Help IDing these seats???

[ragtopper]

Just procurred these seats to replace the tattered ones in my 380SL. My research tells me they're from a 560SL. (Car no longer exists, so I cant check VIN #). Want to start clean-up process before installation. Have spent hours on sites trying to determine leather or MBTex. Any help?

Also, these seats came with rails intact. Must I remove existing (380) seats from rails? Or can I remove seat, rails, etc from floorboard and replace? Suppose I must use existing driver-side seat-lifting mechanism, as the 560 seats dont have the lift mechansim attached. Any direction appreciated.

Ragtopper
1982 380SL

[rowdie]

560SL standard equipment is leather. There is no difference in the rails unless your 380SL is an early model. The adjusting lever indicates yours is not. Your seats are removed the same way as the 560SL. The adjusting lever assembly does not need to be removed. Removal instructions are in the on line service manual. Six 10mm bolts.

[ragtopper]

Thanks Rowdie. Next question: Since rails are identical, would you recommend leaving existing 380 rails, and simply inserting 560 seats into these? (And hope I dont lose plastic parts, etc). Or, replacing everything - rails and all? Which is easier?

Ragtopper
1982 380SL

[rowdie]

The mounting rails are removed intact with the seat. Seat all the way forward. Remove the brackets the back of the rail slides up and down in. Slide the seat back. Remove the front bolt on each rail. Move the seat and rails back about three inches to disengage the rail slots. In my experience lifting the outer side first works best.