Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => Body, interior, paint, chrome, and cosmetic items => Topic started by: col320ce on October 26, 2020, 02:22:39
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The leather has just arrived and the carpet is on its way so I'm going to install it all pretty soon. Is there a good thread on "how to" do this? I searched but didn't find much... I'll see if I can find pagoda world Ed 21... I think I was a member then.
Otherwise any help/suggestions would be welcomed!
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There was a line by Bobby Axlerod in the TV show Billions " Just because a guy watches a lot of Bruce Lee movies doesn't mean he knows how to do Karate".
Depending on your desired results and thinking about any skills you have that you perform better now than when you first started, you can read all you want about upholstery work, but in the end, a professionals work will be better than any first timer.
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Col,
Are you doing everything covered in leather? I am going through thie entire interior on my W111. There is a local leather guy who is doing mine and I hang around him quite a bit picking up this and that. Plus he is very good about explaining what he is doing and enjoys having someone around who is interested.
I am saying this because I agree with what Frank says. Installing the leather in your W111 interior correctly is very difficult. Definitely harder than 95% of the cars and made worse from the fact that the interior is hand assembled. That means the gaps are extremely tight and no room for error. There are so many pitfalls I have run across it is hard to remember them all.
Since you are asking for tips, I am assuming you have never worked with leather before? So depending on what you want the outcome to be, dictates whether you do it yourself or have a pro do the hard parts. I removed all of the parts and brought them to him. Normally he won’t do that because he has to adjust the fit to the car. Yes, it is that tight. So I end up taking parts home and fitting them and taking it back for adjustment.
As an example of this, take the leather insert on the back seat ashtray. Seems simple enough. Mercedes allows NO room for anything but skived leather. If you use standard hide thickness, the frame will not go together. And you you have to cut the foam padding back past the squeeze point. I had to take this back to get refitted.
So just one example of the many pitfalls awaiting you. I enjoy doing 90% of the work on the car, but I don’t do this because I KNOW I fall short in experience. Many factors to consider on this.
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I found issue 21 and had a look.
Thanks for the tips Wallace; the good thing is that my interior is original so I can match things up to be identical. I will take lots of measurements of the thickness at all "contact" points when installed and also plenty of photos. All (most?) of my leather has been pre-cut, pre-sewn and skived so there is less to go wrong although I'll still be measuring etc lots (got it from KHM). Thanks also for identifying some of the pitfalls.
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That is nice to have them pre-sewn and skived. There are many other areas that can create problems. I just can't think of them at the moment. If you run into an area that doesn't make sense or seems wrong, post on W111 section and I bet we can help.
By the way, have you taken a good look at your window regulators? This is a superb chance to take them out and clean and lube them. Also replace the sliders. Makes all the difference in the world.
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I have all the pieces for my W113 interior, at least I think I do and I am nearing the point where that is the next major job. As much as I would like to do this myself, for the satisfaction of having done it, I am not planning on doing it the first time on my 280SL. Part of my plan is to find a trim shop to do the work but I would like to be certain that the material used is high quality and correct. I would really be interested in knowing where you bought your leather from. TIA. Lee.
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I watched a friend do this to a vintage Jaguar and what he did in for some pieces was to sew up replicas in Naugahyde for the nasty locations and try to fit them to see what happened when you pulled too much in one area and not enough in another and then went at it with the real thing when he was comfortable.
His interior turned out amazing and he did it himself. Just measure 3X and cut once if you have to cut at all.
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Hi Lee... I got mine from khm (cabrio.de)
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Hi Lee,
Another from KHM and happy customer having now used them twice.
Garry.
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Not sure about Australia, but in Europe the leather manufacturer worth looking at is Hans Reinke.
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Pawel
KHM (cabrio.de) is in Germany.
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Many thanks for replies. Lee
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There is foam under the dash leather. It looks like it has compressed to bout 3mm so I have bought some 3mm foam that is fairly incompressible however does anyone have and recommendations on foam type and thickness? KHM has supplied me with 5mm stuff for the door cards.
Thanks as always
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Pawel
KHM (cabrio.de) is in Germany.
Yes, yes, I know, I bought a soft top and two carpet sets from them. I just mentioned Europe as the Member asking is from Australia, I do not know how KHM and/or Reinke are distributed in Australia.
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I don't know the thickness but it seems like the cars with the wood binnacle are slightly more padded than the cars with the leather binnacle. Not sure why. To me, more isn't better here.
Are you using skived leather for the upper dash pads. I hope so because making those curves with standard thickness won't work. Also be careful and use skived leather for the glove box and the small bits that are glued on the dash. If you don't, nothing will fit right. Be careful with the foam and make sure it doesn't create a fit issue with the chrome and such on the dash. This part is a lot of fun.
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I have mentioned a number of times about Ron Rabon in Sharpsburg GA. He retired and has come back.
He did my leather and helped me do my seats and other areas.
He did my dashboard and headrests and I did the rest. ( this was about 10 years ago.)
I just today made a full Template of my trunk mat and sent it to him.
He is going to make a nice rug for me.
If any is interested I have his phone # and email address.
He has done many models of Mercedes, Gullwing, 300SL convertable, 190SL, All w113's etc.
Tom M
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The footwell cards originally didn't have the leather glued on... It was just stapled on the back. With the replacement leather should I do the same or is the correct way of doing it now to use the contact adhesive an glue it to the board?
Thanks!
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And... Should there be any other padding on the armrest?
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This is the center cushion between the front seats? Depending on how the new cover fits on the old horsehair, you may need to add some light foam in spots to make it look tight without sags. That has to be an on and off again trial fit.
My kick panels were glued on the back of the card with just the thinnest of foam to add a bit of "feel" to it. Leather directly on hard board is ugly to the touch.
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Hi Wallace and all
Thanks for all your help. I found some 2mm "headliner" foam to go on the doorcards. It's slow going but I'm really happy with the results.
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Progress report...
1 card down...