Restoration by Classic Centre...

[ptashek]

This car is claimed to have been restored by the Classic Centre in Fellbach. Is it just me, or there's all kinds of totally wrong with how it was done?

http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C786117

Leather dash? Manual door cards?
Air filter housing from an early W126?
Missing stickers on fan shroud, wrong battery etc.

Another MB example of "quality", or maybe just made as the client wanted it?

Thoughts?

[robertd]

Nice looking car but I agree a lot of non original kit. Look at the ribbed valve covers on the motor.  Could be a 380 or a 500?

[polymathman]

REALLY like the leather dash!

[Peter]

I like the color combination especially all that leather however I agree that its a little "mix and match" on many of the parts. Likely the parts dept. told them sorry no stock left and we are not making anymore !!

[UTn_boy]

Its not at all uncommon for a Classic Center restoration to be full of mistakes and with a lot being incorrect.  You'd think they'd take note when none of what they restore is wining any awards, yet they're charging people $200,000-$500,000 to do a half ass job.....an incorrect job, no less. 

[floyd111]

You guys have sharp eyes! I saw the door cards, but can not tell this dash is incorrect.. What's so obvious about it?

[ptashek]

What's so obvious about it?

Several things. It's leather, instead of vinyl - wrong material, wrong grain. It's stitched from several panels, while from factory the dash is a single piece of material.

The interior looks nicely made, just isn't something I'd expect Fellbach to sign under. I have this ideal vision of perfect restorations made based on original designs. Maybe that's not at all what they do.

The engine bay is where the real mess is though.

[s class]

Oh dear that dash is horrible.  And such a prominent visible feature that the driver sees all the time.