Hey Guys, been alittle while since I posted, My Diesel SEC project has been pushed to the back burner for alittle while. I am currently restoring a toyota Landcruiser, once thats done ill try to finish the SEC up and post the pics.

As to the purpose of this thread, I live in canada, and I come upon rusty mercedes all the time, often I part them out, but sometimes a mildy rusty car can make a great daily driver for a year or 2. So If you know that you only plan on keeping the car for a year or 2, why spend $2000 on a paint job. With that logic in mind I decided the $500 macco paint job was to much as well.

The car: 1984 300 D, 300K miles, Rust on body, solid underbody and floor, the owner, my brother, purchased for $600.

The problem: How to do a paint job, for almost nothing. To keep the car looking good for another 2 years.

The solution: Tremclad paint, (sold as rustoleum in USA)

The process, Remove all rust using flap disc, and rust scraper, passivate rust with chemical converter, cover with tremclad rust primer, mask and spray using thinned tremclad paint.

Attached Thumbnails

   

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1984 Euro 300SDC, (4spd standard)
1986 Toyota Landcruiser Diesel HJ60 5spd X2

Gone but not forgotten (some sold, some stripped)
1983 300 SD, 1985 300 SD, 1983 240D, 1986 300 SDL, 1985 300 SDL, 1983 300 D, 1984 300 D, 1985 300SD, 1987 300 SDL, 1983 300 SD, 1985 300 TD Euro, 1983 380SEC, 1990 300 D, 1987 300D, 1982 300D, 1982 300D, 1994 E420, 1987 300 TD, 1987 300 D, 1984 300 D

More pics

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1984 Euro 300SDC, (4spd standard)
1986 Toyota Landcruiser Diesel HJ60 5spd X2

Gone but not forgotten (some sold, some stripped)
1983 300 SD, 1985 300 SD, 1983 240D, 1986 300 SDL, 1985 300 SDL, 1983 300 D, 1984 300 D, 1985 300SD, 1987 300 SDL, 1983 300 SD, 1985 300 TD Euro, 1983 380SEC, 1990 300 D, 1987 300D, 1982 300D, 1982 300D, 1994 E420, 1987 300 TD, 1987 300 D, 1984 300 D

Looks really good from 250 miles. (currently in Upstate NY)

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Not bad for 25 bucks, did you use this method of painting the car? http://www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html

But the bumper covers... eew

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1980 240d
1999 SL500

Meh, 2 out of 5. It looks flat.

That corvair actually looks pretty good! I might try something like that on my old 300TD.

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1982 300TD 279K.
1984 190D 5sp 265K

In concept I agree with you. Why put a $3000 paint job on a $1000 car. You can get fantastic results with a one step paint in a factory MB color for about $200 including supplies

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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

It's hard to believe that was done with a roller.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Hot Rod Magazine had an extensive article on using this process a couple of issues ago. They said the results were amazingly good, as long as you took the effort to sand and buff.

About five years ago a buddy of mine did that to the hood of his girlfriends 1992 Honda Accord. It came out so well, that i never even knew he had done anything at all, even next to the rest of the untouched, and nice looking paint on the surrounding fenders. I've got one of my 79 300CD's, in need of a paint job, and then probably a for sale sign soon..I think I will make an attempt, since the car really couldn't be any worse off currently. Worst happens, I give up, and drop it off at Maaco. I just want to try this though, It looks like a whole lotta fun. I like this car, but the Corvair, is more my style job, and just seems more complete also. I wonder how that Corvair, has been holding up to the weather though. Wish I could find out. The sun, rain and snow could easily wreak havoc on Rustoleum. I paint my Bilco doors, and garage side door every second year, with Rustoleum, because they need it that often, and they aren't on the road, where there can be real elements to contend with..

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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Kept the chrome wheel well covers... classic.
looks ok, I don't like the color though. personal preference.

It all depends on the prep job underneath.

I have a section on a vehicle being painted the same way right now, that is showing all kinds of bubbles and pinpricks through the finish before sanding. Obviously I screwed up in that section when sanding.

The trunk lid, on the other hand, has a perfect mirror finish BEFORE wet/colour sanding. By perfect, I mean my pristine 80 300SD only looked as good as this when she was repainted professionally, not better. Original Mercedes paint does NOT have a better finish than this trunk lid. I'm hoping when I finished the rest of the car will turn out close to the trunk lid.

Tremclad is Rustoleum for you Yankees....I'm told you can't get Tremclad, but the Rustoleum is the same thing. It dries hard like stove paint...I'm thinking I could probably slide a cast iron frying pan across it and not scrape it.

For a Mercedes restored near and dear to your heart, this is not the job for you. For a protective paint job that will keep a good Mercedes running for quite a few more years without rust issues, when the car was cheap to buy in the first place, or a Mercedes you're planning to give to a teeneager, this works just great.

Like the title says.....not for purists. i.e. if you ALDA is completely untouched, this isn't for you.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

That's where you're wrong. Worst case scenario would be dropping it off to Maaco, where they will not take the time and care to prep the vehicle. Many people say a good paint job is 95% prep....well that is just wrong. 75% is prepping, 10% is painting, and 15% is colour sanding, polishing, and buffing at the end.

Simply put, Maaco cannot afford to put as much time and care into prepping and buffing your vehicle as you can. It's a simple equation of more elbow grease on your part than technique from a 17 year old kid who was given 5 minutes instruction.

If I remember correctly, the Corvair's paint job has not faded since it has been done, but I haven't seen that website in a while.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

I like the polka-dots better. You had me until I saw the painted rubber on the bumper.


Kevin
1979 240D manual
1984 190D manual

Just repaint the bumper covers black, or remove the green paint.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI