Thankyou guy's. Ok call me impatient! Guess my wife has rubbed off on me over these many years. I just don't want to be working on a fender for hours trying to remove and adhesive which ain't easy to remove. I figured the crow-bar (flame torch) approach was the easiest. It may be but it may result in damage (that's a bad thing).
I'll try the idea of the oscillating saw. I've seen these used for allot of application and it just may do the trick on fenders. I'll pick one of these up next week. I'll also try the acetone approach for I've got some and it won't hurt to try. If I can soften it up I might be able to remove with a razor scaper. I'll keep you posted as to what work.

Lots of times these jobs are a matter of trying everything until you find what works. While I don't have a M_B body it'll be interesting to see what the technique proves to be. If you lived closer I'd lend you my Fein saw. It's FINE!

Does the FSM have any instructions for this job? Cars DO get hit and M-B must know that the fenders have to come off sometimes. Brain wave - I know a guy who's a professional bodyman. I'll send him a note and see how they do it.

Dan

The FSM does touch on fender removal. As I recall, they state to use a torch to flame and soften the material, and a putty knife to remove it.

Of course, these nifty oscillating tools did not exist then. As I recall, they are a creation dating to the late 80's.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Ok, got a general question for those pre-1983 123 fender lovers........ I haven't had a chance to get to the local HF store yet to get that oscillating saw yet, but worked the other day on removing the fender. Used a heat gun and was able to break the fender bond around the light housing socket. That wasn't difficult, just a little time consuming and smokey with bad fumes. Glad it was outdoors...... Next came to the top lip of the fender which extends extends from the headlight assembly area back to the door. My question is - is the lip also glued where it bolts to the frame in the engine compartment or just in the fender well ?

Mine was just in the fender well (as you put it).

The other side of the bolts (the threads) were covered in underseal - on removal they were a bit springy / spongy to get going...

...but there was no gunk between the two panels.

Mine was just sealed (what would you guys say caulked?) on the inner wheel arch side.

I cut it out with a Stanley knife.


"
On the sidewalk, one Sunday mornin'
Lies a body oozin' life
Someone's sneaking 'round the corner
Could that someone, perhaps, perchance, be Mack the Knife?
"

__________________
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!