[bdonkersgoed]

Hey guys,

I thought that I read somewhere that the W140 is hand made in Germany. Is this true?

Also, does anyone know if the wood trim is indeed actual wood?

Just curious.
Thanks!

 

[Rainmaker]

I would think the W140 is *not* hand-made since its produced in such volume. Hand-mad...

I would think the W140 is *not* hand-made since its produced in such volume. Hand-made cars are usually limited to under a 1000 units per year due to the manufacturing time...

If you've ever been to Europe, you will notice that the S-class is like the Chevy Impala here --- they use it for all the Taxi cabs, so volume of production must be quite high...

The wood trim is made of wood... as with the BMW, the wood is constructed with many layers of backing wood (like a layered particle board), with a wood veneer glued on the top... this wood backing is about a centimeter thick, and gives it the solid/dense wood-like feel...

This is alot better than the Lexus/Toyota... My dad has a 2001 LS430, and the "wood" is actually a shiny plastic trim with a wood-looking painting/photograph placed on top... so it definitely has a flimsy plasticy feel to it, and the wood-image looks very fake... my mom has a 2000 Infiniti, and it looks even less realistic -- it is simply shiny brown plastic with black spots painted all over it (doesn't resemble wood at all in my opinion)... I did attempt to convince my parents to buy MB or BMW, but they wanted something luxurious but not flashy... they think MB/BMW is too flashy for them, i guess since they're used to driving Toyotas and GMs most of their lives...

Cheers

 

[400SEL]

Hey guys,

I thought that I read somewhere that the W140 is hand made in Germany. Is this true?

Also, does anyone know if the wood trim is indeed actual wood?

Just curious.
Thanks!

Some of the wood in the S-Class (perhaps the others as well) also has an aluminum (transparent) lining to prevent the wood splintering in the event of a crash. Just happened to read it in a booklet that came with the MB brochue (What makes Mercedes Benz a Mercedes Benz).

 

[AKRY]

YES and NO..... No, W140 is far from low-volume hand-made cars such as RR/Bentley.... HOWEVER, YES..... W140 is partially hand-made.... Especially around door frames and front/rear windshield frames. In order to achieve better fit/finish/water-tightness, frame areas are hand hammered/tweaked/sand/what not...... It takes roughly 3 - 5 days to complete a W140.....

 

[Fluteguy]

not in a loooooooong time!

Mercedes-Benz hasn't made a completely hand built car since the 540K spezial roadster or the 700 "Grosser" Mercedes before the war. The finishing? Yes, but hand built no.

Even Roller doesn't do that anymore....


As far as the wood goes the old joke is that ,

"Only the Japanese can make plastic look like real wood and only the Germans can make real wood look like plastic!"

 

[z168]

wow talk about thread resurrection. wish I had the patience to refinish my wood. Ive seen DIYs that looked great.

anyone looking into retrofitting rear tables and refinishing them to match?

 

[G-AMG]

Mercedes-Benz hasn't made a completely hand built car since the 540K spezial roadster or the 700 "Grosser" Mercedes before the war. The finishing? Yes, but hand built no.

"

Unless you consider the G-Wagen... also Still Hand Built... EXCEPT for one Computer directed drilling of the headliner hole for the Hands-Free Phone Mic

 

[Stryker-1999 S600]

Rear Tables? You mean like these?

 

[MafiaDON]

NICE pics Stryker!!!!

I also want to fit those kind of tables in my W140 (probably the S320). But they cost a whopping $1500 each!!! EEEKKK!!

I heard some one retro fitted some of these tables from a Jaguar, might go in that direction because getting the real thin like is almost impossible. Even if my local breakers had them, they would still probably sell them for a small bundle.

 

[eddie a]

Rear Tables? You mean like these?

Show off!!

 

[hellah fresh]

^^I been trying to find those for out w140 for awhile now but no luck.

NICE pics Stryker!!!!

I also want to fit those kind of tables in my W140 (probably the S320). But they cost a whopping $1500 each!!! EEEKKK!!

I heard some one retro fitted some of these tables from a Jaguar, might go in that direction because getting the real thin like is almost impossible. Even if my local breakers had them, they would still probably sell them for a small bundle.

I bought a tray set off of some jag and was planning on using it for my w140 but they way the rear seat cover was shaped it would ahve been too difficult.

 

[MafiaDON]

^^I been trying to find those for out w140 for awhile now but no luck.





I bought a tray set off of some jag and was planning on using it for my w140 but they way the rear seat cover was shaped it would ahve been too difficult.

Any pics comrade? Im sure some degree of modification could get them to fit..

 

[ulflei]

Show off!!

I agree

 

[Jayare]

Here is the website for wood tray tables and other interior items.

APSIS USA, INC. - Order on Line - The Final Touch on Autosport and Luxury!


Jayare

 

[jcvollmuth]

Call me crazy but i want to finish all the wood in my car with the piano black designo wood made by steinway and get a custom designo styled white and black interior. looks classy. However instead of tray tables i would rather have the 4 place seating conversion. thats my goal in the next 40 years:thumbsup:

 

[hellah fresh]

Any pics comrade? Im sure some degree of modification could get them to fit..

I already sold them to another person that is going to put them on a lexus. But here is a picture that i found of the trays that i used to have and they look exactly like this

I even had the original screws that belongs to them. But you see the metal side mounts... they will not work on our rear seat because our rear had a hump in the middle. So the only way to get them to work is to remove the hump and make the back all flat or work around them. Here is an example pic of the hump in the rear of our seats that needs to work around.

Overall you just might have to make a whole new back panel and make them flush just for those trays.

 

[PKariCL600]

wow talk about thread resurrection. wish I had the patience to refinish my wood. Ive seen DIYs that looked great.

anyone looking into retrofitting rear tables and refinishing them to match?

So funny I see this thread come up...as I am literally starting the process of refinishing (a sample first) of wood....I am going to try and go for the piano black finish. I will take pics and let everyone know how it came out!

anyone have any suggestions, comments, concerns for me? they are all welcome! thanks!

 

[PKariCL600]

Call me crazy but i want to finish all the wood in my car with the piano black designo wood made by steinway and get a custom designo styled white and black interior. looks classy. However instead of tray tables i would rather have the 4 place seating conversion. thats my goal in the next 40 years:thumbsup:

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

bro I didn't even see your post before I wrote mine....I really want to make the piano black happen for my CL. I got some ebony stain, some poly, and some other stuff you mix like a resin and hardener to give it the super wet look, yet keep it super strong. If not pure piano black then a black woodgrain. Ill post pics!!

 

[jcvollmuth]

i'll be very interested to see that result. if it works i'm definitely going to do it. i have a friend that does custom carbon fiber work so i could probably get him to help me with it. good luck on your project:thumbsup:

 

[500ezin]

wow, i am loving those wood kits.