It seems as with AGE everything seems to WRINKLE. Then some people just get a FACE LIFT to prolong the looks for a while.

nope. i was expecting it, but it wasn't there. there was a bit of dirt and cigarette smoke residue, but a vast improvement over the crap plastic. I had the goo be gone ready but some simple green was all it took to look good.

__________________
1979 Thistle Green 300D 272,xxx miles
1984 Orient Red 300 D 4 spd Euro Import - 189,xxx miles
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lofat Productions
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Has anyone found a good source for replacement windlace? Or is just trying to find better than what you have from a wrecker the probable solution? This far north the plastic never wrinkles as bad as pictorial on site. Does wrinkle to some extent though. Could be one or two degrees warmer in summer texas I suppose. I have a guy that has five cars in his orchard out of sight. If guy who wants a door storage unit drops me an address will pull one on my next trip and mail it to him. Cannot be in two much of a hurry though as I will not get down there for a couple of months yet. No charge for part or mailing so little risk. Think all five cars have blue interiors.

Sounds like the glue may be removed by just plain laquer thinner. But check out effect on paint in obscure area inside of trunk first. Find many applications for thinner myself and usually have some around.

reading this thread i realized that i've never thought of removing the wrinkled plastic door trims, although i've always cursed them.

i'm peeling them off ASAP!

i promptly had them removed when i had my car in for body repair and painting... useless to put them back.. their ugly with all the wrinkles...

__________________
Mike

----------------------------------
1975 200 - Sold (no pix);
1978 200 - Sold - http://www.pbase.com/hboy/redbaron
1979 300TD - Sold
http://www.pbase.com/hboy/greenwagon
http://www.geocities.com/hboy726/300TD.html
1985 230E - now my daily driver...

I pulled off that old wrinkled plastic from my '81 240D to reveal some very nice maroon paint beneath. Actually I was so excited to get the crud off, I took a break and went out to the parking lot at work and removed them. This has vastly improved the looks of the doors.

Thanks for the info on doing this, I would never have thought about pulling them off. There is very little glue residue left. I will remove that this weekend.

__________________
1981 240D, Auto Trans, 160k miles -- CRASHED!

3M makes a glue remover... might be safer than thinner.... but always check stuff like was mentioned above... somewhere it won't show if it takes the paint off to the metal or causes it to Wrinkle Big time...

After reading this thread after I got off work today it took me about 15 minutes to rid myself of the "elephant skin option". I really enjoyed the result. It looks so much better than that wrinkled plastic ....If you have not done so do it ! You will be pleased with the result. My car 85 300TD had a little glue that came right off with a solvent called goof off.

My Euro doesn't have the pieces --- & no sign that it ever did, so maybe he who guessed that is correct.

I once tried a hasty fix for missing weatherseal that worked quite well, and lasted as long as I owned that car:
1 tube black auto silicone sealer
plastic wrap, food type
spray atomizer with water in it

clean the area where the seal is broken/missing -- alcohol or similar to clean the paint is a good idea -- apply the sealer to the spot. Rip off the appropriate sized piece of plastic wrap & mist well with water -- apply the water side toward the blob of silicone sealer. Shut the door -- wait 'til cured. Not as pretty as a new piece, but fast & cheap -- and lasted for me ... ( remove plastic wrap when the sealer is cured)

My Euro wagon does have the trim. I am going to give the Saran wrap a try, I have a 2 inch piece missing from my drivers side door. It doesn't leak there, just hate seeing it everytime I open the door. Great suggestion estod!!! Thanx

__________________
1984 300D Turbo Sedan (Hilda) 272,115 miles.....
Anthracite Gray/Palamino Leather, I am 3rd owner

2001 Dodge Stratus (Silver) (wifes) 55814 miles...

1982 280TE Wagon Astral Silver Metallic/
Anthracite Velour
260,512 miles (Eva)

1969 230 Sedan Olive Green/Black MBTex
4 Speed Manual
84,213 miles ????
Haus Frau


2004 Boreem Ninja Pocket Bike
Highly Modified 49cc (Ling Ling)

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

Windlace, Or the material that wraps around th interior door rubber and the B pillar is available from

http://www.worlduph.com/primo.htm

I called them and they sell a 4 inch wide piece by the foot.

Dave

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

You simply cannot hardly beat lighter fluid for glue removal. It doesn't affect the paint at all, and cuts through the glue actually better than goo gone. I threw my goo gone away after trying it the first time.
Actually, lighter fluid is great for alot of grime removal also. It is for more 'detail' type work, and not for crud on a large scale.
Careful with full strength Simple Green. It WILL remove paint. 80-90 year old fans always have alot of grime, and I found this out the hard way. If you dilute it a bit with water, it still works well but is easier on the paint.

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

[QUOTE=JimmyL]You simply cannot hardly beat lighter fluid for glue removal.

That lighter fluid was naptha?

The reason I'm reading this thread is that you folks are contributing to my financial ruin.... I found an '81 300SD for $1600. Drove it and that was all there was to it. Now I gotta add it to my sig. line! Now I gotta go rip out the elephant hide! Now I gotta figure out how to fix the ripped/sagging leather around the seatbelt anchor on the door pillars! Now I gotta figure out how to tuck back in the plastic on the side of the rear bumper that got yanked out and distorted about 6"-8"! Now I gotta figure out how to fix three silverdollar size rust holes! Now I gotta fix - - - - Maybe I'll just keep driving the 30mpg fourbanger....

__________________
Jim

'49 170?(donated to church in Darmstadt '58)
'58 220S(crusher, after '73 fire[San Antonio])
'72 280SE 4.5
'77 240D
'81 300SD
'83 240D parts car

Dmorrison, thanks for the mention on the windlace.