Who has the most rust and still drives
 

Hello Everyone
Who has the most rust and still drives?
I would like to see pictures if possible.
Special interest in structure damage from rust.
Thank you.
Have a great day.

interesting, interesting. Well, I don't have that much rust and I drive a w116 in the midwest! It moved here about 10 years ago from New Orleans though, so that is probably why. This should get interesting.
David

That's probably going to be me. The 240D is affectionately known as "Perfesser Leaky." Not because it leaks oil out, but because of all the water leaks through the rust holes. :eek:

You have a Rolls-Rust ?
 

You have a rusty one?
I thought you had a nice car? ;)
Must run great for you to keep it.

do chevy's count?
 

My ex-brother -in-law had a very rusty 1972 chevy 4 door back in Buffalo about 10 years ago. He took it through a car wash for whatever reason.... It took the door skin completely off.

Special interest in structural damage from rust.
 

Hello Everyone
I would like to see pictures if possible.
I have special interest in structural damage from rust.
Any data on which process was used to repair structure damage would be of great interest.
I have found what I consider serious rust on my 300SD.
Structural arch; by the guide rod mounts.
I am also building a slide show of MB rust repair.

I too have serious rust on that same area. I just replaced all the front end components and had to cut out metal on the support area just to get the old nuts and bolts off for the guide rod bearing bracket. The tower area is badly rusted and I was concerned that the integrity of the entire front end is now compromised. Since I am not set up for welding in my garage I put the front end back together and sprayed "Great Stuff" type foam into all the frame rails and open rusted tower areas. That was 2 months ago and my front end feels as strong as it ever did. I'm not sure what is holding it all together but it all works fine.

whunter:

That is a slide show that I must view. I have some rust issues and need to know:

a. do I just let it go and keep the safety features up to date?
b. do I fight it

This fall I worked a bunch of spots and they have bled through already.

Don

I need pictures of all your rust.
 

Hello diesel don
I must get up to your place soon.
I need pictures of all your rust.:D
I want to look at your
PARTS CARS:
'83 300DT 193k (Wrecked):D
'83 300D (Euro) Blown Engine:D
'82 300D (Euro) Dead:D
:D Your local diesel fuel cost is an added attraction for me.:D

Yea,

We still need to get everyone on the same page. You must meet Bruce Lane as well and some other ol'timers around here.

Don

Trying to post some rust pictures.
 

Hello Everyone
Trying to post some rust pictures.
1985 300SD driver side guide rod.

Repair area.
 

Hello Everyone
Trying to post some rust pictures.
1985 300SD driver side guide rod.
Repair area.

Rust on 500SEL
 

Hello Everyone
Rust on 500SEL, yes, it is a gasser.
Exhaust pipe.

Rust on 500SEL, yes, it is a gasser.
 

Hello Everyone
Rust on 500SEL, yes, it is a gasser.
Muffler.

Rust on 500SEL #3.
 

Hello Everyone
Rust on 500SEL, yes, it is a gasser.
All the lines rotted through; can you identify the line with the rubber hose splice?
go to the next post for details.

Rust on 500SEL #4.
 

Hello Everyone
Rust on 500SEL, yes, it is a gasser.

This fellow was so clever; he fixed the rusted through rear brake line with fuel hose and clamps.:eek:
Would you volunteer to test drive this one? :eek:

Rust on 500SEL #5.
 

Hello Everyone
Rust on 500SEL, yes, it is a gasser.
Under the battery tray was a chip monk nest; and shredded wires.

Rust on 500SEL #6.
 

Hello Everyone
Rust on 500SEL, yes, it is a gasser.

Rust on 500SEL #7.
 

Hello Everyone
Rust on 500SEL, yes, it is a gasser.

My god its like rotten.com for Mercedes!:eek: Why is that thing so badly rusted? Mines been a New England car all it's life and it doesn't look like that. Did he drive it on a beach?

Michigan road salt; very normal here.
 

Hello Hatterasguy
Michigan road salt; very normal here.
Many people do not wash the cars under body enough to get it off.
Ocean beach cars often look like Michigan cars. :eek:
Total vehicle life here is five too eight years, except for the Chevorlet Vega; which was one year. :eek:
I will try to post a side panel rust picture of a typical MB rust out, soon.
"diesel don", may have a couple of good Michigan salt pictures to contribute.

Here is some data to think about.
 

Hello Hatterasguy
Here is some data to think about.

MDOT currently relies on road salt as the principal chemical deicer and on sand as the abrasive. Road salt compounds are sodium chloride, calcium chloride,magnesium chloride, and potassium chloride. The rock salt used by the MDOT is sodium chloride,and it is the compound referred to as road salt in this report. According to the annual usage reportcompiled by the MDOT, "during the winter of 1991-92", 442,223 tons of road salt were applied to the10,000 linear miles of trunk line maintained under its jurisdiction. This equates to approximately 31.54 tons per e-mile. (An e-mile, or equivalent mile, is one mile of 24-foot-wide [two-lane] roadsurface; the 10,000 trunk line miles equate to nearly 14,000 e-miles.) In addition, 203,918 tons of sand were applied, or 14.54 tons per e-mile.

I live in NE Indiana, I know what you mean about rust. Michigan is horrible for rust. My dad's 300E is originally from MI and it has rust in the rear wheel arches which is nothing compared to most cars from MI. Good luck up there. I am currently trying to keep the rust off my w116, it's an uphill battle.
Good Luck
David

My friend had an '81 300D.. the floorboards were so rusted his floor was part of an old computer case. Car ran great though. Sold it to a guy and it has since been to FL, TN and several cross-country round trips.

Whunter.

I am interested in your rust study. Which models will you be focusing on?

I ask because I am interested in what was done at the factory to the cars as far as corrosion resistance. What changed in '82? Where is the steel sourced from yesterday and today. I believe steel in the sixties was mined in the Ruxhutte (spelling might be off) whchi produced steel which was thought to be more immune to corrosion than that mined elsewhere.

Of course, if you find out why 116s rust I would love to know. If, MB in fact used imported russian and south american steel during the seventies, I would be interested in the story and details.

I bought a '75 300D in the late 80's. It had about 100k miles on it whan I got it. It had rust behind the rear wheel then and you could see the vacuum lines haning down. Within three years I had to replace both front fenders they were rotted so bad. It was around the wheels and the side markers. Then it started leaking onto my feet and through the floor pan. Finally, I called it quits after I got soaked from water spaying all over me from driving down streets in a heavy rainfall. The floorboards would scoop up the water and send it into the cabin, pushing the floor mats right out of the way. I gave the car to a local charity, not more than a year or so after I rebuilt the motor.

whunter oh your inland. You would not believe how quickly salt water can rust metal. I'm a boater and salt is my costant enemy, for example. I've seen engines that were so rusted I was amazed they ran. (not well) Anything steel will start to rust badly in about a month. Stainless steel is really great! Cars really live in a much more friendly environment than boats do. Unless it's a Great Lakes boat. Buying a boat from there is like buying a car from California.

I worked on some fishing boat engines; yuck.
 

Hello Hatterasguy
I lived in Corpus Christi and Galveston Texas.
I worked on some fishing boat engines; yuck.
Michigan salt is about the same.
Oil derrick engines are almost as bad and off shore is the worst of both worlds.
Have a great day.

Lets see some pics of that 300SDL with the velour! That's one in a million.

This weekend turbodiesel I'll post pics, its my new "pride and joy"!:cool: It will be at the next GTG.

I'll have to dig and see if i have any pictures.... I bought a 1976 240D with 150k+ miles on it back about 8 years ago. Car ran pretty darn well. Manual everything. Just ugly as could be. ya know the marker light on the side of the left front fender? it was missing..as was the fender in that whole area. Just plain rusted away. Side molding was literally held on with baleing twine. Someone had just run the twine thruthe holes on the fender and around the chrome molding. I fixed that by running wire ties thru the back of the molding and thru the holes. Held the molding on fine and wire ties were hidden. Headlight frames were held on mostly by good wishes. Had to replace a headlight and had to wire tie the frame back on (once again hidden, of course). Muffler pipe rusted off the center muffler and I just replaced the pipe and muffler with a piece of pipe. Bought a spray can of paint in the correct color and just sorta sprayed over the many rust spots on the car. When moving, it looked passable (except for the fender).

Re: Rust on 500SEL #5.
 

Looks like an electrical fire waiting to happen!! :eek:

1999 MB gasser rust, park brake cable.JPG
 

park brake cable.JPG

1999 MB gasser, 62K exhaust.jpeg
 

1999 MB gasser, 62K exhaust.jpeg

1999 MB gasser, 62K spring.jpeg
 

1999 MB gasser, 62K spring.jpeg

1999 MB gasser, 62K spring_3.jpeg
 

1999 MB gasser, 62K spring_3.jpeg

That spring looks pretty dangerous. :eek: Did it drive like that?

looks like the spring is about to come off its perch...

gosh.. i should've taken pix of my car... anyway.. I wont be part of this thread anymore..hehe. the car is in the shop getting all its rust problem fixed... hoping to get a solid running car again.

yes, at least 1K miles.
 

yes, at least 1K miles.

That spring is broken. I had one break on my Ford Tortise. The sharp broken point carved right into my tire and blew it, just like a lathe.

This was on a '99 brought into your shop?:rolleyes:

That's why I don't buy used cars up here anymore.

He drives Bloomfield to Down river area through Detroit surface streets twice a daily
 

Hello mplafleur Mike
He hit a Detroit pot hole at 55 mph three months ago.
He drives Bloomfield to Down river area through Detroit on surface streets twice a day, seven days per week.
:) The miracle is that this is the worst he has gotten so far.:)
:confused: The strange thing was; the front was level and it did not make noise, until I lifted it with the hoist.:confused:

today Rad support.jpeg

crackling noise led me to it. Re: Rust on 500SEL #5.
 

Hello 86560SEL
A sizzling and crackling noise led me to it.
The chip monk nest was smoldering by the time I got the battery out of the way, used my water bottle to put it out, and then removed the battery tray for cleaning access.
The smell was amazingly bad.

whunter wanted these pics in this thread.
This pic is the blower motor cover.

more

last one of the dead blower motor.

Thanks
 

Thank you 190D22
Those are great pictures of rust in a strange place.

More Michigan rust 1986 420SEL
Left front tire area.

Right rear tire area.

Right doors.

Right front tire area.

Right front roof trim area.

Left front exterior sun roof seam area.

Left front turn signal/fender/tire area.

Left rear deck/tail light area.

YOWSAH! That car makes me feel a lot better about mine and her rustiness!!! I'll take some current pictures of the rust.

Need I explain more about why I will only buy southern grown used cars?

Yikes :eek:, Michigan winters are really bad to cars! I'm glad our snow season is relatively short, and salt only gets applied to the roads 4 or 5 times per year.

whunter, how did the frame look on that 420SEL?

Swiss Cheese
 

Hello VeeDubTDI
Good Quality Swiss Cheese.
Did you want it?
He is selling it now, only wants $2000.00 USD. LOL
Rolls Wreck, waiting to happen.
Have a great day.