What's The Trick To Getting The W116 Dashboard Back In?

[Squiggle Dog]

I had the dashboard out of my 1979 300SD W116 a couple times, and I can never get it to go back below the windshield seal. The edge of the dashboard keeps setting on top of the windshield seal and I tried carefully pushing down on the edges, but they just tore. The service manual is so vague about removal and reinstallation.

[mercmad6.3]

Removing the windsheild is the only way to W116 and W114's dash pads in and out. The front edge of the pad should be under the windsheild rubber

[Squiggle Dog]

I was afraid of this... and it seems to be the case. It seems like it slides into place at only one angle, which does not allow for it to slide under the seal. Darn. I guess I will just live with it resting on top of the seal, for now.

I have future plans to have an earlier European dashboard restored. The old black vinyl will be stripped off and replaced with new dark brown vinyl to match the color of the dashboard from my 300SD. The restored dashboard will not have the hole for the climate control sniffer because I am installing a complete manual AC/Heat system in the car. It will also have the speakers on the front of the dash, not on top as on later models. I will probably have to spray or dye the black plastic speaker covers to match the brown of the restored dashboard. I will restore the wood of the European dash or cut a slot in the 300SD dashboard for the vent lever. After going through this expense, I suppose I had better remove the windshield to install the dashboard. I will probably need to have the windshield out anyway, as I plan to paint the car sometime.