ShopForum has never failed to help me so much, so here's my big question regarding my '83 300TD.

My dashboard is blue, and naturally has cracks, two of them, that look hideous. I have been using a cheap dashmat which seems fine enough, but I have been thinking of getting a dashboard cap.

Which is the best dashboard cap for the Mercedes? My car has the climate control sensor and is, as mentioned earlier, blue. What's the good vendor for it? Do you have to dye or paint it blue to make a near perfect match and if so which paint?

I am not against spending a couple hundred bucks on this project, cause it seems worth it to me. I just want to do it as right as possible, and the only way to accomplish this is by consulting experience.

Thanks for any help!!!!

--CD

Yeah those covers come in black and blue. They cost about $150 or less plus oversize shipping.

I have a blue one without the sensor hole. However, I don't feel like putting it up 4 sale cuz I might find use for it later......dunno.too lazy to deal with it also.

So try the parts outfits folks recommend on this forum.

good luck.

Best solution is to find an intact dash at a junker or from a forum member. Search the archives. Some DIYs say it aint so bad swapping out.
A black dash may look good in your car anywho.

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1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

I have a guy that can fill the cracks and it looks pretty darn good. I do not like the look of the plastic cover. You can see the cover from a mile away, it does not look original. But it does look better than the cracks.

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91 350 SDL
91 300 E
85 300 D (sold)
79 300 CD (sold)
91 300 CE

Coverlay makes a good dash cap - not familiar with others CLICK
The caps come in 9 colors specific to MB. If you take your time and fit the dash cap it will only be noticed by the descriminating eye.

Unless the prices have changed since last Friday a 126 cap will run $122 with postage.

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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

be thankful that you worry about that rather something more serious. I've resigned myself to my dashboard cracks, and that they will be there for many years

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

I must agree with the earlier post. From time to time you'll find a Northern car that's being parted out on Ebay. I sold a black one from my '80 240D with one tiny 1/4" crack for $50 plus shipping($20) some years ago. They are not hard to swap out at all if you're somewhat mechanically inclined, Paul.

Thanks for all the replies. I am considering the options and thinking about the coverlay dashcover, but worry about the fit, margins and color match cause I have heard they don't match the blue color so well.

Anyway, I want to consider the possibility of replacing the dashboard myself with a replacement from a donor car. I am crazy to think there is an uncracked BLUE dashboard out there on a donor car that someone is willing to part with for a w123 (mine is a 1983 300TD)???

I am committed to undertaking some project for this car to make it look as good as possible. Replacing the dash is something I might be willing to invest in, if one is available out there. I really like the car and have sunk $$$$ (read much much more than the value of the car) out of love for it. It's maintained well, but being that it lived in Las Vegas and Los Angeles the first 20 years of life it has the cracks of the BLUE dashboard!.

Can a black dashboard possibly be painted blue and look like a match?

I'm fishing for solutions....

Search the web for a product called SEM stain. It comes in an aerosol can. It may require a primer, but I think going from black to blue & match perfectly is not going to be too easy. I still think a good blue dash from a car that spent most of its time in an area with a lot of overcast weather is entirely possible for the right amount of $$$.

Thanks for your help. I looked for the stain. Being honest with myself, I am able to handle unbolting and bolting and reinstalling things like a dashboard (given abundant time!!), but when it comes to more delicate things like painting and finishes I am a real bum. So I agree with you, staining a black dashboard (and there is one on Ebay now) to match my blue color would be a mess.

I have decided to keep searching for an uncracked blue dashboard and do the replacement right (or as right as I can). If anyone has this part please let me know. Thanks!!!!

--CD

Email to me also at: ccdavis@alum.mit.edu

If I see one at the local junkyard I'll let you know.

Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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Thanks much.

Hey David, I'm looking forward to one of those W123 cupholders!!!

--CD

i actually found a blue one of those coverlay things in the junk yard and got it for about 12 bucks....but i also have a perfect black dash that im gonna take to a vinal shop and have the color changed...when i get around to that....uh....ill let you know how it comes out the black smoke coming out of my tail pipe is higher up on the list of priorities