Must have spent 24 hours straight with 2 pots of fresh pressed Mexican Zaragoza coffee searching for anything that explains the right way to remove my headliner on my 1981 300SD.

( I have leaky sunroof rear passenger drain tube.)

All I could find was post after post of guys screwing it up and tearing perfectly good headliners. This doesn't seem like it would be real complicated but if I am going to do this I prefer to know how step by step. * Oh. Is there any other way to gain access to the drain tube ?

Anyone ? Thanks!

Austin

__________________
'87 924S
'81 280SEL

Sold ->

81 300SD -
93 300E w/ 3.2
85 300D-
79 300SD
82 300CD
83 300CD - CA
87 190E 5 spd
87 Porsche 924S

"..I'll take a simple "C" to "G" and feel brand new about it..."

I don't know about this car, but it might b better to just drop one side then work through the slot.

This info should be int he shop manual.

Does this have a cardboard headliner or 60's style material with spreader bows ( looks like a convertible top ) ? Sometimes the fabric type is a one way install with fabric stuffed into a toothed groove and pulled tight.

I do not have a shop manual. It would be great to drop one side only or even jest the rear corner ....

I really do not know what it's made out of up there. I do not think I have spreader bows though.....

Thanks!

__________________
'87 924S
'81 280SEL

Sold ->

81 300SD -
93 300E w/ 3.2
85 300D-
79 300SD
82 300CD
83 300CD - CA
87 190E 5 spd
87 Porsche 924S

"..I'll take a simple "C" to "G" and feel brand new about it..."

I replaced the original gray interior,including the headliner, on my 1983 300SD with a palomino interior a few years ago. The Factory Service Manual has been very helpful. Also 'practicing' the procedure at the junkyard makes it easier when you do it for real on your ride.

1981 300SD Headliner removal
http://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/outside/12253/program/Chassis/68-430.pdf

126 FSM Mercedes-Benz 126 Service Manual Library

__________________
78 W116 300SD 'Desert Rose' new as of 01/26/2014
79 W116 300SD 'Stormcloud' RIP 04/11/2022

Hi Alec,

That was great. Exactly what I wanted to see. Since you did this, can you recall any tricky steps I might run into? I have 6 junk yards in my 50 miles radius and none of them currently have any SD's in stock plus it is really hot down here in South Florida so I'm avoiding U-pulll-its till we get a cooler day in the high 70's . I'm decent to be meticulous but I've heard headliners can be pita.

AA

__________________
'87 924S
'81 280SEL

Sold ->

81 300SD -
93 300E w/ 3.2
85 300D-
79 300SD
82 300CD
83 300CD - CA
87 190E 5 spd
87 Porsche 924S

"..I'll take a simple "C" to "G" and feel brand new about it..."

Removing the the rear roof panel cover and the C pillar covers was a little tricky. The C pillar panels tend to be brittle from sun exposure. The metal clips on the panels are glued in place and the glue cracks when you remove the panels.

I used some 3M High Strength 90 adhesive to re-attach the clips and also to re-attach the drooping sound insulating foam between the headliner and the roof. Replacing the headliner in the sunroof panel was a little cumbersome as well, especially on reassembly.

__________________
78 W116 300SD 'Desert Rose' new as of 01/26/2014
79 W116 300SD 'Stormcloud' RIP 04/11/2022

Try blowing the drain out with air. You can access in the wheel wells and perhaps in the sun roof corners with the roof retracted.

__________________
85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Used the compressor @ TK with a rubber hose nozzle attached straight in to the right rear drain tube. Since I was the one with the hose i asked the TK guy to feel if air was blowing out of the right rear corner of my open sunroof and he said " Yeah it's comin out pretty good".

I was hoping that was it, ..................but just got back and poured some water in to the roof and it still comes out the right rear C pillar and not the drain under the car. Bummer!

I assume that means there is a hole big enough to drain water from up there.


AA

.............

__________________
'87 924S
'81 280SEL

Sold ->

81 300SD -
93 300E w/ 3.2
85 300D-
79 300SD
82 300CD
83 300CD - CA
87 190E 5 spd
87 Porsche 924S

"..I'll take a simple "C" to "G" and feel brand new about it..."