Another Mod Question
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Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Orland Park, Illinois
1994 E320 (current)
Another Mod Question
2 things. one is probably not popular
1. smoke or clear lenses. Which do you like better with my paint scheme.
2. Have you ever seen the wood trim on the doors and the strip that goes across the dash sprayed high gloss black with clear. Did it look good or did you just puke. I am considering doing this and adding a wood shift knob. My interior is the black on tan.
1. smoke or clear lenses. Which do you like better with my paint scheme.
2. Have you ever seen the wood trim on the doors and the strip that goes across the dash sprayed high gloss black with clear. Did it look good or did you just puke. I am considering doing this and adding a wood shift knob. My interior is the black on tan.
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lots of cars
1. smoke or clear lenses. Which do you like better with my paint scheme.
2. Have you ever seen the wood trim on the doors and the strip that goes across the dash sprayed high gloss black with clear. Did it look good or did you just puke. I am considering doing this and adding a wood shift knob. My interior is the black on tan.
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From: Socialist West Coast
95 E320, 19 Ram 1500 Hemi, 21 GLS 580(wife)
Rather than paint the wood, why not strip it and stain it black/grey? I have seen that before and it looks quite nice. The grain would distract the eye from any dust and fingerprints.
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From: British Columbia, Canada
1987 560SL
The black console looks really good in person, on Zorro's car. Pedo Bear in mind though, that the quality of the paintjob is crucial to pulling it off.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Orland Park, Illinois
1994 E320 (current)
Zorro's looks good. That is kinda what I am going for but Jet Black. I think I am going to get all the wood pieces of ebay or from the bone yard and that way if I don''t like it I have the old ones still. Plus I was thinking of spraying only the door wood and the wood that stretches across the dash board but leaving the center console and control panel but will most likely do it all. I think that even with the tan interior there is enough black on the dash and door trim that it will look good.
With rims I was thinking either regular alloys or possibly gunmetal. So I will most likely go clears on the lights.
With rims I was thinking either regular alloys or possibly gunmetal. So I will most likely go clears on the lights.
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From: Kirkland, WA
500E Signal Rot
You can't really strip the wood, as its a laminate and the actual zebrano is very thin, over time, no only does the clear crack, but the thin layer of zebrano fades. You can really only replace it or paint it like Zorro did.
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or you can have a wood working shop get a new veneer and vacuum it to form it any way you want. It's the same process you would do if overlaying it with cf.
By the way...I'm already doing this but with a twist on the a/c controls...
By the way...I'm already doing this but with a twist on the a/c controls...
Last edited by YNVDIZW124; May 10, 2008 at 12:57 AM.
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From: Orland Park, Illinois
1994 E320 (current)
My other option is since I work in a full wood shop I could fabricate my own using some pretty cool exotic woods. I Program autocad and run cnc routers so I could cut it perfectly to fit. It would be a lot of work but I don't think I have ever seen any cars let alone a 124 with African Dark Hardwood accents. That would be original. If I do it I will post and anyone who wants I could cut the blanks for them out of whatever material they send me for a really cheap $.
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From: Kirkland, WA
500E Signal Rot
Good idea, but none of the wood items are flat, they all have contours, which make it very difficult to do with solid wood. I know wood can be shaped and formed, but how much time do you really want to put into it?
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Good idea, but none of the wood items are flat, they all have contours, which make it very difficult to do with solid wood. I know wood can be shaped and formed, but how much time do you really want to put into it?
I'll post pics of the process and i've gotten alot of info on www.instructables.com just search for veneer..
Last edited by YNVDIZW124; May 10, 2008 at 01:21 AM.
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From: Orland Park, Illinois
1994 E320 (current)
I program cnc routers so to profile a solid piece of wood is a simple matter of programing it with a digitizer (30 min) then set up the router (10 min) cut the pieces then sand and finish them (3 hours or so) to have a one off nothing else like it interior it would be worth my time. Unless it looks like crap when I'm done then I will have been a waste.
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
So are you saying you would replace the whole trim pieces with the custom CNC-made solid wood pieces?
It's pretty awesome that you have access to that machine and the know-how to operate it. Of course as you probably already know, you have to worry a lot more about the wood's seasonal expansion and contraction when it's solid like that.
Does your shop do any veneer work? Do they have a vacuum machine like YNDV mentioned? There's a guy on here (screen name Joef) who redid his wood trim with birdseye maple veneer. It came out really nicely, and that way the fitment will be guaranteed.
You can certainly refinish the existing trim. You just have to use the right strippers. Sanding the finish off is a no-no because the veneer is almost paper thin.
I have the same interior and exterior color scheme as yours, and I really don't think solid black would look good.
It's pretty awesome that you have access to that machine and the know-how to operate it. Of course as you probably already know, you have to worry a lot more about the wood's seasonal expansion and contraction when it's solid like that.
Does your shop do any veneer work? Do they have a vacuum machine like YNDV mentioned? There's a guy on here (screen name Joef) who redid his wood trim with birdseye maple veneer. It came out really nicely, and that way the fitment will be guaranteed.
You can certainly refinish the existing trim. You just have to use the right strippers. Sanding the finish off is a no-no because the veneer is almost paper thin.
I have the same interior and exterior color scheme as yours, and I really don't think solid black would look good.
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Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Orland Park, Illinois
1994 E320 (current)
So are you saying you would replace the whole trim pieces with the custom CNC-made solid wood pieces?
It's pretty awesome that you have access to that machine and the know-how to operate it. Of course as you probably already know, you have to worry a lot more about the wood's seasonal expansion and contraction when it's solid like that.
Does your shop do any veneer work? Do they have a vacuum machine like YNDV mentioned? There's a guy on here (screen name Joef) who redid his wood trim with birdseye maple veneer. It came out really nicely, and that way the fitment will be guaranteed.
You can certainly refinish the existing trim. You just have to use the right strippers. Sanding the finish off is a no-no because the veneer is almost paper thin.
I have the same interior and exterior color scheme as yours, and I really don't think solid black would look good.
It's pretty awesome that you have access to that machine and the know-how to operate it. Of course as you probably already know, you have to worry a lot more about the wood's seasonal expansion and contraction when it's solid like that.
Does your shop do any veneer work? Do they have a vacuum machine like YNDV mentioned? There's a guy on here (screen name Joef) who redid his wood trim with birdseye maple veneer. It came out really nicely, and that way the fitment will be guaranteed.
You can certainly refinish the existing trim. You just have to use the right strippers. Sanding the finish off is a no-no because the veneer is almost paper thin.
I have the same interior and exterior color scheme as yours, and I really don't think solid black would look good.
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From: Southeast PA
2010 VW Golf TDI
So many have said good things about Heritage Woodworks, I thought you could refinish. I bet it isn't cheap, but I think a black stain, with the wood grain showing, would be magnificent!!! I think black stain would be the ultimate interior refurb for the black and gray interiors. That and new leather and matching black stain wood and leather steering wheel.
I also think Zorro's looks great. The black looks great with the gray leather. I do wonder about maintaining the black paint on the console, but it sure looks good.
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From: Vancouver, BC
Enzo, my Benzo
My car's paint and console is holding up very well, it's just like having the outside on the inside, it really requires cleaning and waxing once in a while to get rid of scratches.
For you guys with tan interiors, the wood is really the best alternative because brown goes well with tan, same family of colors....just like black and grey in my car. If I had tan and the wood needed work, I'd paint the wood in a copper/metallic brownish paint. If someone wants to post interior pics here I can do some color chops and we can help you decide what looks best if you'd like
For you guys with tan interiors, the wood is really the best alternative because brown goes well with tan, same family of colors....just like black and grey in my car. If I had tan and the wood needed work, I'd paint the wood in a copper/metallic brownish paint. If someone wants to post interior pics here I can do some color chops and we can help you decide what looks best if you'd like
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
The gray and black interiors are sportier than the tan interiors. The tan interiors are more for a luxury look. I really don't think paint is the right solution for tan interiors. I think the wood needs to be re-stained (or dyed) with a brownish red stain. The high gloss clear finish takes a lot of sanding and polishing to get right, but I think this would be by far the best solution for this car.
GEDagget, if you buy new trim pieces from a wrecker, just take your time and take advantage of tools you have access to. Get some exotic burl veneer and redo it yourself! That would be an awesome project. Please take lots of pics if you do!
GEDagget, if you buy new trim pieces from a wrecker, just take your time and take advantage of tools you have access to. Get some exotic burl veneer and redo it yourself! That would be an awesome project. Please take lots of pics if you do!
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From: STL
95 e320...sold the rest
I plan to do the same thing soon. Experiment with some colors with stains on the wood and see what might look good!
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From: Orland Park, Illinois
1994 E320 (current)
The gray and black interiors are sportier than the tan interiors. The tan interiors are more for a luxury look. I really don't think paint is the right solution for tan interiors. I think the wood needs to be re-stained (or dyed) with a brownish red stain. The high gloss clear finish takes a lot of sanding and polishing to get right, but I think this would be by far the best solution for this car.
GEDagget, if you buy new trim pieces from a wrecker, just take your time and take advantage of tools you have access to. Get some exotic burl veneer and redo it yourself! That would be an awesome project. Please take lots of pics if you do!
GEDagget, if you buy new trim pieces from a wrecker, just take your time and take advantage of tools you have access to. Get some exotic burl veneer and redo it yourself! That would be an awesome project. Please take lots of pics if you do!
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The Zebrano, or "Zebra" wood looks incredible in a darker stain than what came from the factory... I bought some veneer & comissioned a cigar box to be built with a mahogany finish & it came out looking fantastic.
With the burlwood, I'd find it difficult to imagine anything different with the light tan interior.
With the burlwood, I'd find it difficult to imagine anything different with the light tan interior.
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Enzo, my Benzo
Or you could scuff the clear and spray tint them with a translucent paint...hobbyshop tint spray or even VHT! Try that...getting it all the way down to the wood will be a BISH.
