Ok...I wouldn't have posted this but I searched and nobody has adressed this or talked about their experiences.
Has anyone attempted to transplant a SAAB, Volvo, or Audi seats into a mercedes w126, w123, etc?

At the local u-pull-it there is a Audi or SAAB with very nice leather seats that I wouldn't mind having if they would bolt in sorta close to the mercedes.

I can managing the wiring (since I have power seats) if I can find a power version.

Anyone have experiences?

Thanks!

I like MB seats but I'd love some good bucket seats with more support. Mid 80's Tercel seats are not very good in the softness but very high on the support/comfort.

Not too sure about tercel seats in a mercedes benz :-D

I've been toying with the idea for several months now. I'd been thinking Volvo, maybe Saab. Audi is another possibility I hadn't considered. Do most Audis have seat heaters? Many Volvos and Saabs do, and they are excellent. I've been looking through some listings to see what is available. I seriously hope I can do this swap in 2005, as I love my SD, but I really think the seats stink. I don't want to fix them either, because I've sat in much newer seats of the same style and they aren't half as comfortable as the ones from an old Volvo or Saab. Brandon, have you found anything specific that wouldn't look too out of place? A friend has a 89 740 with black leather seats that have a wide panel on the front and sides much like the SD. But, if I go to all the effort of doing the swap, I need to get seats in decent shape, not something worn out.

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

You can make almost any seat fit that doesn't excede the physical lspace you have......you can do it safely if you know how to weld and fabricate a new mount. Now if it looks right thats something else.....its your car....if you can live with it who is to say you are wrong for doing it. But first and formost do it safely, or not at all.

I put '92 prelude front seats in my '89 Civic hatchback. That was not a bolt in afair.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

There was a mid/early 90's Audi at the wrecking yard today with black leather interior and it looked like you could have taken it right out of the mercedes. Very similar patterning with the big blocky styling.
The seat was basically very similar but nicer to sit in.
There was a few SAAB's there as well with okish interiors but I am not sure if I am down with putting in crap (espically if this wrecking yard is going to shaft me as hard as they did yesterday).

I didn't look for seat heaters in the Audi althought that is a good point. My recent use of a heating pad on my back in the car has shown me how nice they can be

I've not no problem doing fab work but I don't want to be trying to breed apples to oranges in this project...I will take a closer look at the seats there and keep my eyes out for nice ones. Just wish it wasn't 40min away and 1 dollar to even see what is there (anything new).

Why don't you put in seats from a newer 126 car? Or maybe fix what you have? They wre not uncomfortable seats when new. TO make them comfortable you will need to rebuild with new parts.

Seats from any other brand in that car will look like ****. How you are going to get them to work sounds like way more time than it would take to just fix what you have.

__________________
'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

If I remeber right, from my old Audi's, the seats look very similar, the only differnce is being in the head rests. One thing to keep in mind is that the control swiches are on the seats, and the memory switch is on the door panal.

Here are some pictures:
The cars are the names of the pictures

SAAB Audi Audi

Attached Thumbnails

     

Question,
Will 190E Seats bolt onto my seat rails in my 300SD (1981)?
And/or will the motor assembly go in?

I am gonna do some more investigation tomorrow

Btw I have 2 mint 190E tan sun visors I will be offering here soon...as soon as I take some pictures.


Brandon

I doubt you'll find any seats from another make that will just bolt right in, but maybe you should research the swap from that angle. If you can find a salvage yard that doesn't charge for a 'tour', bring a tapemeasure and maybe a digital camera to record all the possible candidates. Maybe you can come up with a close enough match to only require fabrication of some simple adapter plates.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Mark,
Yeah that was my thought. I was kinda considering the 190E seats if they will be closer fitting. I figured the digital camera would be a exceptional route...as well as a pad and paper..and a tape measure

Thanks!

maybe u should try BMW seats? since i believe the seat controls (power seats) are the the seats themselves and not on the door like a lot of cars.

__________________
198? 300D ???K - Future DD
1989 300TE 285K - traded in '12
1984 300SD 186K - Sold in 08
1978 300SD 330K - Died in 05

Seat controls aren't the problem for me...I can wire most anything to work.
Its just the track widths lining up.
I am not done yet though
Next check will be Audi seat track widths..
they even use the same adjustment switch.