Swapping Seat Covers w126
 

How hard is this to do? I've never had the covers fully removed. I've only taken the bottom ones off, never the backrest... and what about the headrest?

Reason I ask is that I've recently installed 2nd gen (420SEL) palomino seats in my dad's green SD. The palo seats are leather and the original SD seat were olive green mb-tex.

The seats were replaced because the springs were crap and the covers were coming out of the track at the bottom.

I've still got the olive seats in the garage and my mom was saying that I should take the olive covers and put them on the palo seats.

I think the olive covers will need some work before they go back on (new cardboard sewed in place..not sure $$ on that)

Anyone have any thoughts?

Car is kind of a conglomeration of different parts...

http://i.imgur.com/zf7DVl.jpg

• http://i.imgur.com/pq7Ijl.jpg
• http://i.imgur.com/9Y7hkl.jpg

Wow is that green car USA spec? I've never seen one before.

-J

Yessir. Olive Green interior i believe, on Thistle green exterior. As far as I know its USA spec.

wow, now that i've never seen clear pictures of, Kinda of a nice color

You will have to remove the seat from the car. the 126 has electric seat motors, I guess you know that :rolleyes:.
gently pry off the plastic side trim pieces, careful, they break easy.

The seat back should have 2 screws under the edge below the net. remove them and the seat back will slide down and off.

the one picture of the drivers seat shows a little bump. with the back off will reveal the button that releases the head rest once it is pulled up. the HR will pull straight up.

the seat back has some motors to move it. locate the wires and unplug. then remove the seat belt rod and assembly ( assume it is like the 123.) from the side of the seat.

should be 2 bolts on either side, remove these and the seat bottom and back will seperate.

the leather cover has the groves the cardboard fits into like the seat bottom, on the sides, across the bottom and where the top fold over the back, it tucks under the edge.

look inside the from the back, there may be 5 or 6 plastic clips that hold the seat fabric tight to the horse hair pad. remove these, and the seat should slip straight up and off.

the drivers seat has the arm rest. from inside from the back there is a large nut, remove this (27mm?) and it should slip out.

doing this from memory with the 126, been a while. I have been taking a bunch of 123 seat apart lately, building up some good seats for my 240. both chassis seats are similar in the way the are put together.

the seat bottom, spring box will fit both chassis. I believe the second generation 126 (86 to 91) may be an improved design, or upgrade with the seat frame.

Have fun working through your project. I have seen maybe 2 green interiors in the PNP yards. not very common.

Charlie

seat backs
 

From one who's done several now..on a 126. Best trick on seat back is to remove the material from the groove (cardboard spline). Don't try to remove the plastic clips!!!! on most if not all, there are several that are almost impossible to get to. White in color, hard to miss and located right against the back of the horsehair. I found it MUCH easier to remove the grommets for the headrests (retaining rings are plastic and locate below-pia! but not too bad). Once these are released, the horsehair pad and upholstery will lift off the top of the seat back with some manipulation. From there, THEN remove the plastic clips and replace upholstery. PM me if you need any help.

Do the leather and Tex seats frames match?