Opinions on This Rust!? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Diesel911 · #16 07-12-2012, 05:06 PM

I understand the Unsafe comments.

But, at the same time I don't think; as an example that the repair I did on the Cross Member is going to suddenly break loose.

I am not sure how long I had been driving the Car with the Cracked Rear Cross Member. But, I can remember it groaning a little when I backed up for about 3 months.
During that time I had no obvious safety issues (till I saw it) or even odd Tire wear on the side the Crack is on.
As bad as it was it did not suddenly cause a catastrophe.

Now that the Cross Member is welded together and a Reinforcement Plate is welded on I doubt if there will be another issue on that side of the Car. I think it is more likely that something I don't know about could give out.

T200 · #17 07-12-2012, 05:10 PM

And I deliver even worse news: in 85% of all cases, this sort of rust is just a secondary fdamage resulting from severly damaged firewall & bonnet hinge pockets. Water gets in the car and eats it's way along the inner sills/floors, then outer sills and finaly frame rails front & rear and the subframe supports.

Strip the interior, remove the sound deadening on th inside and all the underseal on the outside - and decide if it's worth to weld it up (panels are not horribly expensive, but labour will be a killer if you can't weld...).

Holes are not as evil, after all ventilation will SAVE a lot of metal! Probelms start where humidity and water can NOT get out.

Bondo or fibre glas are bad jokes, right? New metal & welding is the only rescue for this car. The only! This is FAR beyond stopping rust. There's nothing left to stop. You can use that stuff for a door skin or a fender (I still prefere welding) - but not on sills & frame rails or a firewall... Seriously!!

Junkman · #18 07-12-2012, 05:22 PM

A friend of mine is a competent body man and could repair that correctly. Unfortunately, he would have to cut up a much better car and you would have to pay more than the better car is worth.

T200 · #19 07-12-2012, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junkman

Unfortunately, he would have to cut up a much better car and you would have to pay more than the better car is worth.

Why's that? Replacement panels are a) available (I'd guess even in the US) and b) a good body man should be able to make the one or other panel himself.

kerry · #20 07-12-2012, 05:49 PM

Maybe it's because I live in a relatively rust free part of the country, but I certainly wouldn't make any attempts to fix that car. The time spent fixing it would be better spent finding a rust-free 123 with a bad engine or transmission and putting the drivetrain off this rusted car into it. It shouldn't be that hard to find a 123 in the south or west that wasn't running for around $500. Plus, you'll have all the rest of the parts off the rusty car to use in the future.

ChiefRider · #21 07-12-2012, 06:10 PM

These aren't rare, valuable collector cars. At best, they are high quality, outdated relatively inexpensive transportation. Why sink a lot of time and money when you can find a better example for less than repair, and the uncertainty of safety?

Junkman · #22 07-12-2012, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T200

Why's that? Replacement panels are a) available (I'd guess even in the US) and b) a good body man should be able to make the one or other panel himself.

I doubt the structural pieces are available and the rust is more than floor pans or simple panels. Besides, rust free parts cars are cheap. There certainly is no economic to doing that repair.

My friend had his wife's newish Honda cut to the point where the entire right front quarter below the hood and in front of the door was gone. Next to it was the right side carcass with every removable piece taken off. He is going to weld in what he needs which will be simpler and better than buying panels or making panels.

Walkenvol · #23 07-13-2012, 09:34 AM

Mercedes-Benz : 300-Series 300CD | eBay

Looks like someone ran into trouble with WVO in your area. Might be a candidate for your needs?

indybenz · #24 07-13-2012, 11:05 AM

Looks a bit rusty just at first blush...but who knows???

I have decided to 'tear' out the interior and get down to bare metal to see what the deal is under the sound deadening. So far, passenger side rear is solid all the way to the tunnel...but it gets crappy there...

Pictures to come...still on the fence on what to do...

indybenz · #25 07-13-2012, 01:27 PM

I took out the sound deadening and carpet and seat to poke around a bit more extensively on the *better* side of the car: passenger. I did not like what I found.

I believe my choices are now limited to just parting this out. Not what I was planning.

Here are pictures of the *better* of the two sides. I did not even bother to start digging around the underside of the car as I suspect from just looking at it and the bit of poking and prodding I did that it would just confirm what everybody's been saying...time to move on.

Stretch · #26 07-13-2012, 01:50 PM

You've taken some great pictures with really good information there showing exactly where the trouble spots are. Good job! I don't think everyone who reads this thread will have seen the inside of their W123s like that before.

Like 200T says the spring pocket areas under the bonnet / hood are likely to be pretty well gone too as that's where most (if not all) of the water got in there in the first place.

Despite what some are saying about safety - and I do share those concerns - I do think that the car could be repaired; but only by a competant and careful "real" bodywork man (i.e. a proper metal shaper - not a weld and hit merchant). I guess that that isn't going to happen. I'm sorry for your loss!

Zulfiqar · #27 07-13-2012, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

For some reason Mercedes decided to punch a bunch of Holes in the Rear Cross Member. In short that left openings for internal rust to start.

There used to be stuff you could use with a Sprayer with a Nozzle you could position (was sold by JC Whtney&Co) to spray in antirust chemicals inside of areas. But, I doubt if it would seal everthing inside.

That stuff was body cavity wax - 3M makes a good product for it and I believe the W123 and W124 were heavily doused with it when new. there is also a MB part no. for it. the MB one is bright yellow and needs a heated gun to apply.

Stretch · #28 07-13-2012, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zulfiqar

That stuff was body cavity wax - 3M makes a good product for it and I believe the W123 and W124 were heavily doused with it when new. there is also a MB part no. for it. the MB one is bright yellow and needs a heated gun to apply.

If you can get it dinitrol is the stuff to use as an alternative to the original ear wax.

rs899 · #29 07-13-2012, 02:53 PM

Is Dinitrol the same as Waxoyl?

Stretch · #30 07-13-2012, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rs899

Is Dinitrol the same as Waxoyl?

From the layman's point of view you might think they are distant cousins. As you know I'm no chemist but I think they are quite different as waxoyl takes for ever to harden whereas that dinitrol stuff kind of ends up with a hard crust on the outside. I think one of the benefits is that it sticks to virtually anything and stays up there like **** on a stick.

Here's the web site for it

Rust Prevention Waxes and Oils

but there's probably no reason for you to consider it where you live!