Who has the most rust and still drives - Page 13 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Chad300tdt · #**181** 09-03-2008, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chetcpo

'85 300D rust carnage. I was warned by a forum member to check that seatbelt mount after posting a pic of the rusty door sill.

I have since repaired it. I bent up and welded in some 16G steel which is welded to a captive nut. I sanwiched that to a piece bolted and welded to the floorboard and welded to the exterior rocker panel. I then filled the hollow rocker section with expanding structural polyeurethane foam (think gorilla glue by the gallon) and then fixed the rusted out sections of the rocker that let the water in in the first place. Not the best repair, I really wanted to replace the floorpan and rocker, but effective and fast nonetheless. All of this seems to have happenned because the PO left a plastic plug out of the back of the rocker panel in the rear fender well and let water splash in. The rocker and floorpan on the other side was intact.

WOW!!

I'm glad you found that before you needed the seatbelt. Good work.

pwogaman · #**182** 12-31-2008, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

WOW!!

I'm glad you found that before you needed the seatbelt. Good work.

Somehow I don't think even 3M's best carpet glue would work for that.

vipercrazy · #**183** 01-04-2009, 09:01 PM

hey cool thread

heres mine

radiator overflow

both spots near the upper shock mounts, visible hole on the right side

JEBalles · #**184** 02-16-2009, 09:41 AM

I have some serious floorpan rot on my '83 240D and I haven't finished digging through the floor to find all of it.

my83300cd · #**185** 02-27-2010, 10:52 AM

I went to look at an 85 300TD last week- working AC, nice looking body, good paint... then I looked under it after I drove it for a while. These are just a few of the areas with rust. The owner appeared surprised when I told hima about the tire.

PanzerSD · #**186** 02-27-2010, 11:27 PM

The Shoemaker's Shoes:
It's a 50/50 car right now.
Typical rust on the fenders and rockers and wheel wells. All VERY fixable

Quite a bit better than my SD. I already have rockers and fenders and front valance.
I haven't ventured into the ends of the rockers yet. It has stainless wheel well trims, which look OK, but I would like to be rid of them, and then I saw that someone has BONDED them on with body filler, masked off and painted. I'm afraid to take them off right now...When I have my spirit back on the road I'll take the risk. The front valance panel had at one point been welded to the fenders, possibly as a previous rust repair. I'm expecting a horror when I remove the rocker, as when I look thru the rott around one of the jack holes (lol) I swear I'm seeing three layers, as though someone had just applied one new rocker panel over an old one.

It's all just a matter of having the time.....

mercmad6.3 · #**187** 04-05-2010, 12:07 AM

Rusty 220SE Coupe. Sold new in PA it must have seen a lot of salt in it's day. The top side is OK ,but the floors have gone completely . I have a new floor but I just need to finish a couple of other projects before I get started.

it hasn't been driven since 1980 though...

woodrat · #**188** 06-26-2010, 05:38 PM

wow, seeing this thread makes me feel so much better about the rust on my car!

BenzGeek · #**189** 07-02-2010, 02:01 AM

This car is no longer on the road, but when the picture was taken, she was my husband's daily driver.

mercmad6.3 · #**190** 07-02-2010, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my83300cd

I went to look at an 85 300TD last week- working AC, nice looking body, good paint... then I looked under it after I drove it for a while. These are just a few of the areas with rust. The owner appeared surprised when I told hima about the tire.

I wouldn't even consider a car with rust like that,let alone take my life into my own hands and drive it ...it's a wonder the sub frame hasn't dropped on the road.

Alastair · #**191** 09-15-2010, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercmad6.3

I wouldn't even consider a car with rust like that,let alone take my life into my own hands and drive it ...it's a wonder the sub frame hasn't dropped on the road.

Hmm, Thats a familiar picture!

--Ive just finished rebuilding both sides round the sub-frame mounts and rocker-panels...
Its really amazing just how strong these cars are made....

In the UK, we have a yearly MOT, (roadworthyness inspection) and any holes in rocker-panels (sills) or floorpans within 12" of ANY structral, braking or chassis mounting/suspension is an automatic failure....

--ALL repairs to these areas must be continuously seam-welded to be as strong as or stronger than original.

What this leads to is 'Patching'...

This is the 'Orrible practice of cobbling a patch over a rusted area--without removing the rusted/holed steel underneath.--although it may look Loverly on the outside!
--This leads in a year or two, a huge amount of corrosion in that area as the closely contacting metals trap water, the rust spreads Fast...

--My wagon was suffering this in both rear sections of rocker-panels and the rear floorpan to subframe-mount bracket area, just by rear seat front...
Taken me a week to sort out, cutting deep and removing rot and surface-rust...
Chucked a litre of Waxoyl down through rear seat-belt mount bolt-holes in each side to help prevent further rusting

--Its surprising how a small, inoffensive hole turns into a Gaping Wound of rot when you start digging due to this shoddy patching that goes on here!

And I know that Next August/September, (my MOT due) I'll be doing the Front each side too, as those have been patched around jack-points....

My re-test is on Friday, It had better pass after all That work!

IVIuzzy · #**192** 12-09-2010, 10:15 AM

i had an old 300d, i shoulda tanken pictures. i hit a speed bump, and me and my passanger fell through the floor, seat and all. started dragging beneath. that was not a good day

Stretch · #**193** 12-09-2010, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IVIuzzy

i had an old 300d, i shoulda tanken pictures. i hit a speed bump, and me and my passanger fell through the floor, seat and all. started dragging beneath. that was not a good day

Don't they have yearly safety checks where you live?

paddo · #**194** 12-10-2010, 06:35 PM

I have a 83 300SD. Actually it looks OK from the outside, but underneath it has enough rust that I really shouldn't be driving it. The chassis members that run under on both sides are terribly rusted, especially on one side where it is completely rusted through, I think in more than one place from memory.
When I try to jack the car from the left front, the frame actually bends into the door and you can't close the door when it's up, if it would even go up all the way which I doubt. One of the diagonal members that is welded to one of those side members....isn't ... the joint has completely separated from rust.
If I get around to it I'll look at the structure and analyze how weakened it is and what is still actually holding the car together! Maybe just habit..

I'm basically waiting for the car to sort of split apart underneath and then it will be ready for burial - I suppose so will I if it happens on the highway at 70+ mph. Otoh it might keep going for another 10 years or until the engine claps out - it's only done about 200K.

mercmad6.3 · #**195** 12-10-2010, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

Don't they have yearly safety checks where you live?

They don't here in Qld Australia

. One check each time the car changes owners. Some cars have the same owner for decades and are rust on wheels. But old mercedes are cheap here so most are scrapped long before that happens.