Wagon rear head rest question
 

I couldn't find this specific detail in the archives:

I am going to install rear head rests in my w123 wagon and I have the grommets for the place for them to rest out of the way in the seat *bottom* when the seat back is folded down for a flat expanded cargo area.

However, there are no rails for these or any other parts. My question is, is there an appropriate place to cut the upholstery? Is there a reason to remove the upholstery from the seat bottom to install these?

Thanks in advance,
KenB
1980 300TD

If the car did not come with rear headrests, the hardware is not in the seat to accept them. You can feel the holes in the foam of the seatback, but once you cut your upholstery you will find that the headrests just flop around in the seatback.
I know this from experience. I ended up pulling factory headrest seats from a junkyard after riding around with holes cut in the top of my middle seat for about a year.

chad has a write up on here somewhere... perhaps it's a link to another site where he installed the headrest hardware into the seats of a wagon...

Not sure you got my meaning (or maybe you did?): I am talking about the place to stow the head rests in the seat BOTTOM when they are not in use (removed from the seat back so as to fold the seat flat.)

If this is what you are talking about, then why is it so bad if they're a bit floppy?

If this is not what you meant, then I still am not sure what to do...

Chad's post was great but didn't address this issue.

KenB

The storage place for the headrests does not have any internal support for the shafts. So cut the wholes in the seat and install the "grommets".

For the normal installation. A kit was available years ago. I do not know if it is still available. Try a Mercedes dealer or the classic center. The receivers must be pop riveted in the seat frame and the grommets installed.

Dave

for the money I would buy these.

http://store03.prostores.com/servlet/twigapartsdirect/the-645/Mercedes-W123-S123-C123/Detail

Thank you! Done and looks fantastic.

KenB

Yep I misunderstood. Thought you were talking seat backs

Show us a picture. I've always just put them in the garage.

Well, sure. That works too!

Anyone who has this set-up stock (whether it be 2 or 3 rear head rests), I'd be interested to hear how close I got to imitating it. I was just going by glimpses I had caught from pics on the internet.

I saw the write up sometime back and now I can't find it. Does anyone know where it is?

thanks.

upper search,
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username chad300tdt
keyword: head rest...
first response
BenzObsession.com • View topic - w123 Wagon - Adding Rear Headrests - DIY

Link doesn't work.

true, but search still does...
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/277180-anyone-know-part-number-w123-td-headrest-frames.html
apparently he has deleted the other thread on the other forum that the buildup was on.

I had started to look up the part numbers for you before realizing that you already had a link to the part numbers.

I know the damn search works and it took me right to the dead link. Thank you so much!

The other site is down until the new owner can get a database issue resolved. Until it's fixed, all my DIYs there are offline. :(

Awwwww. Boo. Hopefully that will be soon.
thanks
Scott

Luckily archive.org had saved that page! I am thinking about adding headrests to my back seats, I have the headrest but no mounts. I have to install a cargo cover I have and doing this the same time would make sense.

Here's the link to the archived writeup- BenzObsession.com • View topic - w123 Wagon - Adding Rear Headrests - DIY

I have headrests in lots of colors and 3 sets of remaining mounts... FWIW

IT DOESN'T WORK :(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(

Still offline I guess? Could really use the write-up...
thanks

The site is available on the web archive. It's no longer an active site and I plan to move my DIY's over here as I have time. The link posted earlier does work. Here it is again.

BenzObsession.com • View topic - w123 Wagon - Adding Rear Headrests - DIY

Excellent. Thank you so much!

I just added this DIY to Peachparts. :) Maybe it will get added to the DIY wiki.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/343387-w123-wagon-adding-rear-headrests-diy.html#post3202072

Excellent. Are you interested in updating it? In particular, saying something about the plastic grommets that the headrest shafts go through and how to attach those as well as the plastic rivet buttons that serve to release the headrests? I have the part numbers for those at home and they are available from MB... When I sell headrest kits I include new release rivet buttons and used grommets...

It might be relevant to mention that this _can_ be done without taking the seat back out of the car but releasing the top half of the seat upholstery and folding the seat cover and the foam forward. Easier in some ways, more difficult in others...