This brings up a not-very-interesting question---was the /8 the last
MB with a column shifter? And if so, was it ever offered with a bench
seat instead of buckets?
I have seen (in the boneyard) 115's with a column shifter and
the 'bench' seat. What it was was a small cushion (built just
like the regular seat bottoms) that sits in the tray, and in
conjunction with the rather generous armrest serves as a center
seat for small fry. In fact, I nabbed the interior from one
of these that was in pretty good shape. As the Frankenheap
has a column shifter as well as a floor shifter, and as boy-
racing is really pointless and stupid in a 200D anyhow, I've
toyed with the idea of restoring the column shifter so that
the extra seating would be available. Probably never happen,
though. I have the handle, but I'd probably end up fabricating
the linkages.
-- Jim