I'm got an Ohio rust bucket that I'm going to work on for the next few weeks. Can anyone tell me what the bottom pipe holes are for? They seem to rust out first on all the 123s I've seen. Can they be plugged up or do they somehow draw water away from the rest of the chassis?

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They are usually capped so I am sure they can be plugged, and I believe they are jack holes.

Those are the jack holes, they always seem to rust first. I would be afraid to drive that car! What would happen if someone hit it?

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

all your structure is gone.
You can get a much better one for under $800.00

I saw three on ebay last week, highest bid was $750.00

Good body + your car = very nice car.

You need to check the front sub frame also.

Look at the red circled area, rap on it with a hammer, if it crumbles you need to repair that area ASAP, it is a major structural support for front steering suspension.

Follow the blue line down the sub frame, rapping with a hammer, if this is collapsing, give it up, the repair will take hundreds of hours.

I will keep my eyes open for a free body for you, if you are willing to come get it.

Have a great day.

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1985 300SD
1983 300D
2003 Volvo V70

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The circled areas are major structural damage.

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Thanks for the replies. I'll double check the areas you've circled whunter. I believe them to be solid. Most of the underbody and frame is solid. It's got a couple of corners that are really rough. It's also rusted through on the rear passenger floor board at the rocker.

I realize now I paid too much. I paid $1000 with 140k actual but that whole "Tip of the Iceburg" metaphor is playing out.

What do you recommend? My plan is to seal the areas with Eastland Rust Encapsulator and then bondo-glass them full.

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Fin tails
FREE 1963 190 Diesel plus parts car

I don't think I would take the time to repair that either...........unless it was a old VW

I swear, those cars were made to have their floors replaced...

I wonder what came of that car? Hopefully he didn't get hurt! With 140k on it the engine and drive train are probably very strong. Putting those in a nice southern rust free body, along with a nice not dried out northern interior and then you have something.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Or find a nice southern car with 140k no rust and good interior and save yourself a headache. Don't worry you'll still have to tinker with it.

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'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)

Wonder what happened to the OP, if he decided to fix the rust or get a new car? I got my SD body for under $400 "rust free"...even digging into it I found a bit of (repairable) rust. Such an achilles heel of these great cars

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Man, this is making me scared of my car even more... but it's the only one I've got.

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1983 Benz 240D - 263,060 (Current)
1983 Cadillac DeVille - 130,000 (Scrapped - Stupid HT4100)
1992 Dodge B350 - 150,000 (Sold)
1984 Mazda 626 - 299,997 (Scrapped)

That's the problem with dealing with an old car in our environment. The salt eats them away. Your car is electrocoated but not galvanized. I've even stopped using my 140 body in the winter. It just can't take it anymore.

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2010 Toyota matrix

'93 500 SEL
Well, I sold it. Just got to be too much to keep up with.
First time I haven't owned a MB since 1983.

'12 Volvo S80 T6
Needed something that wasn't as hard to deal with as my bad addiction

'18 Mazda Miata
No more boring cars for everyday transport!