1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Pagoda
Complete Interior Restoration — Cream Leather & Palomino
THE BUILD IN DETAIL
PROJECT OVERVIEW
A full interior restoration of the beloved W113 'Pagoda' SL — one of Mercedes' most elegant designs. The owner wanted a factory-correct restoration in the original Cream leather with Palomino carpet, suitable for touring and occasional concours display. The goal was timeless elegance, not showroom shock.
THE CHALLENGE
The Pagoda's interior is deceptively complex. The seats use a unique pleat pattern that requires precise template work. The door cards integrate armrests, pull handles, and map pockets into a single sculpted panel. And the MB-Tex and leather combination used in these cars demands exact color matching between different material types.
OUR APPROACH
We sourced leather from a supplier specializing in classic Mercedes colors and grains. Seat foam was rebuilt to original density specifications for the correct seating position. Door panels were recovered using correct vinyl on the upper section and leather on the armrest — matching the factory specification exactly. All chrome trim was polished and re-installed.
THE RESULT
The completed interior is warm, elegant, and perfectly suited to the car. The owner has driven the car on several NorCal Mercedes club tours and received compliments at every stop. The quality of the interior is the car's standout feature and draws consistent attention.
SERVICES PERFORMED
- Front seats — foam rebuild and leather recover
- Rear bench — recover in matching leather
- Door panels — vinyl and leather recover
- Carpet set — Palomino wool loop pile
- Dashboard and center console recover
- Soft top headliner replacement
- Parcel shelf and rear panels
- Sun visors and vanity mirrors
- Shift boot and handbrake boot
MATERIALS USED
- Mercedes-specification Cream leather
- MB-Tex vinyl — upper door panels
- Palomino German square-weave carpet
- Correct-density seat foam — rebuilt to spec
- Period-correct thread and piping
"The Pagoda is my weekend car and I wanted the interior to match the experience of driving it — elegant, comfortable, and right. ABC absolutely nailed it. Every detail is correct and the quality is beyond what I expected."
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