euro swap) TWO 1984 US 500SECs, w203coupe, 300d, 500sel
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,107
nice job! what polyeuethane are you using specifically??? and what did you use to strip the wood or are you just sanding it down to the thin layer of wood....
Vehicle: 1985 380SE US Spec | 1983 500SEL EURO Spec | 1998 GMC Sierra 2500 6.5 Turbo Diesel
Location: Central New Jersey
Posts: 1,658
Very nice! I hope to do the same thing sometime..
__________________ 1985 380SE
Done:
Katmac Euros | Full Pioneer Speaker Upgrade | Alpine Sub/amp | Period correct Early AMG/ATS made 15" Pentas | GEN I AMG Steering Wheel | Full Front End rebuild | Seat repairs | Some New Zebrano Wood|
To Be Done:
Drivetrain Swap From A Gen I 83' 500SEL Euro With 231HP Engine And 2.24 LSD| Get The Rust Out! |This Damn Thing Has Me Broke!|
Vehicle: Black 560 SEC 'milked' AMG, White 560 SEC Carat
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 1,173
good job, mate woth your console piece, i see you've taken out the plastic black surround where the gear shift goes through...where do you find a replacement for the black surround? Mine was destroyed when i took it out.
Vehicle: 1985 500SEC, 1991 190E 2.6 (50k original miles)
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 9,887
Too bad kodiakj2 has been too busy lately to frequent the forum. He specializes in Mercedes wood trim, and the pieces he restored are of professional standart.
A forum search will get you his posts, and pictures of the pieces he has restored.
If you are not sure how to search, please re visit the 'Welcome to the Forum' tutorial sticky on top.
Cheers
good job, mate woth your console piece, i see you've taken out the plastic black surround where the gear shift goes through...where do you find a replacement for the black surround? Mine was destroyed when i took it out.
do a search on ebay for shifter surround there is a plastic replacement $30
__________________
1986-560sec 168k-rebuilt heads,new timing chain, tensioner,valve job,new Brembo rotors/ pagid pads,ss cat back w/gutted cats,billstein hd's w/h&r's,new paint, new alt, new belts,new battery,3 piece zender spoiler,nippon rebuilt compressor,high torque starter, lorinser 17X8.5 wheels w/ F235/R245/45/17 sumitomo HTR. Euro Headlights, clear corners, 1991 Black Interior, Alpine Head w/Ipod Cable.infiniti reference speakers,infiniti basslink 200w sub
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