Swapping out the dash

[Randys01]

I can put it off no longer.!
 The blue dash on my wonderful 6.9 is cracked from 45  years of the Australian sun and it has to go.
Generally the interior is pretty good. The dash lets the whole show down.
I've been preparing for this adventure for some years. I have a seemingly beaut new reskinned dash to go in.......but this is going to have to be carefully measured before I commit because some of the tolerances in refurbishing these things gets a bit casual .
The new dash is black....I have not ruled out getting the existing one redone in blue so we have a couple of options.
Second job.  My driver's seat has finally cracked in the squab and backrest outer most panels. This is the 2nd item that's lowering the tone of the ship's interior.
These are plain leather not perforated of course. Over the years I have researched this topic as again, i knew the day was coming.
After a lot of research I concluded that even if I could get the leather in the right texture and colour, I either had to buy a hide or a premade up  whole seat cover.  Either way it's big bux and always the problem of matching 45 yr old leather. Anything  imported and landed FIS Aust is 3 times the published price in the USA.

So I bought a blue back seat...oddly enuff from a 6.9?.and cut the two pristine panels of leather out of the squab riser.
So now i have two lovely pristine lengths of leather to insert into the driver's seat. I am hopeful the existing patina will blend in nicely and give the desired effect.
There's a long way to go to bringing both these projects to fruition but I start tomorrow!?

[nathan]

pop up some pics Randy. the dash is not a nice job. seats out, centre console out to make it easier. wheel off.  the old one will get decimated squeezing it out s you will be committed.  I would advise you to put in a blue one as you will go to all the effort, and then seeing that black one will drive you batty every time you look at it.  weren't there two main dash skin companies, one in QLD and one in SA?
as for the seats, put up some pics of what you are going to pop in Randy.

[rumb]

I recentlt pulled my dash, 4th one ive done. They are perplexingly tight to get out. May the mb gods be with you!

[ptashek]

It looks easy one a video from the assembly line... It's not at all that easy. Mostly because you do it with the windshield installed. Patience is key. Do not use excessive force, or the frame will bend or worst case, the vinyl will crack (especially prone around the speedo "dome", where it's most stressed).

[rumb]

Hmm, video is very short when they install pad, but looks like it slide in horizontally, not by trying to pull out by going up, and same install. The windscreen frame is tapered, so perhaps sliding it in horizontal is the key.

[adamb]

There's no magic to it. It's all about patience as others wrote. I always end up with a million scratches when reattaching the speedo cable. It will slide in and out horizontally but it's a super tight fit.

[Randys01]

As I understood it, the dash either was the same as the interior colour OR it  was black.ie from the factory.

[nathan]

It depends on the interior colour Randy. if you had a blue interior, the dash was always blue (unless there are some anomalies I am not aware of). it you had a light/beige/palomino interior, it was black.  the only other colour dash was sometimes a brown one but my colour vision is bad so my explanation is not so accurate probable! 

[Randys01]

Well thanks to all for the odds n sods and general good luck wishes!
Day 1 saw the two front seats  out and a start on the centre console... A pillar fittings etc underdash junk etc.
Farr out man...those front seats are heavy!
The hard yards are still ahead of me..............

[mrkozzy]

Some tips from those of us who have been there before you.

Once the dash is out, (+console, +wheel, + seats, etc etc,) take the opportunity to check your firewall from the inside for any hidden rust spots. Also a good time to rejuvenate your heater box, especially the seals and foam baffle covers etc.  You will never have another opportunity as good as this,

 

[mrkozzy]

Then when you get the heater box all cleaned up and resealed, this is what you get.
Heater works 150% better,

I can send you lots of detailed pictures of the disassembled heater box if you want.

[Jan S]

Is this the perfect time to replace the windscreen seal, i.e remove and install the dash with the window out?

Both of these jobs are on my list, but I keep postponing the jobs 

[Randys01]

Yeah......this is just the beginning..!.good advice but.  Fortunatly in a previous encounter I have addressed most of these  issues.
Project turns now to getting that manky driver's seat reupholsterted.............off to the trimmers this am to see what he says.
I'm still thinking about the dash pad itself. It seems black was used only in certain combos.not all........?

[tcj]

Hi,

having done it a few years ago here is my way (applies to left hand driven cars):

1) leave the windscreen where it is - removing it doesn't help much
2) removing the dash: get it out by first pulling the right end back (to the passenger compartment)
3) installing the dash: first put the left end into place, then push the right end into its place.

Both removing and installing is getting quite easy if you insert a plasic bag (2 layers) between the dash and the A-pillar. This makes the dash glide into place.
This way its easier than you think.
And read the instructions in the Mercedes-service-manual, this makes it easier to find all screws.
I followed the instructions there and had no problem getting it fit underneath the windscreen seal or pairing the studs and the brackets, but I agree - having some more joints in my arm would have speeded it up.
Regards,
Thomas

[Randys01]

I like that tip with the plastic.