300TD mild restoration (progress thread)
 

Hi all, I started this thread to document the progress on a 1984 300TD my friend and I have been working on. He bought it from Kevin, another member of this site, AKA, "Powerpig" to most of us.

I didnt think to get any "before pictures" but it was basically your blue beater old 123 wagon.

First up, two of the bad spots:
1) rear suspension hydraulic lines rusted through above the rear differential. ordered new ones from germany, these are the lines that run the full length of the body, for $15 and $25 each!
2) the hole in the floor under the front passenger seat. there was a similar hole in the same spot on the drivers side that had previously repaired. it will have to be redone sometime in the future.

1) bad rust area, post fiberglass/bondo stuff, the real sturdy stuff under the taillight and body filler on the quarter panel.
2) quarter panel in primer
3) quarter panel after blue paint and clear coat
4) hole in floor after repair- pre undercoating
5) new wheels and tires on, 4 front wheels from a CLS

apologies for pic quality- theyre all from a cell phone.

1) tailgate primered, after rust repair. tailgate was like swiss cheese!
2) tailgate with blue on and lower silver half as a test
3) tailgate finished
4) euro lights in!

1) right rear fender loose piece, someones previous repair
2) same section with piece removed
3) filled, patched and primered
4) rear quarter panel in primer
5) rear quarter finished in blue/silver

1) driver side doors patched, scuffed and taped off for blue paint
2) starting on the silver section
3) front left fender after getting patched and shot in silver
4) left side lower half almost finished

Finished product looks great John. Love those wagons. Will we see it at the GTG ?

Since that still some time off, we hope to at least have it roadworthy by then. The plan is to get it ready in time for that.

I want it back when you`re done! :D

That looks great, John. Whose bodywork?

Tom- It's our bodyguy at the dealership you met that saturday that looked at Siduri's car.

here's some more from monday:
1) r/f fender rust patched up
2) r/f fender dents patched, from a broken hood hinge
3) right side of vehicle prepped for primer
4) new steering wheel off an '06 ML, still need an airbag

here's some from today:

1) right side in primer
2) upper half shot in blue
3) adding in the first silver coat
4) blue euro lights! :D

john-
when you removed the old piece of the fender, what did you use to fill and reshaped the fender ? is it all done with just bondo, no new sheet metal ?

i have a little piece missing on my 240d wheel well, about 3/4" long and 1/2" wide, not big. i'm wondering if i can just reshape it with just bondo.

Just filler and the chunk of whatever was in it from the last time someone fixed it.

I would be really curious to know the costs on this. I am doing some similar body work on my TD - not as extensive as yours. But I need to replace the cowl panel, then have some surface rust taken care of, and one hole on the rear quarter panel. I am planning to get it done to the point of primer. Paint will come later. Anyway, I have no idea going in to this how much it will cost. We live in different ends of country, but I would like to know so I am not going in to the body shop blind.

Also, how long did this take?

feel free to send a PM.

It only costs time... the owner is the one doing all the work. I just fix the mechanicals on it :) He worked on it basicaly over the course of a few weeks whenever it got slow with paying work.