W123 Dashboard falling apart - top loose
 

EDIT:

Yes, I realize now that this was a dash cap, and not the original dash. I'll leave my original post up, so everybody gets to point and giggle, and have a good laugh....


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Hi everybody,

Since it's winter in Alaska, this means I won't drive the Benz anymore. She's gonna hibernate in my garage for the next 6 months or so. This is a great time to start fixing those smaller things that have always been an issue, but I just never had the time or motivation to do since there were bigger things to fix.

Anyway, the dashboard on my '84 W123 is falling apart. It was like this when I bought it. Betsie has a blue dash which is crack-free (no sun in Alaska), but the top part is loose.
The little passenger side door in the dash is also coming off (the hinges are loose/broken) and the small wood strip in the middle is falling off. Here are some pictures to better show what is going on:


Here is the whole dash:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1449198975

Here is a close up of the top part of the dash being loose:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1449198975

And another:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1449198975

Can anyone give me some pointers on how to fix the top of the dashboard? I can't figure out how this was originally attached? Some previous owner tried to glue down, but obviously failed and might have made it worse.

Some help would be appreciated: not only does it look ugly, the loose top part also constantly rattles during driving and it's pretty aggravating.

That's just a regular aftermarket dash cap. Someone may have glued it down, a lot of people just use velcro or on better caps I've seen them snug enough to hold themselves in place. I doubt your going to hurt anything taking it back up, since the reason most are put on in the first place is due to the original dash being cracked up.

Here is one vendor that sells these covers. Often you can find them on ebay or well, just about anywhere. I have a new unused on hanging in my garage.

http://coverlaymfg.com/lookup.html?parentURL=http%3A//coverlaymfg.com/&Reload=1449199347142

Waitwaitwaitwait....That is NOT part of the original dash? It's made of hard plastic.
I thought it was part of the original dash....Are you kidding? I'm so dumb. I'll go take it off right away...:eek:


Thanks!


I also for the longest time thought I had a leather steering wheel, until I realized that it has one of those leather wrap covers that is meticulously sewn on.

Some previous owner in some distant past liked this car. I'm finding evidence of it everywhere. Too bad the guy I bought it from didn't care to keep up the maintenance.

Ha. Well, there is nothing wrong with the caps. A lot of us have them as finding a truly crack free dash is kind of a unicorn and $$$ when you do. I've seen examples where people have had caps professionally installed and you can hardly tell its factory.

Now that you told me it wasn't part of the original dash it took me 10 seconds to pry it off.

Here is what the original dash apparently looks like (still can't believe I've owned this car for 10 months and NEVER realized it was simply an aftermarket cap. I feel so stupid...:P )

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1449200043

Dash is cracked and has an ugly hole were the temp sensor is. I'm gonna put that cap back on, once I figure out how to make it attach nicely.


Thanks.:)

I will go hide in the corner now and hang my head in shame...