Wood removal/upper dash pad

[n/a]

Hi, I am having a new firewall patch installed and while the car is out of service, I thought that I would have the windshield glass removed and pull the wood bows to refinish and upper dash pad in order to have it recovered.  Any advice on how to remove upper dash pad along with wood bows?  I do understand that the windshield gasket can be a bear as the aftermarket gaskets are often too big?  Is there a source for the right gasket?

[Douglas]

Try your friendly neighborhood Mercedes dealer. Like many people here, I use Tom Hanson at Caliber Motors: 1-800-252-6877.

And yes, I've heard the aftermarket windshield gasket won't fit properly. (I'm going through the same thing right now with the trunk gasket.)

Finally, if your firewall insulation isn't too terrible, I recommend you keep it. The new stuff isn't the same.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[pagode.info]

To take out dash wood:

Remove Glove Box completely.
Then take out clock & radio.

Wood screws are easy to find
because of their blue colour.

Now You can remove screws from
right side bow and also the
right screw from the left bow.

The other 2 screws from the left
bow are much more difficult to
unscrew.

To avoid removing all instruments
I had good results by lying on
my back nearby the pedals with
a good lamp and also long tools.

There is a chance to unscrew
those both screws from this
position. But it`s not easy.

Good luck,
Tom

P.S.:
New Windshield-Rubbers are always
hard to install, because they all
did not come in a shape matching
the glass. Doesn`t matter if You
buy original or after market.

Make it soft in warm water. Then
fix it around the glass with rubber
straps and leave it overnight.

Next day install the aluminum
frame. Fix it again with straps
and let the whole thing sit down
overnight.

After this the whole unit will
slip much more easier into the
car.

After removing those straps
You have only seconds to install
it. If You wait too long the
rubber may slip from it`s position.

Good luck again,
Tom

     

[gwuisman]

James,

In addition to Tom. I found it easier to take out the rev meter in order to remount the left blue screws.

Gerard Wuisman
1970 280sl

[n/a]

As usual, great advice, thanks guys!

[CraigD]

I'd like to refinish the dash wood while my dash is dissasembled for heater core work.  Does anyone have any suggestions for removing the wood from the dash area?  Everything is out of the dash (guages, radio, glovebox, heater controls, etc., etc.) and the wood is unscrewed, but I'm having trouble actually getting the wood out of its place.  It's caught between the windshield and the studs protruding from the bottom of the wood.  I am being gentle with the wood and not twisting it too much.  I havne't seen any posts indicating any need to remove either the windshield or the dash leather to get enough clearance, but I'm perplexed...

Any good techniques out there?  Thanks!

Craig DeVine
Belleuve, WA
Silver '70 280SL Euro 4sp

[Dick M]

Hi Craig
When you pull the wood up from the driver side be sure to put something under the protruding bolt on the far end.  I cut a piece of plastic milk container to slide the bolt over the leather.. thick enough and smooth.

Dick M
1970 280SL