w123 280CE

[shyam27]

haha had no idea this wool velour material was regarded so highly.

Thanks for the feedback Charles, always useful to hear about the experience of someone whose been through a similar struggle. Knowing now that my seats were a more a desirable option from factory, I would consider restoring my them however I'm guessing that wool velour seat kits aren't readily available?

Also reassuring to hear that MB-tex seats had worn in well for you. There are too versions of MB-tex from GAHH Automotive, leather and vinyl. I'm assuming yours were leather? This is also looking to be a strong option for me.

I'm based in a town called Loughborough. Not sure if you've heard of it but it's pretty much slap bang in the middle of the country. We have a local trimmer/upholsterer here, he does furniture as well as vehicles. Never done any business with the guy as this is my first restoration but he seems honest and confident in what he does.

 

[brucemillar]

Always try to remember that it is the sum of all your labours that everybody, including you gets to pull apart, when you finally go public. You spend a fortune on getting it perfect, at the cost a few quid on a "small" item, that then goes on to haunt you. But it is your car for you to enjoy as you want it to be.

Good trimmers are very hard to find. If you have one locally that could be a bonus, as you can sit on them (no pun intended). It also means that they may not be working in isolation from the finished product, so have a vested interest in getting the best for you.

It does look like a lovely car and worth the effort that you will put in. This forum is a great source of information and inspiration as well as really practical help.

Have fun.

 

[Charles Morgan]

haha had no idea this wool velour material was regarded so highly.

Thanks for the feedback Charles, always useful to hear about the experience of someone whose been through a similar struggle. Knowing now that my seats were a more a desirable option from factory, I would consider restoring my them however I'm guessing that wool velour seat kits aren't readily available?

Also reassuring to hear that MB-tex seats had worn in well for you. There are too versions of MB-tex from GAHH Automotive, leather and vinyl. I'm assuming yours were leather? This is also looking to be a strong option for me.

I'm based in a town called Loughborough. Not sure if you've heard of it but it's pretty much slap bang in the middle of the country. We have a local trimmer/upholsterer here, he does furniture as well as vehicles. Never done any business with the guy as this is my first restoration but he seems honest and confident in what he does.

The velour is available as material - a decent trimmer should be able to make that into the covers very easily and with the advantage it will fit your actual seats.

All original MB tex is vinyl (my coupe seats were). Some suppliers might use leather now, but I really wouldn't use leather to look like MBtex - I'd buy the leather to look like leather!

Speak to your trimmer and get a quote for restoring and recovering your front seats - contact KHM and ask them how much the velour is.

 

[grober]

The rear seat and passenger seat velour may clean up/repair leaving the driver's seat to be recovered. Colour matching might be a problem or you might land lucky with a german replacement from a breaker = lhd passenger seat may be a possibility if it shares the same range of adjustment as a drivers seat. Velour is very much in demand mind.
With all restorations its important to look at the car in its entirety and the cost of each aspect of restoration should be balanced against other demands on the restoration budget. Pointless having pristine seats if your sills are rusting away if you see what I'm getting at. As always it depends on your financial resources. Decent resto's can vary from work in progress, through sound workable but less than pristine examples to no expense spared concourse show cars. You have decide what to aim for and what you can afford.

 

[shyam27]

Bruce Millar, I know what you mean pal. The complete restoration will be somewhat long term. I would like to fix the major issues first and then perfect the finer details when time permits. I'll prepare some questions for the trimmer to see if he has the facilities and capacity to carry out a top job.

Charles, that's great to hear. MB-Tex Vinyl seat kit is half the price of what MB-Tex leather is. This option is looking favorable atm. I've also sourced a whole set of seats for a coupe with good padding and no sinking/moisture. I may purchase these, have them reupholstered in MB-Tex vinyl, and then restore my wool velour when the time is right and materials are available. Just waiting to here back from KHM on velour materials.

Grober, thanks for your contribution. One of the reasons why I opened this thread is to evaluate best options with finance in mind. The car is undergoing a full body restoration before full respray so there wont be any sorry looking sills. I got some old skool geezers on hand sorting it and from what I've seen, they work to a very good standard. The car has been with them since March this year so they have taken their sweet time. Mind you, there were a number of cars that were in queue before mine.

 

[219]

Hello guys,

I'm new to the club and would like some guidance on my restoration project. Earlier this year, I purchased a w123 280ce for restoration. It is currently having full body restoration and respray.

I am now faced with the challenge of sourcing or restoring my current interior. The seats have suffered from dampness and molding and the fella who owned the car before me was about 28 stones so the driver seat is has sunk ALOT. There are a few rips.

Currently have cloth interior but would like to have kamel/dark beige leather ones as it would compliment the color of the car IMO (cypress green).

I would like to hear your thoughts, should I source a new interior or save my current ones and have them reupholstered?

Look forward to hearing from you guys.

Best regards,
Shyamhttps://www.google.co.uk/search?cli...ved=0ahUKEwj_wvXKxuLQAhUGKMAKHfR9DG0QvwUIGSgA

Welcome to the forum .

I too had a Petrol Blue 280CE , NSC720X , with mushroom leather and cruise control - sold it years ago to a chap who kept it about 10 years then let it go downhill - alas it ended up in Watson's scrapyard in Inverkeithing - but I reckon it will be long gone now .

For a retrim , Klaus Hermann Mayer is your guy

Kraftfahrzeugtechnik KHM Cabrio-Verdecke Klaus Hermann Mayer

re the broken seat - presumably the drivers seat ? It is normally the springs in the base which break . W123 saloon seat bases are the same as W126 ones , can't remember but I think coupe ones are probably different - best bet might be to look at eBay.de and get a passenger seat base from a LHD car to replace your drivers seat base - I don't think the spring bases themselves are 'handed' bit if you get the complete bottom half f a LHD passenger seat with all the runners etc on it then it is so much less work .

If dampness has gotten in then the horsehair will stink forever , so best to replace that as you would probably never get rid go the smell of damp .

Good luck

 

[219]

There would have been very few if any of those supplied with a leather interior so a retrim would be the only practical option.
Or you could go with MB tex which will last forever and look and feel fantastic.

Quite a lot of 280's left the factory with leather ; 230's tended to be a bit more spartan in their spec .

 

[219]

Those seats aren't cloth : they're VELOUR - which was more upmarket and expensive than leather !

KHM also do the original velours to replace as original - that would be my choice with that car .

I do know someone , not a club member , who was breaking a W126 SEL with that same colour of velour interior - it wouldn't fit straight in , but a decent trimmer could probably cut down W126 ( S Class ) seat covers to make them fit C123 seats ....

 

[219]

Your seats look like DB 915 Velour Creme , click on the link below and scroll about 3/4 way down

Meterage/Upholstery

 

[219]

Somebody in Germany auctioning tan leather seats for a C123 which wouldn't look out of place

Mercedes W123 C123 coupe C CE Fahrersitz vorne links Armlehne Teilleder braun | eBay

Mercedes W123 C123 Coupe C CE Beifahrersitz vorne rechts Leder Teilleder braun | eBay

Wrong colour , but a complete C123 velour interior

Mercedes Innenausstattung W123 C123 Coupé Velours Schwarz Anthrazit Sitzheizung | eBay

 

[brucemillar]

Any pics of the body restoration?

 

[shyam27]

Pontoneer, Thanks for joining the thread. Your input is much appreciated. I had a look at that list earlier when I was sending them a request for quotation. The seats look a little worn in the pictures but it looks more like 914 Velour dattel to me? You could be right though.. Having said that, I do prefer the dattel color. Thanks for linking me those seats. I'm not really feeling the cloth middle section too much though.

Bruce, I haven't but I'm going to see the car either this weekend or next. The fella doing the body work has informed me that he's taken pictures throughout progress. Might need to open a separate project thread on here???

 

[Charles Morgan]

Pontoneer, Thanks for joining the thread. Your input is much appreciated. I had a look at that list earlier when I was sending them a request for quotation. The seats look a little worn in the pictures but it looks more like 914 Velour dattel to me? You could be right though.. Having said that, I do prefer the dattel color. Thanks for linking me those seats. I'm not really feeling the cloth middle section too much though.

Bruce, I haven't but I'm going to see the car either this weekend or next. The fella doing the body work has informed me that he's taken pictures throughout progress. Might need to open a separate project thread on here???

Just ask the moderators (contact us button at the bottom centre right of the page) and they can open a project thread for you. It deserves one!

 

[brucemillar]

Bodywork (for me) is just fantastic to see being done. I have always been envious of those who can do this with such skill. When I had my car bodywork done to bare metal I had the opportunity for a colour change. Charles Morgan convinced me to stay with the factory colour (as the car had always been). As the new genuine Mercedes paint went on followed by the Glasurit lacquer I realised how right Charles was in his judgement. I still can't figure how they can paint an entire car without a blemish but I cant paint a matchbox without a run, smudge, hair on it, and some orange peel.

Do please open a restoration thread.

 

[shyam27]

Thanks Charles, I'll message them once I round up more pictures of progress.

Bruce, I know what you mean. It's satisfying to see a rust bucket be brought back to life; bodywork is like a art/craft. Charles has a point, but i guess it's a matter of personal taste. Sometimes, factories colours don't look great. I'm definitely going to be sticking with my original colour, it's a gorgeous colour for these mercs.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Bruce wrecked it though by painting the cam cover green. I changed the colour of my car though as I really did not like the grimy white it had been originally.

 

[shyam27]

Haha, seems that Bruce's inner child had come over him.

Right fellas, I've decided I'm going to order full seat kit from GAHH Automotive in MB-Tex Vinyl in Palomino color.

Mercedes 123 1980-1985, Seat Rr Bucket Set, Vinyl, 730 Palomino, Coupe, Incl AR-HR, 1980-1985

The website isn't very clear on what I'm buying. Will link above give me kit for both front and rear seats?

The seats I've managed to source are also in Velour Wool, in brown color. I seem to be having some luck with this material lol. The front two seats have rips on the outer sections of the material, but the middle sections seem to be fine. Rear seats are fine with no rips. Just need a good dusting. If anyone is interested in the material PM me with an offer as I have no idea what they're worth. I'll have them removed carefully from the seats so they can be used again.

Thanks

 

[brucemillar]

We had to use up the body colour somewhere.

 

[alabbasi]

The kits are usually priced seperatly for front and rear. They also sell the horse hair pads which you will need. Try not to use foam, the seats will look over stuffed and be horrible to sit on.

 

[shyam27]

Bruce, that looks awesome mate.. Very clean bay.