Arm rests question

[amazon69]

Hi all,

This is pretty obscure, but here goes.. the arm rests from my w111 coupe (1971, rhd, column shift auto) are presenting a problem. Some of the brackets and fittings are missing. I have spent a long time looking at pictures to see what I need, but my arm rests seem slightly different to all the other images I've looked at. If you look at my photos, below, you can see two studs per armrest that protrude. They are fixed, do not come out, and have a circlip on the bottom of each stud (but no groove in which they sit). Most other arm rests for my car seem to use this bracket (far right of pic).
My car has the shaft and chrome trim piece on each seat, but nowt else. Question is, there is no way that bracket in the above link will fit with the studs there, it wants a pair of threaded holes, and I have not seen an alternative bracket that makes use of the studs. If you look at this pic you can see another example, with rests that seem identical to mine apart from the way the same bracket fits. Maybe the rests are a bit shorter though..there seems to be two lengths to accommodate the shifter option. This link
shows loads of armrests, none of which seem to use the studs. Any ideas gratefully received..it is hard restoring a car when so many bits are missing. Thanks a lot, Dave

[Idle]

Can you post a pic of the other side of the armrests? These are rather simple affairs with the shaft mounting on the seat, the armrest slipping over the shaft and then the nut or circlip being used to secure the armrest to the shaft.

Then a plastic cap is popped over the hole on the outside so it looks nice and tidy. Some of these, most in fact, have some small vents in them; some do not.

Pictures of everything you have in this area would be helpful.

[amazon69]

Sure, I'll do that tonight. The other side does take the vent you mention I think. Thanks for the reply.

d

[ScooterABC]

Hi Dave - I have some armrests and mounting hardware on Ebay. It is of a different style than the ones you have pictured -- I'm not sure how it mounts. The armrests are the same with the two studs sticking out, but the way it mounts to the seat is entirely different. You might want to look at the pics in this link (mine) and buy it quick if you want it since I have an offer already that I'll probably accept in the next 24 hours...
Mercedes Center Arm Rests black W108 W111 280s 280 se sel 230 220 one is broken | eBay
It's worth it for the parts easily, if they are the parts that you need. Which I don't know.

My ebay listing also shows how the parts go together. I think that the part that mounts to the seat is different, but that the armrests themselves are the same

Scott

[amazon69]

Thank you very much, those pics are really helpful. You seem to have a design different again to those I've seen before. I've attached a couple more pics..the seat mount is different on my car, but the rests do seem to be the same with the stud mount/location. If they were over here I'd buy them, but the postage is a killer and it makes it difficult to justify for a few brackets. Now I know what I'm looking for I'll either wait or make some. Your help is greatly appreciated, thanks.


d

[ScooterABC]

Yours seems to have a cone-shaped plastic tube inside the arm rest. For that reason I think you need the hardware shown in the original link you posted...
NEW MERCEDES 108 109 111/C RIGHT SEAT CHROME ARMREST MOUNTING KIT 108 970 62 31 | eBay

The screws you have going into the side of the seat are both wrong. They should be phillips head and mount flush, possibly with the screw head coming up a little but definitely recessed. Easy enough to replace those.

[amazon69]

Thanks champ. I think you're right, I do need the set up in that link, although the bracket that mounts on the studs will have to be drilled out, or I'll have to tap the studs. I may even have the wrong arm rests, nothing would surprise me with a car that has been in hibernation for so long. I like the way Mercedes use a slotted nut with its own bolt to tighten it down onto the thread. Very clever. I haven't got to the seat screws yet, although I noticed they are odd the other day. At least that's easy Still a 1000 jobs to do on the car.

[ScooterABC]

Originally Posted by amazon69

although the bracket that mounts on the studs will have to be drilled out, or I'll have to tap the studs.

I don't think so. Why doesn't the bracket just fit over the studs? With the tab that limits the movement arc of the armrest facing towards the seat side. What holds it all together is the funny nut that you mentioned -- it's just the pressure of that. I don't think you need the bracket with the two holes screwed onto your armrest studs. I think they just fit over it like in my ebay listing. I have one completely assembled except for the plastic (chrome sometimes) cover that keeps the funny nut from being exposed.

[amazon69]

Thanks Scooter. The fact that the bracket holes are countersunk, and the fact that in all the other pics I've found up to now of that bracket on an armrest (such as here), the bracket uses screws, suggest a difference to your very similar bracket. I see what you mean though in regards to the big nut holding it all on, which is why I suggested widening the holes to fit over the studs...that should work.

[ScooterABC]

Originally Posted by amazon69

Thanks Scooter. The fact that the bracket holes are countersunk, and the fact that in all the other pics I've found up to now of that bracket on an armrest (such as here), the bracket uses screws, suggest a difference to your very similar bracket. I see what you mean though in regards to the big nut holding it all on, which is why I suggested widening the holes to fit over the studs...that should work.

I think that you need the brackets with two holes that fit over the studs like in my ebay listing, but you need the parts that attach to the seat like in the first listing you provided. You should need to tap anything. The small brackets with the two counter-sunk holes are for arm rests that are different from yours in my opinion. Do you have those parts? If so can you photograph them? So far I think I've seen what is bolted to the side of your seats, and what your armrests look like, but none of the missing parts. Do you have any of them?

[amazon69]

I have no parts other than the arm rests and the seats with brackets. I think I already have the same seat part as per the very first link I provided, and I can see how they work with the bracket. I can at least make up a bracket to test my theory, with a nylon spacer between bracket and seat chrome to prevent rubbing.

[686point3]

Why is everybody so secretive about posting their home state or country ?

[amazon69]

Not sure what you mean there, every message on this page at least shows where the poster is. I can't speak for the top secret operatives on other threads however.

[pj67coll]

Originally Posted by Idle

Then a plastic cap is popped over the hole on the outside so it looks nice and tidy. Some of these, most in fact, have some small vents in them; some do not.

Pictures of everything you have in this area would be helpful.

The plastic cap with the small vents in it is not from a 108/109/111 series. It's from an early 123 series seat. I have one on my 240D. No way that will fit on the earlier models that have individual arm rests on each front seat.

- Peter.

[ScooterABC]

Peter is correct. The early cars have a chrome cap. I believe that the early double ones also have chrome caps. I need to check but I think late 108 has no caps - it's just upholstered there and I haven't taken it apart to find out how it works.