Getting Parts

[hippie_elmo]

I'm playing a game trying to get part# 114-687-09-09.

1. I tried to order from my local dealer.
2. The item was in the computer, but no warehouse had it.
3. Item was the ordered from Germany.
4. Item couldn't be found in Germany.
5. Was told to call the MB Classic Parts Center.
6. I emailed them and was told the part wasn't available.
7. Check the Classic Parts Center website at
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/e/mbclassic/default.htm
It says:
There’s none more original

The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center ensures worldwide supplies of replacement parts for Mercedes-Benz vintage cars. Thanks to a spacious parts warehouse and over 150 suppliers, almost every vintage car replacement part can de delivered. Should a part no longer be available, it can be completely rebuilt using the Classic Center's archived data. All replacement parts are subject to the same quality standards that new Mercedes-Benz parts must meet. Parts can be ordered from and supplied by the Mercedes-Benz sales organizations or directly through the Classic Center


Question???

Why don't they just rebuild the item? How do I get them to do this?

[pkzip]

What kind of part is it? Is there an interchange part (i.e., a similar part for a different model which is an authorized interchange)? Have you tried independent parts houses like esparts.com and rusty@mbz.com? How about a dismantler for a used part?

Nevertheless, I am interested to find out how MB Classics handles this and whether they actually DO remanufacture parts.

Good luck,

Peter Kaufman

[hippie_elmo]

I tried getting it from Parts Shop but had no luck. I also emailed the Classic Parts for MB in the USA. They send a email back saying it was no longer available. I asked them how I can get it but they never answered. Here is there email address if anyone wants it classicparts@mbusa.com and there phone number is 1-866-622-5277. I have emailed esparts.com about the part. The part is the covering that covers the undernerth of the dash board. This is a part I really want!!!!!!! I tried glueing it but it isn't working.

[pkzip]

Yes, the cardboard (or whatever it is) covering are extremely hard to get for those older cars. I have not gone on the same type of quest as you have but when I am at that point in my resotration will probably fabricate one myself. Yes it is not the purist's way but I will probably be installing speakers in these kick panels anyway. In which case (and in my case) they do not have to be original.

I tend to be a purist in my restoration but when I exchanged my radio at Becker, I ordered a rehabbed Stereo radio instead of the stock mono. The stereo Beckers for my model car did not arrive on the scene until a year later (1971). So I plan to put speakers in both kick panels which I (hope) to get from a dismantler. They will probably need reinforcements (probably fiberglass) to hold the speakers anyway. I am also hoping the local paint or trim shop can match the blue coloring of the interior leather as the original kick panels did. You might also try restoration shops which specialize in your model and model year. They often have several parts refabricated for their restorations and keep stock on hand.

Just my .02.

Peter Kaufman

[hill]

If you can get it back in one piece you can create a plaster of paris mold. Support the cover in sand then wax it and pour the plaster. Then take the mold to a fiberglass shop. A little mat and a chopper qun you have a new panel.

[Aaron]

From the looks of the part #, it is in the "Panelling and Lighting" group. If it's something small, MB usually won't re-tool to make it. Gears for 300SL Gullwing transmissions on the other hand, they will....and have. A long story about a customer's car...

Your best bet is to find a breaker yard and get what you need. I suggest European Connection in Falmouth, Kentucky. Call and ask for Bernard. He has 75 acres of just Mercedes, over 900 cars and I'll put money on the fact that he has what you need. I lost the number, but the area code there is 859, so just call information.

[1991 560 SEC]

Try Caliber Motors 1-800-252-6877 they seem to have everthing.

California time.

John

[ctaylor738]

Face it guys - with our cars and our budgets, we are not exactly Classic Center material (yet).

[hippie_elmo]

I called the Classic Center in the US. What allot of un-helpfull people!. I have found a way to save them money. Fire all those people!!! The person could answer me question about re-making the part. And to me this is quite a big part. I have emailed allot of web sites that sale used and new parts. Any other sites to try? Or any ideas?

[pkzip]

I was on the world upholstery website last night. They did make mention of having reproduction cardboard dash undercovers - at least for my model. The site is: http://www.worlduph.com/mb13.htm

Good luck!

Peter Kaufman

[hippie_elmo]

Thanks for the information. I checked there webiste but it didn't say anything about the under dash cover for my car. But I emailed them. I will let you know what they say.

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Check out your nearest salvage yard. Many full size trucks and vans used fiberboard interior/ceiling panels that had some sort of finish on the exposed side that could be painted over to match what was originally under your dash. You can also get new fiberboard from your local hardware center but that stuff is usually too stiff if you need to bend it and needs to be sealed before you paint it. My 250 panels originally had a sound absorbent padding glued on the back.
You can use fiber carpet padding when you finish yours.

Happy Motoring,
Mark

[hippie_elmo]

So what did you do to yours? I was thinking of making them myself, but the stuff is to stiff. I wish I could find a site that made them. Since this is a major thing I need right now. It looks like to me that it was a bad desgin by Mercedes becuase they made the holes to close to the edge of the board.

[Mark DiSilvestro]

My 1972 250 still had the original passenger side underdash cover when I bought the car in 1988. I salvaged the drivers side from a 250C
parts car that I owned at the time. I installed two 6x9 Sony coaxial speakers in these panels which sound much better than the
tinny 3" Beckers that were under the dash originally. I don't think there's enough room behind the kick panels to mount decent speakers unless you want to cut open some inner fender metal.

I think you can use regular fiberboard for the flat areas under the dash and screw or pop-rivet some thin sheet-metal to the edge. This can be bent down and screwed to the firewall. This is what I did for the missing cover on my 1960 220S. I used fiber carpet padding from Home Depot for soundproofing.
As many of the bendable cover retainer tabs were weak or broken on both cars, I chose to screw the outer edges of the fiberboard to the underside of the dash.

Happy Motoring,
Mark

[hippie_elmo]

Well I was able to fix the cover today. What I did was take a black binder and cut the plastic top cover off and then cut little pieces off then take a glue gun and melt the pastic over the tars. It looks like new!