I replaced my trashed blue dash with a black one I got from Biodiesel300TD. The job was not as bad as I was expecting and only took a about 2 hours. The hardest part was getting the back edge seated below the window seal. A few blows with the fist got it in place though.

What do you guys think of the black dash with the blue interior? It looks out of place to me, but maybe that's just because I'm so used to the blue.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Looks pretty good to me!
Is it possible to swap out the parts below the wood on the dash? I think if those parts were blue it might look pretty neat, but I don't know if that is possible.

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Dan
2005 E320 CDI - 246k
1987 300SDL TD05-16g, Herlevi pump, Elbe manifold, 2.47 LSD - 213k
Past: 1987 300D - 264k

Ah, I think it would have been worth your time to dye it blue to match the rest of the interior

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Other color interiors use a black dash and a black console. I think if you swapped your console to black, everything would look normal again.


EDIT: Like this:

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Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

It looks better than a severely cracked dash.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Looks good to me, but I'm used to having a black dash.

steering wheel removal would have been easier to just remove the nut. I was debating putting in a black dash but I think I will go ahead and paint mine. I got a beautiful black dash a while back. any tricks you learned you might pass along?

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

The black console ties it together better, I'll have to keep my eye out for one.

The only trick is getting the back edge to seat when you are installing the dash. It helps to press the vynal lip along the back edge of the dash below the windshield rubber with your fingers, then give it a few wacks along the back edge with your hands.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Did you see any way of getting heat to the center vents?

It would've matched better if it were black instead of brown, hard to tell the difference until you get out into the light, ... now the cluster and steering wheel don't match the dash.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Yeah it is sort of a dark brown. Maybe it faded to brown, Mercedes did not offer a brown dash did they?

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

If you put a Y into each of the heater hoses that run to the outside vents you could route hot air to the center vents. You would loose the fresh air vent and would not be able to shut off the center vents individually unless you replaced the center vents with the outer type (they just snap in).

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I see a legitimate weight reduction in your future....

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Yep, you just need a black center console to complete the look. And about that steering wheel..........

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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

Most of the "black" dashes are brown, at least on the later cars.

I've been looking for a late 124 black dash, find many for sale that are "black". Always ask what color interior the car has, ... if it is palomino, mushroom, bamboo, or any other cream to brown tone, the dash is dark brown. The seller will argue that it is not brown, I've had black and brown dashes side-by-side, unless the light is right (outdoor) it is hard to tell the difference.

Black is hard to find.

One nice thing is that a dark brown one is easy to dye black.

Personally, I like a black (or at least very dark) dash. Hate smurf dashboards (have one), dash tops should be non-glare black like aircraft.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff