Were these ever metal either chromed or anodised aluminium? I was looking at some old photos and noticed that the cills were very shiny. Mine are a very worn and shabby silvery grey plastic and I have been thinking of a way to make them look better or to replace them. They really don't go with the car although they fit.
I have found you can replace the narrow metal strip in them with these
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Reparatursatz-Einstiegsleisten-Mercedes-W116-S-SE-door-sill-repair-kit/381442344605?hash=item58cfbc469d%3Ag%3AbPkAAOSwSU1bNqbj&_sacat=0&_nkw=w116+door+sill&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xw116+door+sill.TRS0
W109 and others had them as option
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Benz-Door-Sill-Cover-SET-W109-110-111-112-230-280-300-SE-SEL-RARE/162799366808?hash=item25e7993298%3Ag%3AGC8AAOSwZQxW5ec3&_sacat=0&_nkw=w109+door+sill&_from=R40&rt=nc&LH_TitleDesc=0
these guys show a lighted door sill, but no pictures of the product
http://www.apsisusa.com/Door%20Sill%20Plate%20-%20w-%20Illuminated%20Light/Door%20Sill%20Plate%20w-Light/Mercedes/mercedes%20-%20door%20sill%20plate.htm
I have never seen anything other than the plastic covers with stainless insert. The early cars all had a silvery grey colour, later cars had covers that were colour coded to match the interior.
Thanks all. The metal insert needs replacing on them all but it doesn't get over the look of the cill covers. Thought of painting them but I don't know how long it would last. Got some "chrome" paint that I might try. More satin than polished but it improves with extra coats. They are not complicated so it should be possible to make them in stainless steel or even have them chromed. Might investigate that.
Yea the standard plastic grey dolls look like an afterthought from the designers, kinda like "shit the first car leave in 5 mins just stick anything on it"
An nice chrome version would be better.
Neil.
It would look much better. Those fitted look really cheap its surprising that MB didn't fit something better.
Some cills have three metal inserts.
They were installed in 350/450 and some 280 (only with leather or velours seats) up to December 1973.
There are these, but EPC says W124 only
https://www.german-spob.de/start.php?name=EINSTIEGSLEISTE-SET&language=de&nr=4f891befea82ae5f4ffdb63edc1bed80&seite=gebrauchtteile&seite_gebr=art_details&artikel_id=6056
why not get the stainless ones from Eris-design? I did, and they look solid and shiny. Pretty cheap as well. I paid 58 euros for a set of 4. However, I can't find the link through the Eris ebay shop anymore. I have sent them an email and am waiting for a reply. Possibly they are selling them through this shop now:
https://www.fmw-tuning.de/mercedes-benz/w110-121/chrom-teile-1312/einstiegsleisten-verchromt-4tlg-mercedes-w116-sel.html?language=de
Thank you for this thread. I was thinking about making SS ones. Great to know there are ones already made for reasonable prices.
Got word from them. They no longer have SEL versions, but still carry S/SE
Prices have gone up a little as well, since the last 2 yrs..
https://www.hpw-cardesign.de/MERCEDES--W116-Chrom-Einstiegsleisten-Einstiege-Mercedes-W116-SE-EDELSTAHL.html
Difficult to compare but it looks like none of these examples would fit. Mine look like the ones with the three metal bands but without the two broad ones. I would think that it would improve them to add the metal strips but the plastic does not look good. There is a good metal workshop not far away who I regularly use so I will take a front and back one and see what they say. They would simply bend the steel to the profile so it would be quite plain. Did have a panel made some time ago for another vehicle and they used a laser to engrave "Mercedes-Benz" in it and it looked very good. But if I remember it was £70 per item.