Nice insights ykobayshi !

Here is an updated photo of my seat repair. The wrinkles have smoothed out and the panel has conformed to the seat the more I've sat in it.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...28f70c690e.jpg

Looks excellent. Well done.

- Peter.

Ykobayashi, what is that hand-machine called, that you suggested for doing pleats? Any particular needle specified for that? Also, is any particular fabric recommended for the backing? Would an old cotton sheet work - or something else?

Thanks.

The sewing awl is a Tandy leather sewing awl. Available on Amazon among other places. You can get a Chinese replica at harbor freight too for cheaper. The Tandy comes with a nice slim needle that works. Or, you can use the Harbor Freight which takes standard sewing machine needles (singer) that can be bought at the dime store. The idea is you want to use a slim needle and poke through the original stitch holes MB made when they sewed the pleats. If you do this and cinch up the stitches uniformly they will just disappear like the originals.

A cotton sheet would work but after putting in all the work why not use real upohlstery muslin backing? Just get a few yards at Joannes or Walmart. It’s widely available and used for indoor furniture rebuilding.

Muslin
 

@ ykobayashi :

THANK YOU ~now I know where to get it....

Okay...

Well, I've done it, though at the moment it feels like a pyrrhic victory.
Many intrepid DIYers have set out over the years to "restore their pleats -will be documenting the process" only to never be heard from again.

Thanks to Ykobayashi I decided to give this a crack. Picked up a yard of muslin and a sewing awl and got to work. Warning, this is not for the faint of heart. Undertaking this repair may provoke an unmitigated stream of existentialism.

If you've removed a seat skin, you'll be familiar with this:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...6-img-7975.jpg

Rotted fabric, etc, etc, etc.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...7-img-7976.jpg

Started with a seam ripper, removing as much of the old stitching as possible.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...8-img-7978.jpg

The awl, the muslin and some heavy duty polyester thread. :

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...9-img-7977.jpg

A cubic yard is about three times the amount you'll need, but if you've any experience with sewing, you'll know it's better to err on the side of caution.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...0-img-7979.jpg

The needles that came with the awl were a little too bit. They completely obliterated the muslin and I didn't want to needlessly stretch the vinyl. In the end, I used a standard sewing machine needle
The sewing awl is quite a delightful device. Very proto-sewing machine. It takes a while to find your technique however. On the skin in question, there are 8 rows of thread to replace.
the first row took me around 80 mins. After the first 10 mins, I decided this was a horrible idea, a complete waste of time and a picture of masochism.

After completing the first row, efficiencies began to materialize.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1-img-7983.jpg

The second row took 40 minutes. The third 28 mins. I finally settled on 21 minutes a piece for the five remaining rows. Again, this is a complete and utter waste of time.

After finishing the first two rows, I decided to test things. Not to make sure it was worthwhile (it wasn't) but to see whether the tension in the new muslin would be enough to overcome the tension of the vinyl. I used a ruler to insert the felt "sausages":

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...2-img-7980.jpg

Lo and behold...

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...3-img-7981.jpg

Here's what the back looks like, with two bits of felt now inserted:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...4-img-7982.jpg

The outer most columns I was able to finish with a sewing machine as these stitches are not visible. You're basically stitching into vertical seam so you have to sandwich the lot. It's a little awkward. You can then seal the entire thing off and trim it up.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...5-img-7984.jpg

And after... 5 hours maybe? :

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...6-img-7985.jpg

The original backing covers the foam on the wings, but as that foam is glued to the vinyl, covering seemed superfluous. Also, that would have required more time with the awl and I could not abide that.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...7-img-7986.jpg

And finally:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...8-img-7987.jpg


Again, this is total waste of time. If you're into repetitive tasks and dopamine feedback loops, give it a shot. I've never knitted, but this process was spiritually akin. You put some headphones on, or some bad Tv, or make a phone call you've been avoiding, etc, and stitch away. You get there eventually.

The thing is, these skins are so old and faded that even if you paid someone to restore the stitching -and they'd be making new holes, which I think would affect the integrity of the seat- color them with some palomino spray... you'd be pretty close to paying for new skins.

That said, I did nail it.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...9-img-7990.jpg


-

Bravo !

Top man !

I am impressed. Job well done!!!

Been a long time. I probably used a tube of leather/plastic glue from 99c store. Today, I would probably use E6000. I bought several tubes on Amazon since hobbyists recommend it for many things. Similar to the first, and both are like the old Duco Cement. Another choice might be Gorilla Glue, which is polyurethane (or other brands). I haven't noticed the felts moving, but then 1 car has sheepskin covers and the other cheap nylon seat covers. The seats are firm now with the bulking and covers over the spring-box I added. No more of the sinking feeling.

Seat Repair
 

KUDOS ! .

It looks good to me, I wish I could do that .

Sorry!

It looks great though!

Uhm, thanks for trying out my idea. Sorry I said it would take an hour. Wow you have grit.

I haven’t started my blue seats yet. I have a continuously variable stitch length adjustment on my upholstery machine. My thought was to adjust it till the needle was able to hit the holes repeatably. But this is another one of my theories. Definitely the side boxing will have to be disassembled for access.

Thanks for taking the leap.

The Time It Takes
 

Well ;

Once you do a thing a few times it usually becomes far quicker....

It was certainly an expedition =)
And again, the discovery of the sewing awl made it awl worthwhile.

I had a similar thought re: my sewing machine. It's about a 5 on the stitch dial, but without complete certainty, constant tension and machine like precision (on my end) I saw myself getting 30% of the way and then accidentally punching new holes a fraction of a mm off.

Keep us posted!

You know that awl is a really awesome tool. Mine has paid for itself many times over. Especially when I fix the strap on my wife’s fancy shoes and purses when they come apart. :P

My cheapskate dad taught me how to use one when I was a kid.

1981 W123 Front Seat Cushion Replacement
 

Seat padding part number: 123 910 29 50

Ordered from World Upholstery & Trim for $240 (3 months lead time). Made of coconut husk or fiber bonded with rubberized resin.

MB part # 123 910 38 16 - Discontinued.

Opted not to use the new seat padding (made from coconut husk or fiber) since the original "foam" padding is still in good condition. Wasted money, should have disassembled the seat first before ordering.

I have some 126 seats apart. The pad PN is 126 910 2650 NLA from Mercedes but I've seen them from upholstery people.

Mercedes Manual section 91.4-100
 

See attachment: Section 91.4-100 Removal and Installation of Driver's Seat.
Instruction seems to be for another model not for 1981 240D

W123 Driver's Seat Buns
 

I see it also has a 114 part number....

1981 W123 Front Driver's Seat Up & Down Rail Repair
 

Adjustment stuck, cannot access the rear bolts to remove the seat for re-upholstery.
Applied WD40 the day before in the up & down rail, then used a slide hammer pulling on the round nut, see picture.
Inserted an aluminum U-channel between the lock notches and the lock on both sides to allow movement of the rail.
Used a 50 lb. weight to help apply/push down the seat spring while removing/lifting the seat cover lock.

Did some rear seat repair with S springs. 9 ga bought on eBay. I got 10’ for $20.

My 300sd rear seat was getting really saggy. When I’d sit down in the back I’d feel the seat crush down and clunk on the Pan under the seat. I tried pool noodles a couple of years ago but my experience with those is they hold the seat up but eventually they crush down and lose springiness.

So I saw the M….source videos on YouTube showing their expensive kit with a springs. I decided I’d try to replicate it. I basically cut 8” lengths with about 8 coils each and attached them between the front lip and the pan where the old springs attached. I basically wired them in in parallel using stainless steel safety wire. Right in the area where the springs are bent into kind of an L in the vertical direction in the cantilever portion of the springs. Sorry I didn’t snap a photo. I put four on each side and two in the middle.

It really worked well. The seats have their spring back and my passengers aren’t bouncing off the floor boards.

I’m going to do the same to my 300d soon and I’ll snap some photos. Basically the seat comes out. The cover and horsehair comes off. Then I wire 10 x 8” pieces of S spring between the top and bottom of the spring box a long the front lip. If you sit in the collapsed seat it is really obvious where you need to add the support.

I’ll be back with photos of the second install. When it cools down. My garage is an oven now.

Edit - ah this video shows an example of how to support the cantilever springs.

https://youtu.be/jNHZZdNC6-o

I used safety wire to secure them. It reminded me of my mom using cord to secure springs in our couch when I was a kid. She would reupholster our furniture by tying the springs together with cords. You can also use the u bolts in the video. That’s cleaner. I think those are just aircraft cable clamps available at Home Depot.

Seat Removal
 

Yes, the tracks tend to get crudded up and sometimes rusty making it very difficult to move them forward / back for bolt access~ best bet is to sit in the back with the front backrest leaned forward and push with both your feet as someone else holds the adjuster release up .

Be aware the seat can and will suddenly jump forward so make sure your helper doesn't put their wrist through the steering wheel or other carelessness .

I've had to remove the rear carpets and use a really good quality open end 10MM ATF wrench to get some junkyard seats bolts out .

You have to turn the bolt maybe 1/5 of a turn at a time it's really a patience testing job .

Once out of the car the tracks can be removed and cleaned, once clean grease *very* lightly with long fiber (like Lithium) grease, the 'dustless' grease M-B uses in the sun roofs or war surplus rifle grease both excel here .

W123 1981 240D Backrest Repair
 

The backrest padding was decomposing leaving a constant residue of coconut husk or fiber material on the floor.

I thought the originals were made out of horse hair

Urban legend apparently.

Google result for upholstery filling.
 

Coir fiber coconut upholstery fiber filling horsehair substitute.
Used in traditional upholstery as a stuffing, can be used with horse hair, or as a cheaper animal friendly alternative. Coir fiber is the husk of the coconut, this makes for an incredibly versatile & springy upholstery filling.

Is that easy to form into those molded rubberized mats?

Crubling Seat Buns
 

Yes, German vehicles used coconut fibers, older American vehicles used horse hair .

The image posted clearly illustrates why I always mention covering the bare springs with muslin , canvas or something before putting the buns, used or new on them .

My problem had been : the thin cloth at the unseen edges of the seat covers is dry rotted and needs to be addressed else the cover will come loose again soon .

I don't have a sewing machine nor the skills to replace the crispy delicate cloth .

I _do_ have some very nice covers harvested I want to try to place over my old unbroken spring boxes .

As promised here are the images of my rear seat respring. It worked well. I just wired in some springs along the front edge of the seat then replaced the covers. Cured the sag. I removed all my pool noodles.

Before:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...718cb4d860.jpg

The fix:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...48f7793a10.jpg

detail
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d661b436dc.jpg

all back together with much better contour. no more sags.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8a53b0825a.jpg

Thanx, looks good .

Nice work!

It’s great seeing people restoring their seats.
Too often you see someone dealing with rust, a bumper, a paint chip, or say, the red of their seat belt buckle receiver, meanwhile living with totally bombed out interiors.

After vacillating for over a year, I had my backseats pleats restored by a local upholsterer.
It’s like a new car now.