How to Remove wood trim?

How do remove the wood off the dash in my W114 with out destroying it?
My Finish is starting to crack. I can fix the finish but I have to remove the wood trim panels.
Thanks,
Bryan

[hgupta]

If it is mounted like my 1979 300CD was, the wood trim has a metal backing. The backing has little tabs (or brads like manila folders) that gets pushed into the dash through small slits and then bent parallel to the dash to hold it in. So you have to get your hands behind the dash. Easier said than done. Removing the glovebox gives you easy access on the passenger side, but the drivers side has to be done through the instrument cluster hole or from beneath the dash by removing the kick panel. Anyways, that's how it was in my 300CD, but your dash looks a bit different--much more wood. If you remove the plastic back of the glove compartment door, you should be able to see how the wood is attached.

[Edited by hgupta on 05-25-2001 at 03:55 PM]

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Bryan,
12 years ago I repaced the dash wood in my 1972 250 (114 body) with salvaged items from a junked 1974-75 280, You need to remove both under-dash fiberboard covers. The thin veneer at the round dash vents is glued on to molded aluminum panels. Remove the round vents and the rear interior light switch. The left panel is secured with the chrome retaining nuts under the parking brake release and headlight switch knobs. The aluminum trims for the verticle vent levers may also have tabs bent over behind the dash. The drivers side panel has a small stud through the dash secured by a plastic nut under the instrument cluster. The passenger panel has this stud and nut near the door jamb. Be carefull as the panels are easily damaged at their weakest points around the vent holes! The glovebox wood is a much thicker part scewed to the plastic glovebox door with a number of philips screws.
Good Luck,
Mark DiSilvestro

[cth350]

Also, the finish used on the wood as of '73 model cars is a resin that is very difficult to remove and impossible to duplicate. Be prepared to collect replacement parts if these die. Don't expect the refinished wood to look at all like the original.

Also scour the vets list archives for many, many posts of the care and restoration of the wood (http://www.mercedes-veterans.com).

-CTH