Refinishing wood
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With the W126 this was a non-starter. The veneer is too thin. Also, I would be highly surprised if it's finished with just "varnish". IIRC on the 126 it was a bit more complex and that was at least 20 years before your car was made. You're better off buying new trim.
What's the history on your car? I saw some rough 220s when I was looking for the Teutonic Plague and the wood trim in all of them was perfect. She must have taken some abuse to cause that. If water and exposure to elements were the cause of the cracking there may be more serious problems laying in wait.
What's the history on your car? I saw some rough 220s when I was looking for the Teutonic Plague and the wood trim in all of them was perfect. She must have taken some abuse to cause that. If water and exposure to elements were the cause of the cracking there may be more serious problems laying in wait.
All of the cars I looked at were in South Florida, so it has to be something else. Not trying to be pessimistic, but IME it's better to be prepared. From what I understand the electrical gremlins can be killer if there has been serious water intrusion. How long have you had her?
oooh. I just looked at the prices for cl500 trim on ebay. ouch. after seeing that the don't refinish advice might have been misguided. if it's possible it might be more cost effective. is it all of the trim or just certain pieces?
Generally speaking the wood trims are very pricey (a little cheaper if you buy a whole set, as opposed to a piece here and there) but either way your probably looking at like 600-900 to replace it all.
you can always do what im doing to give your baby a little individuality and vinyl wrap it. $100+ and a few hours and a coupla drops of sweat and you have "new" trim.
i dont know your taste but they have almost every color/print you can think of.
but if your dead set on replacing i would start with ebay or try and hunt down a u-pull-it. you may get lucky. but as stated above trying to refinish would just be a headache you dont want and will probably have to replace anyway.
and that veener is expensive so mercs dont use as much as thy used to in the older days.
either way good luck to you
There are some good threads for refinishing trim on the R/C107 forum - start with the "Interior" section of the Encyclopaedia Germanica Vol. 107 sticky at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r-c...lopaedia-germanica-volume-107-aka-egv107.html. Also, you will find even more doing a search on that forum - try "refinish wood" or "refinish veneer."
On my R107, I elected to buy a kit and replace the veneer rather than to try to refinish badly cracked, faded, and missing wood.
On my R107, I elected to buy a kit and replace the veneer rather than to try to refinish badly cracked, faded, and missing wood.
Well I had read that varnish can shrink and crack.
A third cause is a varnish-making mistake. For instance, some varnishes based on rosin can shrink a lot over time and break up in big patches that look like mud flats.
A third cause is a varnish-making mistake. For instance, some varnishes based on rosin can shrink a lot over time and break up in big patches that look like mud flats.
Do you have any before and after pics or pics of the process with the heat gun? That's a pretty interesting method.
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