Got an Early w124 Saloon? Please Help Me!

[snoopy]

I've going to go slightly mad if I don't get this issue fixed. I've tried every breaker in the N.E of England. I've tried the known good Merc breakers all over the country. I've tried ebay. I've tried the EPC parts list.

I made a mistake in swapping my 1992 w124 blue cloth interior for a dark green leather w124 from 1985.

A few of the parts were missing (fuming I was) but the main thing is the seatbelts as the MOT'r won't pass it with out them. The parts are different for sure. The entire bracket from the front and the clip at the top must be different. If I even had a picture that would be something to go by.

The rear seatbelts are way to short. This seat doesn't have groves for the belts to go in so they must be quite a bit longer. I tried fitting sprinter seatbelts but they were way to long! In addition the upper trim has a cut out for the seatbelt so they must have been fitted.

I'm hoping (and desperate now as its been weeks) that somebody with a 1985/1986 and poss later could lift the rear seat (it's just the two red clips at the bottom), compare the layout and if the same send me the seatbelt part numbers. You may be able to see instantly if you have the same rear seats from the one where it looks like its fitted.

The front bracket, which nobody seems to have seen before, requires the two screws undoing at the bottom then the trim will lift off enough to see which one is fitted.

So who can help me get my beloved Merc back on the road?

 

[carat 3.6]

Do you mean the seat belts themselves are too short or the stalks for the buckle?

Which part do you mean by "front bracket"?

 

[grober]

Is that leather or MB tex? = artificial leather often used in taxis. Try posting your chassis number and we will see what we can do. Otherwise try to find a good MB parts counter. There were a host of changes on the W201 and W124 models in 84/85 shortly after their introduction which might explain why its difficult to find the part nos --or even any models for comparison.

 

[snoopy]

Do you mean the seat belts themselves are too short or the stalks for the buckle?

Which part do you mean by "front bracket"?

The bits that the belts clip into are way to short. they push back behind the seat when I try to fit it.

The front passenger/driver bracket is the upper bit that allows the seatbelt to adjust up and down.

 

[snoopy]

Is that leather or MB tex? = artificial leather often used in taxis. Try posting your chassis number and we will see what we can do. Otherwise try to find a good MB parts counter. There were a host of changes on the W201 and W124 models in 84/85 shortly after their introduction which might explain why its difficult to find the part nos --or even any models for comparison.

It's MB tex (sorry should have said).

Chassis number is no help as it identifies the car from 1992.

I've looked at the w201 as well it does appear that this seat is similar but I've found nobody with a w201 to verify (or willing to verify).

 

[grober]

Sorry I meant the the chassis no of the car the seat belts came off- which I assume you don't have. The early W201 and W124 shared quite a few parts so interchangeable parts are maybe a possibility.

 

[219]

You may find this company able to help

Seat Belt Repairs | Seat Belt Replacement | Seat Belt Refurbishment – Quick Fit SBS Ltd

 

[219]

You will see in their gallery belts fitted to a W124 Cab - so they can supply suitable belts for such cars .

 

[minio]

...I made a mistake in swapping my 1992 w124 blue cloth interior for a dark green leather w124 from 1985...
[/IMG]

Have you managed to get it fitted in the end?


I am planning on fitting 95' interior in to 88' W124 that I am getting and I'm wondering if I will face the opposite issue to the one you have?


Greg

 

[snoopy]

Hi,

Mostly done, a few bits I was missing. Everything fits bar the rear seat which is different design, probably some of the seats didn't have seatbelts in the 80's. Mercedes calls this design a "bench". Since you're going the other way you'll be able to fit the 1990's seat fine, but you'll need the seatbelts from a 1990's car.

Let me have your 1988 seatbelts from the rear!
I'd give you my 90's but I cut 'em up trying to make something fit...

I don't think I had any other issues. The sound proofing on the 90's carpet is built in, again easier going to a 1990's car.

Rear seatbelts come out higher on the 1990's and there is a bracket which is retrofitted. You'll need these. I may still have them, pretty sure I do.

Possibly a different seatbelt assembly for the front pillar as well. Easy enough to find the newer brackets.

I think that's it.

Regards,
Andrew

 

[minio]

It's never straight forward is it (easy enough but not a straight fit!)???


I will be changing the door cards and seats only as the rest of the interior is black/grey anyway.

It looks like the clip part of the rear seat belts sticks out from the top part of the bench but the bench that I bought have the holes in the bottom part (if that makes sense?)?

Greg

 

[snoopy]

That makes sense, the "bench" doesn't have grooves for the seatbelts, I couldn't find any that fitted this model but they must be much longer. As the bench is higher the position where the belt comes out at the top is also higher.

Regards, Andrew

 

[jaymanek]

They did have seat belts, the buckles go up in those grooves within the armrest in your picture above.

 

[snoopy]

Yup but the seat was not designed for seatbelts, it's out of the w201 and early ones in many markets didn't have them fitted (wasn't a legal requirement).

The "bench" seat doesn't have the cutouts for the seatbelts, so they must be much longer to fit. I couldn't find any at any UK breakers.

Andy

 

[minio]

Do you know if the old and new seat belts (the lower part that sticks out from the bench) have the same mounting points? Would it be possible to swap them over?


G.

 

[minio]

Judging by the pics taken from the 'bay of e' the newer seat belt buckles (belt mounted) should fit as they aren't stiff as the older version (pole mounted) was.

Here you have an auction (US) with a complete set of old rear seat belts, it can be clearly seen that the each bucle is mounted on some sort of pole(?) and that obviously makes them stick up so much!

Seat Belts and Buckles - Rear Seat 300te 4matic Mercedes W124 1990 Wagon | eBay

When you look at the UK's auctions you can find 2 types of the bucles though.
It looks like the 'belt' mounted one istaken from the e-class and the 'belt and pole' one from the pre-lift w124????

mercedes e class w124 200e rear seat belts w201 230e 300D 300e | eBay

MERCEDES E CLASS REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES W124 SALOON | eBay


On top of that there is also the middle seat belt (lap belt) but it appears that it always come with the 'pole' mounted buckle (as per auctions) and I wasn't able to find one for the W124 (pre lift model).

E-class (lap belt):
MERCEDES E CLASS W124 REAR CENTRE SEAT BELT AND BUCKLE | eBay

There is an issue though.. I don't trust them selers at all as they don't seem to know what they are selling... I went to some specialist MB breakers to get the seats and I was assured that everything will fit straight in what only proves the point...


Greg

 

[snoopy]

Worth noting for the record that none of these fit. This is because the bench doesn't have the cutout in the rear. I ended up welding some brackets which moved the buckles closer to the rear. They only just come out the armrest side. I couldn't run a middle seatbelt as there is no room for the second buckle.

I still believe early w124's or w201's didn't come with rear seatbelts in some areas of the world. It was for example only a UK requirement in the late 80's.

My green md-tex interior is likely from a Moroccan taxi.