504 Cabriolet seat material

[tonch504]

Hi All,

I am restoring a 1972 Cabriolet and I'm trying to find out what type of material the seats were upholstered in, in that year. I can see from the brochure that the grain is similar to that of the dash and door cards. I suspected vinyl until i noticed in the 1973 brochure they refer to "Tepplin". This, I'm lead to believe, is not just ordinary vinyl.
Long story short, can anyone tell me if the seats in a 1972 Cabriolet were vinyl?

Appreciate any help.
Anton.

[miketippett]

I think Teppelin is sort of like MB-Tex vinyl, good quality stuff. Perhaps if M-B Tex is available without the usual patterning that Mercedes was so fond of, you could find something appropriate.

[tonch504]

Thanks Mike,
You may just be right. I have googled "MB Tex" and the descriptions I'm reading match exactly the descriptions I've heard about 'Tepplin'.
Thing is, we're the 1972 Cabriolets upholstered in Tepplin? First mention is in 1973 brochure. Same year, brochure shows tan seats with a different grain. Was this a new product introduced in 1973?
This is doing my head in. I have researched it for way too long now.
Thanks again,
Anton.

[miketippett]

I can't answer first-hand.....I know the 404 Cabriolets had leather seating surfaces (and vinyl on the seatbacks and rear seat) so that could have still been the pattern in 1972 for the 504 C. Why not look in the parts manual? That may hold the answer you seek.

[oldpug]

Why not have a word with Paul Scott at www.trimmania.co.uk . They have just refurbished the interior and hood on my mates 1972 504 Cabriolet,they also did work on my Mercedes seat,very good workmanship highly recommended.

[tonch504]

Thanks oldpug, I'll give him a try.

[504V6Ti]

The seats of all 504 cabriolet were covered with what is called "skaï" material in France. Yes, it's a sort of vinyl sometimes referred to as "leatherette" in English. But it's not leather at all. Some owners actually re-upholstered in leather.

[tonch504]

Thanks 504V6Ti,
I have gone with leather.
My logic was this; if skay is between vinyl and leather in terms of quality, but is not available, then better to step up to leather than down to vinyl.