R107 faded center console

[RaceDiagnostics]

Just picked up a 1979 450SL with red interior, most of the interior is in good condition except for the centre console and handbrake cover, both have faded badly.

Does anyone know how these two items can be brought back to their original colour or where replacements can be obtained from?

Thanks

 

[Druk]

Woolies Trim - Vinyl Renovation

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Here is a before and after of the centre console.

I used a scotch pad and brake cleaner after washing the plastic dowm, then washed it down with ethanol.

I then sprayed on many thin coats, each coat only tool seconds to dry off so it did not take long. The results are fantastic.

I painted the hadbrake cover the same way six months ago and it is still looking great so durability seems ok.

Before...

After...

 

[topianno]

Faded Center Console Help

Did you paint your center console with vinyl paint? I have a 1978 450SL with Bamboo color interior. The center console looks like it has kind of oxidized in comparison to the other areas of the interior. Its slightly a different color.

Is there a way of cleaning off the oxidation or staining the center console?

I really don't want to paint the console as I've tried it before and ultimately it always ends up chipping off.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Billywedlocks]

Here is a before and after of the centre console.

I used a scotch pad and brake cleaner after washing the plastic dowm, then washed it down with ethanol.

I then sprayed on many thin coats, each coat only tool seconds to dry off so it did not take long. The results are fantastic.

I painted the hadbrake cover the same way six months ago and it is still looking great so durability seems ok.

Before...

After...

OLd thread , but a challenge I am going through. Have managed like you to repaint the centre console, even if it does not match the rest of the other (faded) vinyl , but is the correct colour when based on hidden sections. Anyway .. how did you get your console back in ? I have it in position, but to get the top part (radio area) to align I have to push up from underneath, of course when you release it drops down. I cannot see how to get it fitted snugly back in place unless I add some screws . Did you have similar ?

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

It's held in place by a couple of fasteners by the radio opening and one screw on the passenger side. I'll dig out some pictures later.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

The centre console is bolted in here but my tabs had snapped off.

So I improvised a couple of new brackets ( in the end I had to swap out the bolts for smaller dome headed ones as the fowled the heater levers).

Bolted in place.

 

[Billywedlocks]

After a lot of heart ache, I could not get the centre console to sit back correctly at the top of the dash. If I pushed it up to fit, it would break the plastic frame attached to the car structure. It is most weird, all of the screws and tunnel locations and dash attachments line up and are screwed in, but the console is dropped by around half an inch. I am wondering if on early cars ( 71) the foam on the console or the foam on the centre tunnel has shrunk maybe. I have no desire to remove everything again that is for sure, but I do see many photos of the dropped console on other cars. The way to fix would be as you have done, create a new attachment structure with metal that positions the console correctly. Maybe, maybe , someone cut some padding to fit a modern radio, to increase the space there, I am now fitting a retro period correct radio, and of course it is smaller. As only I have to look at it I will cope, but it ruins the car as it is so obvious. One day i will take the whole dash out as I need to get the heater flaps working more consistently, but that is not anytime soon ! If anyone has any ideas as to where the dash issue derives from, maybe one day I will understand it better.

 

[Billywedlocks]

Three 71/72 cars I found on the net. This is exactly what I have