Removing centre console on 280 SE

[carl888]

OK, don't ask, I'm going to remove the centre console in the 280 SE.  I am missing (Volume two I assume) the Mercedes-Benz workshop manual that covers this procedure.  Any tricks I need to be aware of?

Thanks for any information.

Regards,

Carl.

[oscar]

Hi Carl,

I haven't ventured that far but I do have volume 2 though I'm not sure it covers the removal of said bits.  I'll have a look tonight when I get home from work and post anything that might be different from what others come up with. 

Also, even if your vinyl has been redyed, in a thread a while back there had been some note of the centre console vinyl where both sides don't match the colour of the dashboard vinyl and it seems a common trait no matter whether blue, green, brown or black, the vinyl seems faded or washed out. 

Will be good to see what you do and what you use to recolour the vinyl.  I've wanted to do the same on mine for sometime.

[CraigS]

I don't even bother to do it myself. I use a guy that come around (mobile service) and he applies it by hand - well, actually, by mouth. He has a small spray bottle that he mixes it up in and blows it on. Fascinating to watch. he has just done a door cap for my 6.3 as I had to buy a new cap and the only one I could find it good condition was called Bamboo and mine is Cognac. He charged $25 to do it, so I couldn't go out and buy the colour for that. He mixes and matches the colours on site, and my colour skills are not that good that I would know how much Red to add to the Black and Green etc to get it right.

I am going to use the same guy to do the head rests that are kindly being supplied by Cam - currently cream/being and will be coloured Dunkelblau. Will get my brother to send me pics of them after they are done and post them.

[carl888]

Thanks Styria, Oscar and CraigS,

Well, I was going to pull it out today, but it was nice and sunny so I went for a drive instead....  Anyway, here is my console after I wiped it down with a damp rag, the existing dye just came straight off.  You can see the result in the pics.

Oscar, if you find the procedure for removing the console, that would be just fabulous, thanks!

Regards,

Carl.

[oscar]

Sorry Carl, Volume 2 is purely engine related, exhaust, fuel etc.

BUT BUT I forgot there's a body manual and luckily enough, it's all in the library.  Go forward to Main Function Group section 68 and go through the Sub Function Groups.  200 covers the centre console.  I never knew all this info was there, everything's there.  Check it out,

http://handbook.w116.org/chassis_77_2e.htm

EDIT:  I've had a pretty good look thru that library link now and whilst there's some pointers, it's pretty sparse on details.  You can't beat first hand experience and a few photos. So back to you styria

[CraigS]

That should be able to be matched fairly easily I would think. You may want to clean up some of the scratches with Novus Plastic Polish if you have any (sold on eBay AU under Novus Plastic Polish for pool balls - go figure !).

Since you have a good pic of the defrost panel, does anyone know if these are available as a separate component ? Would like to replace a couple of mine.

[CraigS]

Forget what I asked about the defrost panel. It is available. Part number is 116 680 25 09. Mind you, whether they have stock is another issue.

[SELfor50]

Never realised that my centre console had faded so much...

Mines the blue of the underneath of yours!  the lighter blue....think i'll get it dyed too!  Black though... :-)  way more gangsta..   

As for the defrost panel - which part do you mean craig, the actual plastic strip off the front or the entire panel that surrounds the dials and slides??

[CraigS]

Just the platic strip, or plate as the EPC calls it.

[SELfor50]

ahhh..... only got the one sorry. 

Can't help ya there.... 

[oscar]

Pictures C/- Styria,  refer to post above

[CraigS]

I ain't going in there unless I really have to ! What a mess.

[carl888]

Thanks Oscar and Styria for your advice, I am looking forward to having it the correct colour for sure!

Regards,

Carl.

[carl888]

Well, I successfully pulled out the centre console today.....along with the front and rear seats and carpet....grrrr, what a job.  It's not difficult, but you do need to be flexible, especially when working in the footwells.

I must say, I never seen a professional radio installation and my poor old car was no exception.  Bare wires twisted together with insulation tape wrapped around them, foul.  The vandal who'd installed it just hacked into the console to make it all fit as well.  The console had been out before, I knew this, because most of the screws that hold it in were missing.  The very top section (Just under the timber centre section) has a plastic backing and this was broken in three places, that's why my switches were wobbly.

I'll be repairing the console with some epoxy tomorrow ready for the console to be dyed on Monday, hopefully I can install it all next weekend!  I'll take some pics and post them tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone who gave advice on how to remove the console, really appreciate it.

Regards,

Carl.

[carl888]

Hi Styria,

Thanks for the welcome, I had a nice time, a few weeks in Germany and a few days in Singapore on the way home.  I have some pics of what I did car related over there, I'll upload them in the next week or so and post the link if you like.

Thanks for the tip about the heater box, I will have a look at that over the weekend.

Here is some pics of what it looks like.  You can see the damage in the top section from the rear, no wonder the switches were loose......

Regards,

Carl.