Can anyone point me to a thread or DIY on how to restore the console cover in the 201. My has a lot of cracks in the clear finish. I would like to re-do it if I can.

Can anyone help on the rosewood in the w201's? Is it real wood or is it some kind of veneer? To get the clear coat off can it be sanded or does it need to be removed with some kind of stripper? Thanks in Advance!

The wood is called zebrano. It is a veneer, so dont sand it. I used a spray on stripper that I bought at home depot, and it took the clearcoat off. You have to let it sit overnight.

I would use Spar urethane, or if you can get your hands on some kind of two part epoxy clear. It will take many coats.

__________________
Eugene

10 E63 AMG
93 300te 4matic
07 BMW X3
14 Ford F-150 Fx2

This is probably a dumb question, but when you scrape off the clear coat. How do you get it like clean and smooth without some kind of sanding? Thanks for all the help!

You can sand it, but you dont really want it smooth. You can hit it with 220 grit sandpaper to clean it up, but dont go too far. veneer is only about 1/16th or 1/32 thick.

If you wait for the spray stripper to dry out all the way it will flake off completely clean.

The stripper was in an orange aerosol can. It was the only stuff that worked.

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Eugene

10 E63 AMG
93 300te 4matic
07 BMW X3
14 Ford F-150 Fx2

On the two part epoxy clear coat finish. Would that be a one time brush on, and then done? Do you think epoxy would hold up better in time than varnish from extremes in temp's outside??

I tried a Jasco brand stripper that came in an aerosol can....but it didn't touch
the clear coat....that stuff is tough!

I will try to look for the Home Depot can you mentioned. Thanks!

__________________
Bryan Harter
1992 500E Smoke Silver
2002 CLK55 AMG Cab Silver/Black
2001 Harley Fatboy - Pearl White
2004 F150 FX4 Silver/Grey
1969 GTO Liberty Blue
1956 F100 Black

Great sharing...
Thanks for sharing this...

__________________
Kitchen Cabinetry

for reference. Letting it sit overnight is key to it working well.


18 oz. Stripper-ESR72 at The Home Depot

__________________
Eugene

10 E63 AMG
93 300te 4matic
07 BMW X3
14 Ford F-150 Fx2

Thought I'd share my recent post here as well.
Zebrano wood trim upgrade.

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1990 190E 3.0L

The Jasco worked great the second try....

Temperature and Time to let it do it's thing.

Used a toothbrush to then brush off the softened finish...worked great!
Cleaned it with some spirits and let it dry overnight.

__________________
Bryan Harter
1992 500E Smoke Silver
2002 CLK55 AMG Cab Silver/Black
2001 Harley Fatboy - Pearl White
2004 F150 FX4 Silver/Grey
1969 GTO Liberty Blue
1956 F100 Black

I now have all the old finish off of my console cover. It looks so much better without all the cracked finish on it. I was curious if you intend to stain yours or not, before putting the top coating back on it?

I think you need to do what makes sense to match any other items. I know my dash wood strip is lighter than my ashtray, AC surround and Shifter Console....not much but lighter. I don't know if the items were changed out from another car or what exactly.
Looks fine as they are not that much different.

I did use a colored poly to stain mine....but it was difficult to use as each layer got darker. Could do 2 very thin coats then used a clear poly on top of that...20 coats.

__________________
Bryan Harter
1992 500E Smoke Silver
2002 CLK55 AMG Cab Silver/Black
2001 Harley Fatboy - Pearl White
2004 F150 FX4 Silver/Grey
1969 GTO Liberty Blue
1956 F100 Black

I was concered if you had any issues with the clear building up in the openings where the switches go? Did you use the spray poly or the brush on kind, and what did you use for smoothing out clear between coatings. I was thinking someplace I read you have to wait 24 hours between coats. If that's the case, it would be nearly a months kind of a job finishing it!

I finally got my console wood cover stained & clear coated. It looks very good, I think. It is probably a shade lighter than the ashtray wood, but not that noticeable. I used marine type of product on it. It was more expensive, but they told me would hold up better in sun etc. I was wanting to find out what kind of wax to use on it?