Tech Article -- Removing Door Panel on W115
 

Hey guys,

I just got through the exciting experience of removing the door panel my 72 220D to repair the window lifter arm, and took lots of pictures to document the episode.

I just started cassidysgarage.com, which will be a blog of my Datsun 510 race car project and my 220D waste vegetable oil conversion project.

I thought I would give you guys a "practice" article. :)

REMOVAL OF DOOR PANEL ON W115, AND POSSIBLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER MAKES AND MODELS:

The door panel on a W115 Mercedes is held to the door frame by clips and accesories. The clips are small plastic fastners that grip the card board backing of the panel and "clip" to small holes in the door frame. The door crank, corner window crank, door release, arm rest, map pocket, chrome locking mechanism trim, and lock plunger head compose the accesories portion of the fastning. All accesories and clips must be removed to succesfully remove the door panel.

Here is a picture of the complete door panel for reference:

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0742.JPG

Lets start with the clips. Slide a small flat-head screw driver between the door panel and door frame at any point along the edge of the door. I chose the outside edge to start. Slide the screw driver up and down untill you hit a clip. Position the edge of the screw driver next to the clip, and pry the panel from the door frame gently. You should feel the clip "pop" free, and you will notice a gap devolp between the panel and the frame.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0740.JPG


Next, I removed the chrome trim around the locking mechanism/door pin. Simply unscrew the two screws holding it in place with a phillips screw driver. The trim will fall free of the frame.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0725.JPG


Unscrew the plunger on the inner door lock rod. Simply grip it firmly and twist counter clockwise to remove.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0731.JPG

The map pocket is the most tricky to remove, because it is held in place by two bolts/washer/nut fasteners, and several clips. The previous owner of my vehicle apparently became impatient trying to remove it, because I found two rusty nuts and washers in the door frame, and broken bolt tabs on the pocket itself. I cant offer much insight into removing this portion, because I didnt have to. However, I used two flat head bolt and washer on the inside of the panel, passing through to the pocket with a nut in nestled in the bolt tabs, to secure it in place again.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0734.JPG

Remove the arm rest by unscrewing two scres on the underside of the rest body. The both pass at an angle through the rest and into the door frame.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0732.JPG

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0733.JPG


Now that we finished the easy stuff, we can get into the harder three accessories -- the window roll up lever, the corner window knob, and the door latch.

Unlike other makes, Mercedes did not use a c-clip around the shaft of the window lever to secure it in place. Instead, Mercedes used a c-clip inside the lever padding to hold it to the shaft. Slide a scre driver between the vinyl/leather padding and the metal body of the lever. Two clips secure it in place. To aid in the removal, push towards the crank knob to release the c-clip on the padding from the drive shaft of the crank.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0721.JPG

Once the pad pops off, the handle and washer can be removed. Make sure you put the plastic washer back on during reassembly!

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0722.JPG

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0723.JPG

To remove the door latch assembly, you must first remove the plastic backing to gain access to the screw holding the trim in place. Slide a small flat head or exacto knive between the black plastic backing and the chrome trim, and pry the clips out of their recess. Repeat on the other side of the latch assembly.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0726.JPG

Remove the plastic piece by extending the latch to the open position, and sliding the piece away.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0727.JPG

Next, unscrew the fastner in the center of the trim piece.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0729.JPG

And remove the chrome shroud!

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0730.JPG

The small knob for opening and closing the corner window is probably the most delicate part of this procedure. In order to remove it, you must seperate the knob and unscrew a fastner on the shaft.

Begin by sliding an exacto knife between the center portion of the knob, and the knob body itself. Pry it out gently. Careful not to scratch it up!

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0735.JPG

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0737.JPG

And unscrew the fastner to remove the knob from the shaft.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0738.JPG

And thats it! You have succesfully freed the door panels from the foor frame. The main portion of the panel will come off effortlessly, and the top portion can be lifted off (just pull hard enough to "pop" the four plastic clips free.

http://cassidysgarage.com/220/doorpanel/IMG_0741.JPG

Assembly is the exact reverse of removal. You can reuse all of the plastic and metal clips, as they are not prone to breaking during removal.

Worked on dimes too. Interesting.

At the end of internet tech articles, there ought to be a feedback section were someone who follows the directions can say, right on, it worked perfect, or I discovered a short cut at step 4,,,

Just in case you are interested, my brother is a 510 enthusiast and has a 72 2-door. I am sure he would be interested in talkin dimes with you if you are ever interested.

I would respond off list, but I couldn't email you off list.


I no longer have any 510's and think that I won't go back to them. (I had four.) But it was on the 510 that I first experienced an internet community of hobbists with a certain car.

This is the list that I used to be on.

The Bluebirds List
(510)
A must for any 510 lover with an email address.
This is a mailing list to specifically discuss the Datsun PL510 (68-73)
Very informative and some lively discussions.
To be added to the list click on the mailbox: there you'll find all the info you'll need to join.
The Bluebirds Mailing List Web Server This is a new service of the bluebirds mailing list server giving you a web interface to read the bluebirds mailing list.
**Be fore warned often you may receive 40 or more e-mails from this list.**

The part about how to separate the wing mechanism knob cover from the knob is not correct. You should NEVER use an Xacto knife to do this because you will mess up the cover.

The "real" method is that there is a hole in the BACK of the knob (the side facing the door panel). You need to make a "U" shape out of the end of a coat hanger. Then use an inspection mirror to find the hole. Once you find the hole, put the "U" tool into it, pull toward you, and the cover pops right out.

Catrinus
73 280C

By the way, there is a guy named Kent Bergsma (Mercedes Source) up in Bellingham, WA who publishes little "how to" books like this for various jobs on vintage MBs. They're not bad, but they're not complete, either (for example, I bought the one for repairing doors and his book didn't mention the above trick). Check them out at
http://www.**************.com/
and then click on "repair manuals".