Fabric Issues around MBTex - W115
 

I'm repairing the seats on my Dad's old 1974 240D (W115). The seats are mahogany MBTex and the pads are totally shot.

I have replaced the pads on the front seats and installed sheep skin seat covers and they have turned out really nice.

I am currently working on the rear seats. The fabric that is sewn to the MBTex and that is used on to hold on the seat covers is tearing. Please see the pictures.

Please provide advice on how to fix this. My current plan is to do the following:

1. Remove the seat covers from the frame.
2. Cut thin canvas pieces out that will approximately fit over the torn areas
3. Spray both the torn cloth and the canvas pieces with fabric glue and carefully apply the canvas over the torn areas so that the original seat fabric is about in the original, non torn, shape.
4. Hand stitch the torn areas/canvas and the canvas outer edges to keep the original fabric from tearing more and to keep the canvas attached to the original fabric.

Does this seem like a proper fix?

I look forward to your suggestions.

Dave

Check out GAHH Automotive for replacement seat covers. You may get "sticker shock", but the seats should be good as new when you're finished.

Thanks for the reply.

Honestly, the MB Tex is fine. It's just the fabric that is challenged. I appreciate the idea of changing out the seat covers, but I really don't want to drop a couple thousand dollars in the seat I rarely sit in.

I honestly think I can do a proper fix for this issue. I just don't have any practical experience and was hoping to learn from the sages.

Dave

Check out TopsonLine and talk to Vic. You can probably buy that cover for around $200 and its new MB Tex. I got an entire interior LEATHER set for $1,300. MB Tex for the entire inside was around half that if I remember correctly. Well worth it.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the lead. I just went to the web site and the entire rear seat cover should be about $400 (the W123 cover is about $400). That might work because I put sheep skin seat covers on the front seats. I have the mahogany MBTex color - which seems to be pretty rare. I'd sure like to have my seats match my interior.

So people don't think it would be worth the effort to try to fix the existing seat covers, eh?

Dave

My .02 cents: -- time is my real enemy ... Get new. You really cannot sew that old stuff unless you're lucky. I would ask Vic if you sent him the seats if he would re-skin them for you. That would most likely be your quickest and cheapest route in the long run, plus they will last another 30+ years. You're pretty close to him -- CA to OR