I would like to swap a dinged finder on my W123 1985 300D. Fender Removal is not on the service CD.

Has anyone done this and if so, how do you do it?

Thanks Carrameow

Remove bumper. Remove signal light and bezel. Remove bolts behind there, under bumper, at the bottom near rocker and some on top next to hood. Open door -there are some just in front of door. Remove plastic inner fender and be glad you do not have an early one where you have to burn off undercoating.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

On some W123's (not sure when they stopped doing this) the fenders are glued onto the wheel house at the top. Makes it difficult (read: impossible) to get the old fender off without heating the glue....

Jay.

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On the road, currently:
'83 300D (German spec.) 168k mi. - - Wolfgang (tucked snugly away for the winter!)
'87 300D 375k mi. - finally went over to "The Dark Side"
'87 300TD 225k mi.
Cannondale 66cm CAAD5 w/Campy/Jamis Aurora
Hujsak Custom Fixie/Landshark Track Shark Custom/Ahearne Custom 29'er

i would think it is about impossible to get one off without destroying it.

i have never tried heat. i would think fire is also a possibility with that.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

My 83 was not glued. Fender removal is pretty straight forward if you go slowly getting all the bolts and don't force anything. Say for one person its about a 30 minute job to pull one.

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Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

On an 82 300D, it is glued and sealed with undercoating. I’ll take suggestions if anyone has any they can offer.

The glue is extremely strong. Have you considered paintless dent removal? The results are amazing. The price variance for the same job is amazing, recently had one estimated at $300-400 and 1000. The guy for 300 - 400 did a superb job at about 360.

Some PDR techs also refuse jobs that others take so shop around, if the first one says can't be done.

Good luck!!!

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

I cut the undercoating off a little at a time while peeling back the fender with a utility knife. The old fender is not reusable in my experience.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

There is quite a bit of stuff in the paper Factory Service Manuals that is not in the CD Manual.

I have used an electric heat gun to peel and strip paint. It is like a hand held electric hair drier but gets hot enough to burn stuff. However, the heat is more spread out and it is slower to heat than a propane torch and if it comes with a kit they have shamed attachments to channel the heat in the direction and shape you want.
Also using it is likely cheaper then a torch.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I'm pretty sure my '82 240D still has the glued on fenders, why I'm dragging my feet on replacing the L.F. one I bashed in March....

Rich kindly sold me a nice one in the same color.....

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I am not sure the fender is actually glued on. It is covered over with heavy rubberized undercoating though and has to be cut out on the later years, IIRC.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.