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123 Driver Quarter panel Replacement
A while back, I went looking for a 240D engine. Making a long story short I found a car located about 200 miles north of where I live, which didn't have any rust and the motor was in pristine condition. The owner ( a girl) was going to junk the car for scrap. I couldn't let her do that.
The car sat for three years without being run. Roy Hunter gave me the advice to get it started, which I did. Once started I needed to replace the primer pump for the PO had used Boidiesel and the hoses kindof rotted and leaked. Since I'm furloughed due to the gov shutdown, I decided to take advantage of some of the good weather and extra time. Since I'm new to body work, I utilized the guidance of a friend who is a marine metal and fiberglass fabricator. We examined the patient (quarter panel) and determined that using the trim line to hide the seam would be the best idea. I had already worked on the panel above the trim and pretty much had straightened it to the original shape. A light skim-coat will cover all sins. Cut lines where established on the existing panel and I went to town. The first pic is the quarter panel with cut lines defined in original condition. NOTE. You need an factory reference point. The decision was to use the factory trim hole above the back tail light as the reference for installing a new 1/2 quarter. The second is the line of the car. The third is a different problem area which which is the curved existing hanging metal, located in front of the bumper which connects to the trunk pan. I have the solution for this in a later post in the thread. Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-04-2013 at 09:59 PM. |
#2
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I used some welding felt on the door to keep sparks for lighting the car on fire. I found it to work best in pieces, that is breaking the cutting into sections. We did not know how the fender was joined to the outer wheel arch at this point so proceeded with caution.
Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-04-2013 at 10:00 PM. |
#3
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By cutting the extra metal off the panels and dealing only with a small section where it was joined to the outer wheel arch, it could be worked back and forth with a pair of vice-grips. This broke the spot welds. To work the metal with the vice grips was not difficult, I expected more spot welds than there where. Works best when doing small sections at a time. Also, be careful to not cut through the outer wheel arch by accident.
Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-04-2013 at 07:32 PM. |
#4
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Once the cutting to remove the original panel is over, clean tools and get ready for straightening other damaged areas. In my case not only the quarter panel skin needs to be replaced but also part of the outer wheel arch. Next is to use a hammer and a block of wood to reshape the metal back in the trunk area.
The first pic is all the metal cut and wiggled out and off of the car. The second is the finished product of today's venture. Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-04-2013 at 07:35 PM. |
#5
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Ok. I did not walk into the project without a plan of attack. I purchased an aftermarket rear quarter panel a while ago, also secured a complete rear fender from another forum member, unfortunately minus dog leg, complete with rounded trunk end. There are two ways to approach this project. Both approaches utilizes using pieces from both parts. Once approach would be to to cut the car frame, install the new aftermarket panel skin to fit, and utilizing the rounded trunk portion from from the forum friend. The other approach would be to utilize the real 123 panel while cutting it along the trim line, while utilizing the dog leg from the aftermarket panel. Both approaches have there advantages and disadvantages. I have a new trunk pan for the drivers side which is not in the article yet, for it to soon to put it into place. The below pic's are the after market panel and the real one cut from another benz.
Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-04-2013 at 07:43 PM. |
#6
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My next task is to remove the bumper, and rubber from the bumper in preparation for welding on the new (old) panel.
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#7
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Stop right there!
Brilliant! Now just fit a perspex wing and you could have one of those cut away cars you see in museums!
__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
#8
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Thanks Stretch. I assume you mean brilliant as in trying to hide a joint. In doing boat hull repairs you try to cut or make a break line where it will not be seen. In boats hulls, you try to usually use the rub rail as your break-line for a repair. Reason is the horizontal rub-rail creates and illusion or a transition point. A car trim line isn't any different.
Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-05-2013 at 02:33 AM. |
#9
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Quote:
I must say that you and JB3 have filled a big gap - gaps as in these panels removed pictures - I haven't seen them on this forum before. I can't wait to see how this job goes for you.
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
#10
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How about airplane wings? The flying 123!
__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes 1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod 2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die." |
#11
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I like the wing idea, but the car ain't got the power
Either later today or tomorrow morning, I'll take the interior door panel off and removed the dent from the door as best as I can. Remember, I'm not a body person. Anyway, got some work done in straightening out the bent metal. Started at the door opening. Needed to line up some tools which are not high-tec or complicated. The gap between the rear passenger door is consistent now with the for the drivers door. Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-06-2013 at 06:38 PM. |
#12
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The first step was to re-align the door section on the existing quarter panel so that it would look consistent with the other doors. I used a hammer, vice grip, block of oak and a body hammer. Had to do a little pry work, but in the end it came out looking pretty good.
Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-06-2013 at 06:27 PM. |
#13
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Next came re-shaping the front of the outer wheel arch. It was damaged in the accident. Some of the wheel arch shape are factory but the others are not. Once completed, the tire area of the arch needed to be turned under towards the inside of the car so it was flat. This was done with a pair of vice-grips.
Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-06-2013 at 06:30 PM. |
#14
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Now attention turned to the back of the rear inner wheel arch and bent out of shape. Where it joins the trunck pan, it needed to be worked. This required a different approach and required another tool ! A bigger hammer and a 2*4 did the job nicely !!
Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-06-2013 at 06:49 PM. |
#15
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Next I wanted to test the trunk path panel for giggles to see how it would fit. Took a little more manipulation with a body hammer & dolly to get the pan to fit correctly.
Last edited by steeleygreg; 10-06-2013 at 06:51 PM. |
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