1988 Mercedes SL300 Resurrected
Discussion
This car is 21 years old and has only covered 50,000 miles but it has had a very hard life and been neglected over the years.
INTERIOR
All carpet flooring removed from vehicle and front/rear seating to allow me to thoroughly clean them. All upholstery cleaned with APC and an extractor. Plastic's/Vinyl cleaned with APC
Leather
Build up of dirt between stichings
As you can see very grubby
All leather cleaned and conditioned with Gliptone. In total I had given them 4 coats of conditioner to get them nice and soft.
Fronts seats were showing signs of cracking and badly faded so were reconditioned
Before
After
Before
After
Brite work polished up using Brillant metal polishes.
Before
After
Interior complete
BOOT
The boot was given a thorough vacuum and upholstery cleaned also
Spare wheel removed and cleaned and given a coat of Zaino AIO for protection and dressed with Swissvax Pneu
CONVERTIBLE TOP
Hard Top was corrected then removed to enable me to throughly clean the soft tipRenovo soft top reviver was applied by brush and left to dry for 3 hours and then treated with 303 Fabric Guard. Plastic windows cleaned and protected using Swissvax Vinyl Clear set
The 50/50 below shows the rightside of plastic window restored
Plastic wax being applied
Convertible top compartment vacuumed, cleaned and then dressed with 303 Aerospace Protectant
Short Vid of 303 Fabric Guard in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CWKqgfPq1g
EXTERIOR
Vehicle certainly seen better days
I started first by cleaning up all the panel gaps, door shuts, badges and crevices with G101
20 years worth of grime and grease cleaned using cotton swabs and degreaser and alot of patience
Vehicle was then foamed twice with a strong mix of degreaser and then washed twice to remove the build up of grime. After washing the car I then spent a good time claying the car using Sonus Grey as paintwork was rough like sand paper.
Paint readings were then taken which were showing readings of 110-130 throughout the entire vehicle. Whilst taking readings i found several panel edges had strike through.
After trying several combos I settled on using Megs 105 on a Megs Cutting pad knock back the heavy oxidation and defects. This was then followed up with Menz 3.02 and then 85rd.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Tight area's cut in by hand or by using 4in pad
Before
After
Vehicle was then given a IPA wipedown and given a coat oF Zaino Z3. Two coats of Swissvax Divine were also applied over 2 days
Short vid of sheeting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74QxGgo2AUc
Total work time just over 50 hours
Thanks for looking
INTERIOR
All carpet flooring removed from vehicle and front/rear seating to allow me to thoroughly clean them. All upholstery cleaned with APC and an extractor. Plastic's/Vinyl cleaned with APC
Leather
Build up of dirt between stichings
As you can see very grubby
All leather cleaned and conditioned with Gliptone. In total I had given them 4 coats of conditioner to get them nice and soft.
Fronts seats were showing signs of cracking and badly faded so were reconditioned
Before
After
Before
After
Brite work polished up using Brillant metal polishes.
Before
After
Interior complete
BOOT
The boot was given a thorough vacuum and upholstery cleaned also
Spare wheel removed and cleaned and given a coat of Zaino AIO for protection and dressed with Swissvax Pneu
CONVERTIBLE TOP
Hard Top was corrected then removed to enable me to throughly clean the soft tipRenovo soft top reviver was applied by brush and left to dry for 3 hours and then treated with 303 Fabric Guard. Plastic windows cleaned and protected using Swissvax Vinyl Clear set
The 50/50 below shows the rightside of plastic window restored
Plastic wax being applied
Convertible top compartment vacuumed, cleaned and then dressed with 303 Aerospace Protectant
Short Vid of 303 Fabric Guard in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CWKqgfPq1g
EXTERIOR
Vehicle certainly seen better days
I started first by cleaning up all the panel gaps, door shuts, badges and crevices with G101
20 years worth of grime and grease cleaned using cotton swabs and degreaser and alot of patience
Vehicle was then foamed twice with a strong mix of degreaser and then washed twice to remove the build up of grime. After washing the car I then spent a good time claying the car using Sonus Grey as paintwork was rough like sand paper.
Paint readings were then taken which were showing readings of 110-130 throughout the entire vehicle. Whilst taking readings i found several panel edges had strike through.
After trying several combos I settled on using Megs 105 on a Megs Cutting pad knock back the heavy oxidation and defects. This was then followed up with Menz 3.02 and then 85rd.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Tight area's cut in by hand or by using 4in pad
Before
After
Vehicle was then given a IPA wipedown and given a coat oF Zaino Z3. Two coats of Swissvax Divine were also applied over 2 days
Short vid of sheeting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74QxGgo2AUc
Total work time just over 50 hours
Thanks for looking
Truly impressive. Very interested in the inside as my 2003 CL55 is in need of treatment on the seats where the grey dye seems to have come out of the leather. The rest of the interior leather could also do with a deep clean! Pity I'm in Lincolnshire or I'd be on the phone for a quote! 
One observation by the way, the SLK in the gallery on your website is actually an SLK - time to slap the wrist of your web designer
One observation by the way, the SLK in the gallery on your website is actually an SLK - time to slap the wrist of your web designer
iluvmercs said:
WOW! What a transformation with some detailing know-how and plenty of elbow grease 
With all that work, did you also take the wheels off for a clean/wax front and back, and clean the wheel arches?
Darren
Hi darren, thx for the commentsWith all that work, did you also take the wheels off for a clean/wax front and back, and clean the wheel arches?
Darren
the wheels were not removed but arches were cleaned and dressed.
steve_amv8 said:
Truly impressive. Very interested in the inside as my 2003 CL55 is in need of treatment on the seats where the grey dye seems to have come out of the leather. The rest of the interior leather could also do with a deep clean! Pity I'm in Lincolnshire or I'd be on the phone for a quote!
One observation by the way, the SLK in the gallery on your website is actually an SLK - time to slap the wrist of your web designer
yes i see its a SL...I have now corrected it..thanksOne observation by the way, the SLK in the gallery on your website is actually an SLK - time to slap the wrist of your web designer
will have to slap my own wrist as i designed my site
Edited by jayplay28 on Thursday 7th May 16:25
Stunning!
I like the results in the door shuts. Is G101 readily available; what's a good alternative?
Did you do anything to the rear lights and indicators? They seem to fade over time and its also hard to cut the lens with the ledged design.
What about the door catches on the body, is it possible to remove corrosion and bring them back to new?
Also I'm not sure but although that looks like leather I think it might be MBtex vinyl; same as my 190?
(cheap plug: my car is for sale)
Again, great job looks amazing.
I like the results in the door shuts. Is G101 readily available; what's a good alternative?
Did you do anything to the rear lights and indicators? They seem to fade over time and its also hard to cut the lens with the ledged design.
What about the door catches on the body, is it possible to remove corrosion and bring them back to new?
Also I'm not sure but although that looks like leather I think it might be MBtex vinyl; same as my 190?
(cheap plug: my car is for sale)
Again, great job looks amazing.
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