Greetings from new 190E owner, manual trans growl first - second gear, 2500 rpm

[Wheelerdan]

I am new to this web site. Before anything else, I would like to offer a special thanks to Roy for graciously spending a lot of time with me on the phone and for directing me here. Thanks again, Roy.
I would also like to introduce you to my 1989 190E. She is my daily driver. She has a 2.6 liter gas engine and a 5 speed manual transmission. 212xxx miles. She runs and drives fine.
Most everything works, but like most 23 year old cars she does have some warts. If you check the pictures you see the body is excellent, interior shows normal wear. Most of the major systems work, windows, roof, A/C has been converted to R134 and is cold. The only major system which has not worked the 7 years I have owned her is the cruise control. I have just enough info about the system to have proactively chose not to go there. Also the radio is a replacement and of icky quality, but it works.
Other small issues are: somebody removed the wood around the climate control. The rest of the wood is OK. I think “butchered” might be more accurate, because the wood is gone, but the anchors are still there. I would appreciate knowing if I can get replacement wood for a reasonable cost and how to install it without removing the entire dash.
Aside from the wood, the car seems to eat fog lights every 3-4 months, so I quit replacing them.
It also has developed a growl as I shift through first and second gear, as the torque curve moves through about 2200 RPM, then the sound and vibration disappears completely @ 3000 RPM. There is noticeable clutch chatter when the engine is cold and none when hot. The mysterious growl is the topic Roy and I were discussing.
Warts aside, she continues to offer reliable daily service, is comfortable, and delivers about 30 MPG on the highway.
So if anyone has access to replacement wood, I love to hear from you.
Thanks for this great forum.
Dan

[whunter]

I got your e-mail.