W111 coupe- 280se headrest retrofit to 250se - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

moby dick · #1 03-08-2013, 11:23 AM

Hi,
A quick question that I'm not able to get a straight answer to... Can the front seat headrests from a >1969 280se be fitted on non-headrest coupe front seats from <1968? I mean without having to swap the whole seat back or something more involved like that. I found a 1966 250se for sale locally and my only hangup is the lack of front headrests...
Thank You,
Narayan

dirtyharry · #2 03-08-2013, 11:29 AM

if the coupe seats had headrests to begin with? then maybe, I think they're all the same... my W111 doesnt have head rests.. but the headrests holes are cut into the seats themselves... and there is a release button in the backs of the seats... but W111 and W110 seats I think are slightly wider then W108/109 and W114/115 seats so I dunno

Tony H · #3 03-08-2013, 11:41 AM

The headrest seat backs have rails in them to accommodate them so the non headrest seat backs will not have them. You could find some later 108 head rest seat backs and have the covers put on them. When I bought my coupe the seat backs and bottoms had broken springs in them and I found some 108 seats at the Pick and Pull. The 108 seat bottoms have much better springs (coil springs like a living room chair) unlike the 111 seat bottoms that have flat springs. I had my covers put on 108 seat bottoms. Only problem is the vacuum actuators to release the seat backs don’t fit in the 108 seat bottoms.

moby dick · #4 03-08-2013, 04:05 PM

Is it easy to retrofit the necessary rails to install headrests in a 1966 250se coupe? From either a w111 or w108.

When you installed the w108 seats, how did you get them to tilt forward to allow access to the rear seat? Is that mechanism separate? I just want headrest without having to find an entire post-1969 w111 coupe seat. Is that possible? Thanks!
Narayan

Tony H · #5 03-08-2013, 11:21 PM

The mounting holes in 108 and 111 seat bottoms and backs are in the same place-you just need to use the 111 bottom and side rails. Like I said the 108 bottoms don't accomodate the release mechanism so the seat backs will not lock in place without some adapting the mechanism to the 108 bottom.

Marrs · #6 03-20-2013, 08:21 PM

You can remove the rails from inside the seats that the headrests fit into on a car that has them (W108, etc.) and then remove the seat covers from your coupe. Use the W108 seat setup as a guide how to fit the rails to your coupe. You will basically only need to rivet in the rails, but you also drilled the rivets out of the rails on the donor car so you will see where they fit exactly. This allow you to keep your original W111 seats and you simply need to cut holes for the chrome posts to fit into the top of the seat covers. You can get plugs to fit in here to make it look factory. If you ever needed to make the car totally original you would only need new seat covers with no holes in them.

Tony H · #7 03-20-2013, 10:06 PM

This thread got me thinking about replacing my horsehair pads. Does anyone have an experience go or bad with a particular supplier? Also I am a little confused as the listings for pads show a different part number for 108 vs 111 even though my 111 covers fit on 108 bottoms and backs just fine. There must be a difference from a pad point of view but I'm not sure what.

Marrs · #8 03-21-2013, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony H

This thread got me thinking about replacing my horsehair pads. Does anyone have an experience go or bad with a particular supplier? Also I am a little confused as the listings for pads show a different part number for 108 vs 111 even though my 111 covers fit on 108 bottoms and backs just fine. There must be a difference from a pad point of view but I'm not sure what.

Maybe the difference between the coil and flat springs you noted earlier? It would make sense that it's an internal difference.

piscean911/914 · #9 03-23-2014, 02:33 PM

interesting thread - check out this site for what the 1966 W111/112 coupe/cab options were:

Special equipment for the Fintails

you can see that the headrests were not yet the "internal" mount - and they were available for front AND rear

these "external" headrests are similar to the optional headrests on Porsche 356's (i know cause i have a 356 with the headrests!)

i rarely see these external headrests

i agree that i would want headrests for safety

i would be willing to forgo the stock look for the safety

also, i have seen 250SE's with the later headrests installed, so it's done

hope this helps

brad in seattle!

Marrs · #10 03-24-2014, 09:33 PM

You are right about the external posts but I didn't address that because he asked about a specific swap from a car he owned or had access to, and also the general lack of availability of those early cars. I prefer this type as it suits the lines of the car more, on a high grille anyway, but on a low grille car I would be ok with the more modern internal sort as it matches the "newer" look body. The external headrests are much wider so you do lose some visibility.

piscean911/914 · #11 03-25-2014, 12:34 PM

thanks marrs -

just a note - on the 356's, the factory (porsche) position was that the headrests were just that "rests" - i guess used for comfort when sleeping - also, this is why you will see cars ordered with just the passenger side -

due to the external design, the factory did not state there was any safety advantage, but did say there was for the internal head rests - i don't see how the external head rests can't help, but that may be a consideration if safety is the priority -

here are some attached photos of the external headrests in a 220SE cab on ebay right now -

thanks for the info -

brad in seattle

Marrs · #12 03-25-2014, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piscean911/914

here are some attached photos of the external headrests in a 220SE cab on ebay right now -

Thanks too, I didn't realize there was no stated safety advantage and that they were quite possibly only a comfort feature. Your pics reminded me why I opted against this style and sourced a pair of internal units, those chrome bars would do a number on any unfortunate soul in the backseat in even a small crash, my car being fitted with lap belts in the rear still.

zakkkk · #13 03-26-2014, 06:11 PM

My 2 cents is that I love the models that are pre headrest. What a classic look.
My 1967 250 sl has no headrests and I love the look and visibility.
I would not alter.
But that's just me
respectfully
jz

Marrs · #14 03-26-2014, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zakkkk

My 2 cents is that I love the models that are pre headrest. What a classic look.
My 1967 250 sl has no headrests and I love the look and visibility.
I would not alter.
But that's just me
respectfully
jz

2-cents accepted! I will admit that I have "sourced" headrests and they are sitting in the garage I just haven't been able to bring myself to install them because of that fact. Even adding the seatbelt shoulder mount for the front seats drove me crazy because it's at the beltline and somewhat obscures the clean line when the windows are down. The headrests would totally ruin the look, but I like to be safety aware so it's another ongoing "originality" battle that many of us face.

piscean911/914 · #15 03-26-2014, 11:00 PM

i am in no way taking the position for the headrests - i will say that i have been rear ended in my 356 (by another 356!) and the headrests (although for comfort not safety!) definitely helped out - i do drive my old air cooled porsches tens of thousands of miles a year, and i track them, hence heightened safety - i am (and have been for some time) in the market for a 250SE coupe or cab (maybe at three years ago prices for the cabs) - unless its a super original car, i'm intend to get the head rests installed, as i intend to drive the mercedes like the porsches - alot, but no track time! brad in seattle!