[Digmenow]

After getting the seats recovered, the next, most obvious fault in the interior was the carpeted back panel. It's in need of cleaning but I hadn't bothered with it since I figured it would need to be replaced. The carpet had pulled away from the panel at the top and previous owners had tried velcro strips and globs of glue to hold it up. This was the result.

Hang on...more to come.

 

[Digmenow]

I went to Home Depot and bought a length of metal 'J' channel for drywall finishing and a can of spray paint that came close to the color of the interior. I cut the J channel just a little longer than the panel. I trimmed the metal back to make tabs to hold it in place. One tab is a little shorter to make it easier to slide it behind the side panels. I gave it a few coats of paint...then....

 

[Digmenow]

Here's the end result. Not exactly M-B but it'll buy me more time to deal with other things before I get back to spending $$$ on the interior.
Ahem...PO punched the holes in the boot! They also installed the plastic trim around the botoom of the cover. I still need to deal with that. I guess I'll also need to clean the carpet.

 

[isthisdave]

Effin' MacGuyver, that Dig fellow.

 

[Digmenow]

Here's the recovered seats, armrest and headrests.

 

[Digmenow]

Effin' MacGuyver, that Dig fellow.

It sure beats the duct tape I was using previously!

BTW...just under $7 for all the parts, not including the gas to and from Homer D. Pot. I already had the sheet metal nibbler that allowed me to cut straight lines.


I used my rusty ...I mean trusty...

But that's not ALL I did today!
More to come.

 

[Digmenow]

I finally...after a whole year, was able to get into the marine supply store and buy two 6/32 stainless steel screws to replace the rusty ones that were messing up my beautiful round headlights! For some reason, it was the left side only...right side is fine. The 6/32's are not quite as thick as the original screws but they pulled up snugly. I installed them in the parking lot of the store to make sure I had screws that would fit. I bought 8/32's first because they looked right but they wouldn't even fit in the holes on the headlight doors. I'll go back and clean out the remainder of the rust and line the screw heads up like gunsights later.

No Benz dealer has been able to locate the correct screw for me.

You can just barely see the rust in the far headlight door screw holes in the top picture but the fact you can see it at all from this angle speaks volumes.

 

[ScottinSoCal]

Just one thing - not trying to be the voice of doom and gloom or anything, just bringing this up.

You've got some pretty sharp edges on that thing, and it's right up against the canvas on your soft top. If wouldn't be a bad idea to go back to Home Depot and get a can of that rubber dip stuff they make for tool handles. Put a couple of coats of that stuff on the end, just to cover the sharp edges and keep them from wearing the inside of your top. That'd be an awfully expensive thing to have happen.

 

[Digmenow]

Right you are, Scott. I noticed it when I put the top up and was still considering my options. I think your idea just moved to the head of the class.

 

[isthisdave]

.....I think your idea just moved to the head of the class.

This forum is the fricken cats meow.

 

[ScottinSoCal]

Here's the recovered seats, armrest and headrests.

Upholstery looks great, by the way. I sometimes wish my car came with the parchment interior, but that wouldn't work with the paint color.

 

[Digmenow]

Upholstery looks great, by the way. I sometimes wish my car came with the parchment interior, but that wouldn't work with the paint color.

Thanks, Scott. It's actually "Creme". I think the bright sunlight makes it look a little lighter in the pictures than IRL. Amazingly, I only had to redo the seats. The rest of the panels are still the original color with no noticeable fading or other issues. That's what persuaded me to change from leather to M-B Tex.

I got the seat covers and new horsehair pads from the guy on ebay who sometimes posts here. My installer (a little 70 something British expat who couldn't weigh more than 95lbs.) said they were cut a little small. He heated and tugged and took the better part of the day to stretch them on. Unfortunately, he couldn't get the cover over the new back pads so he reused the old ones which were still in vg condition. The whole deal was right around 700 bux so I guess you get what you pay for. The new back pads are still in the box in my shed. The installer charged me another 250.

 

[ussun]

Yaaaaaaaay. You Did It!!!!!!looks Great!!!!!!!!!!:d

 

[Digmenow]

Yaaaaaaaay. You Did It!!!!!!looks Great!!!!!!!!!!:d

It was just two screws that hold the headlight door on...aw ...your right.
Yaaaaaaay!

 

[BenzToy]

It was just two screws that hold the headlight door on...aw ...your right.
Yaaaaaaay!

Gratuitous posting, Something most of us are guilty of,
at one time or another.
Read on. Or not. Good info is.....Priceless.:thumbsup:
BT edit; No offense intended or infered: Hopefully

 

[Digmenow]

^^^
I was just being polite and acknowledging ussun in my own inimitable manner. Really.


BTW...believe it our not, I am just as happy that I finally found screws to fix the headlight door as I am about hiding the ugly carpet edge. I have been searching for them for over a year.

BT edit; No offense intended or infered: Hopefully

No Thinskinitis here! Besides, if we keep the post count high, Ike gets to keep his job as a jet jockey which pays for the time he spends moderating this forum.

 

[ussun]

Sorry again I was talking about the seats But the screws look great too.:bowdown:

 

[BenzToy]

^^^
I was just being polite and acknowledging ussun in my own inimitable manner. Really.


BTW...believe it our not, I am just as happy that I finally found screws to fix the headlight door as I am about hiding the ugly carpet edge. I have been searching for them for over a year.



No Thinskinitis here! Besides, if we keep the post count high, Ike gets to keep his job as a jet jockey which pays for the time he spends moderating this forum.

An old term. WOO WOO HOO

 

[Digmenow]

Just one thing - not trying to be the voice of doom and gloom or anything, just bringing this up.

You've got some pretty sharp edges on that thing, and it's right up against the canvas on your soft top. If wouldn't be a bad idea to go back to Home Depot and get a can of that rubber dip stuff they make for tool handles. Put a couple of coats of that stuff on the end, just to cover the sharp edges and keep them from wearing the inside of your top. That'd be an awfully expensive thing to have happen.

effen Nostradamus!

 

[ScottinSoCal]

An edge caught your top?