Is this 240D worth what I paid for it?
 

... which was ... $0.00. :D

I share these pictures for no other reason than perhaps to make people feel good about the rust on their own cars. I warn you, these are graphic and gorey, not for the weak-of-stomach MB lover.

This was my dad's 1975 240D, which he said is all mine now if I want it. I can't get the straight story on it, except that my mother ran it into something and wrecked the bumper, and my dad never got around to fixing it. So he just left it. I believe it was around the time my first sister was born, so he was understandably preoccupied. But the car has been sitting there for at least 20 years, and has been run at some point in that interim. According to my dad, it'll still go under the hood (obviously, the body would literally drop off like a shell if I tried to drive it :eek: ). I don't have the guts to try turning it over. Or the keys.

As to the car's future, I haven't decided whether to part out, or whether there's even anything partable on it. For now, it's my big lab rat, and I will have a POR15 party with it when the sun comes out.

So here's "Stubby," MB #2. So do I win the "worst condition" prize now or what?

Why would you waste POR15 on that POS. Somewhere there is crusher with that cars name on it...

... so I can practice using POR15 on a POS instead of my attractive, treasured '87 300D. I'm not actually going to try to FIX the rust on the 240D, hence the term "lab rat" ... I want to get the hang of using POR15, and then use it on my nice car ... make any sense?

It seems to me there are a lot of uses for a trash car as far as my learning process goes. There are a lot of things I'd like to learn how to do, but am afraid to try on my good car. With the junkyard piece, I don't have anything to lose.

Play with it a bit and learn if you want to. But steel is up, so they will haul cars away for free now.

They dragged my stripped 420SEL right up on the flatbed without any wheels on it! :D Theirs money to be made in these old cars.

Ebay the usable parts before it gets crushed......put the money towards fixing your better benz

If it was up on Ebay they would call it "fair condition, known to go 500,000 miles".

The 72 I have looks great from 10 ft away and the po was driving this car when the "trany went out" (busted a line) but the rust is so back everywhere underneath that I crushed a box looking beam just at the front subframe mount when I jacked it up, and that is not the rustiest place on the car. I got to looking and the entire front subframe including engine was kind of floating in the front of the car. Had new calipers, a new rotor, new starter, new battery and a great interior. The guy was treating it well but it was a dangerous pos.

Hmmm? I gotta wonder what that trailer hitch would be good for on a 240D.

Dude you like paint it on and let it dry. Not to much to go wrong there. If you have to POR15 part of the body that shows then how you fill in the rough area after coating, blend in, prime and then respray the color are the tricky parts.

I was referring to the whole process, including priming and painting. I'm an artist and a perfectionist.

And geez, what's the concern? I'm not going to steal YOUR POR15 to do it or anything, nor will any of your tax dollars contribute to my project! :cool:

Pretty sure my dad attached a small, flat trailer to it. Not sure how to describe it, but he used it to tote extra cargo, nothing huge. I would suspect he used it to put our small outboard motorboat in the lake, too, down the boat ramp.

Or maybe he drove it across boulders and sandpits pulling a double tractor trailer ...

Practicing bodywork is a very good idea before you do it on a car you care about. Heck I will try a new polish or paint cleaner on my parent’s cars before it touches my paint! :D

I was thinking you might get a fair price on Ebay for that hitch.

Hey, now, wait a minute...
If that car sat for over 20 years, that motor didn't see much use. Sure, the seals are shot, but what about the possibility of going through that motor for a cheap, tight rebuild? Can an IP survive 20 years of sitting?
What about the tranny?

(and what in the world is POR15?) :confused:

Answer:
 

Read this thread:
Rust stoppers.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/bodywork-repair-paint-tools-tips-tricks/115595-rust-stoppers.html

Well if you park on a steep hill and don't have a good parking brake you tie a rope to it and to a tree so it doesn't go down the hill without you....

Sort of like mooring anchors on a boat.