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New dash replacement / installation

Started by nathan, 13 April 2019, 09:53 AM

nathan

Ok, something i did last year and never got around to posting the pics.  After the recent enquiry, ill start a new thread so pictures are on the first thread straight away. a tough job, i think it took TJ and I about 12 hours or something - your back will never be the same.  I was installing i think what was the last RHD blue dash sold via MB (TJ got the second last!).  a much softer rubbery feeling dash than the hard dash we are all used to in our 40 year old cars.

i think it helps to have your seats out, and the steering wheel out. this requires a lot of disassembly and space. so out come the seats with their 4 bolts.  then comes the instrument cluster  and all attached wires.  the steering wheel comes off with the 27mm bolt behind the MB logo (leave your steering centred to put your wheel back on!). drop the steering rack with the two 13mm bolts accessible inside the instrument cluster hole

then you want the roof stuff off. from memory this needs removal of the grab bars on the side roof trim, let the side trim drop.  you need the rear view mirror out - a quick pull backwards at the shaft of it sees it come off, then unscrew the base with the phillips screws.  pull the frontal roof bit back now and you have enough to get the A pillar trims off which pull towards the back of the car (they need a bit of force and its a bit scary). then remove the hard plastic on the base of the A pillars near where your knees would be. there will be one phillips screw at the top of these. be bloody careful, these are NLA and you almost never find wrecked ones in good shape.

then onto stage 2
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

#1
ok, now you start the dash work.  remove the glovebox.  the 8 or so grey grommets need the central pins lifted and then the other bits flicked out. you then undo the two phillips for the lock mechanism in the upper section, and finally drop the light down  in the glovebox and out it comes forward. 

the dash starts with 3 x 10mm bolts one on each side on the 'roof' of the internal dash which are vertically orientated, and another which is in the middle which is horizontally oriented - this one is a bastard to get to. you can see where they are in the pictures of the removed new dash. 

then remove the head light switch. simply pull the central black twisty dial out. then undo the large flat bolt (i always just use flat beak pliers and cant remember the diameter) and remove the housing for the light switch. 

also need to remove the handbrake. there is an Allen bolt on one side of it. this comes off and then from memory there is another chrome bolt at the base of it which spins off (I can't remember the specifics of this)

then there are a bunch of 10mm bolts along the base of the dash

finally is another bugger of a task. the pin connecting the central vents to the heater box.  you could squeeze the tabs in (see pic) but this has broken before for me.  TJs advice which worked well, just unscrew the thing you can see marked with the arrow. you can see in the pics where TJs hand is being broken getting access to remove it. you can then see the unit after removal and with the dash out.  it will not come out with out this being undone and yanking on it will snap it - making you sad with a likely another NLA part!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

now the two man job of gently wrestling your dash out.  butter, lube, graphite - whatever you try, the edges are going to cop it.  if its not too sunburnt like my old one perhaps you get lucky. if you dont want your dash, who cares if the edges snap off!  you can see a bunch of pics of the brand new dash. interestingly the holes are cut in the metal frame (but covered with foam) for vertically mounted speaks as in Australia, and top mounted speakers as in the US. you have to cut the holes out. you also have to cut a hole for your hydro cable. 
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

and a few more pics of the brand new dash
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

#4
then you need to transfer all your bits from the old dash to the new one

the central grill metal frame is first screwed in with two philips, one on each side.  you then fit the mobile parts with the pressure clips.  you then refit your rubber boot on the back with the pressure clips (pics not in right order sorry)
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

sorry had to separate these due to attachment problem
the central grill holes which you screw the philips into before the rubber boot goes on the back!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

sorry wont let me attach a pic of screwing in the grill.

moving on. the lateral grills have two 10mm screws, one each side. be really careful with these as the years have made these brittle and they snap really easy. they are not symmetrical so if you bust one, you cant just use a spare from the other side (although there is a way around this - you will know what i mean if you break one and have a spare one lying around)
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

the key ring chrome is easy enough. 3 bendable tabs on the inside
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

the air vents were a bit of a bugger. i think they had deformed over the years and getting them on the new ones was tough. like the key ring chrome, they have bendable tabs to fit to them
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

then onto all the glovebox bits!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

and nearing the end you have to put all the glovebox back together (i disassembled mine as it was time to redo the wood with dash out!).  dont put the lid back on until the dash is in though or you will probably hammer it!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

i think i said already, cut your speaker holes out and hydro cable for a 6.9
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

and its ready to go back int (admittedly i cant remember if i took the steering lock out, bit its one of the things to navigate when it goes back in!)
pic is comparison against a 3rd dash i had lying around
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

nathan

#13
and believe it or not, i cant seem to find a pic of the installed dash! in it goes, process in reverse. if its a good condition old dash going in, all i can say is be careful not to crack the sides. there are no real experts on this and how to avoid it (probably just luck!).  i also fit a re dyed centre console at the time as i had a spare which i had recarpeted on the sides and tried out someone who offered the service. the dyed console looks great i think with better colour.

you can see i provided the speaker cut out bit off the new dash for him to try and match the colour
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

robertd

hi Nathan,

Definitely for the brave Hearted and Thanks for posting the step by step procedure.

I have removed a couple from cars I dismantled a few years back, and its was a tough job not to damage anything along the way but never have I had to re assemble any.

You are the BRAVE one.
116   1978 450SEL 6.9 #  4848
116   1979 450SEL  6.9 # 5884
116   1979 450SEL  6.9 # 6225  SOLD
116   1978 450SEL  6.9 # 5128  SOLD
116   1979 450SEL  6.9 # 5884  SOLD
116   1974 450SEL  DJet