Drove it home, though. Picked up a fender and two doors from the junkyard today.

When I slide-hammer the dent out of the quarter panel I'll need some type of body filler to bridge the holes. I hear a lot of smack talk about Bondo and its tendency to absorb water. Any body filler out there that does a better job on that front?

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'Betsy the Getaway Car' : 1978 MB 240D, 582k
'The Mistress of the Sea' : 2001 Giant Boulder, 10.30k

Let me be the first to say that you're lucky you were driving a Mercedes.

Kevin: Right you are. But my landlord (also a Mercedes nut; bought a 190SL new back in 1960) and the previous owner have already told me this, many times. Can't wait to get it back on the road.

Dadette: I did, and he got my number too. It was totally my fault. I didn't see him coming on my left, and I was moving into the left lane.

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'Betsy the Getaway Car' : 1978 MB 240D, 582k
'The Mistress of the Sea' : 2001 Giant Boulder, 10.30k

You might try contacting a professional automotive paint supply and talk to them about the different products they sell.

Bondo is ok as long as you seal the holes first. You can braze them shut, or use some waterproof product like fiberglass, but I prefer brazing. You could also lead them if they were small enough.

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'83 300D (220000 miles and counting)

Ah, leading holes. Now, that's a lost art.

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too many w123's
84 280 SL 5 speed

Hope you got the number of that "metal chomping" truck. Yikes!

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too many w123's
84 280 SL 5 speed

wouldn't a torch and a dolly hammer with an extension be better for fixing the doors? remove the inner liner, and roll up or remove the windows. then support the outer skins with anvil on the edges, and work your way out the dent. I'd think it easier to push out than pull.
pulling is for sealed areas...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

He mentioned in the first post that he has two replacement doors and a fender.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I've gotten a pretty nice set of doors and a fender off an Anthracite Gray 240D from a local junkyard (cheap, and they've got less rust than the old ones!). Hope to have them repainted by next week. Probably some folks here would be adventurous enough to rehab the doors, but that's far out of my league and price range. My body filler query comes from my intention to work on the dents in the quarter panel above the rear wheel; the body is dented in at a spot where there's no access from behind. Thanks everyone for the support and the suggestions on how to work dents. Body work is by far the thing I'm least confident on, but this seems like an invitation to get my hands dirty with it.

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'Betsy the Getaway Car' : 1978 MB 240D, 582k
'The Mistress of the Sea' : 2001 Giant Boulder, 10.30k

JB Weld will cover small holes and not absorb water.

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I choose to be happy, even when the Mercedes is being awkward, lol

There is a type of body filler which uses aluminium as a filler material instead of gypsum , this type does not absorb water. Not as good as lead but better than regular bondo. Fiberglass both short and long strand types don't absorb water but are quite a bit more difficult to produce a smooth finish , ok for structural work but not for finishing. Ditto on the spot welder for pulling out dents. Pull out whatever you can before removing old parts since you will be replacing them anyway you don't care how they look. Good luck Dan

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It's always something simple
91 300D 603.960 (from japan) 194K
92 Toyota Diesel Landcruiser HDJ81-t 116K
02 Golf TDI new head courtesy of PO
87 300D
97 BMW 525 TDS Wagon 5spd
bunch of Onan and other diesel generators

just be glad the hood is still straight.

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Current
2006 E320 CDI, 57K bought at 67K "Liesl"
1986 190E 2.3-16, 198K bought at 56K "Brigitta"
1987 300TD (Chuggin Along), 292K "Friedrich"
1995 E320 Wagon, 200K "Louisa"

Past
1987 300SDL, (sold) 125K, bought for 1$ "Kurt"

Ouch!!

What did you use to clean the seat ??

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Experience : what you receive 3 seconds after you really needed it !!



86 300SDL 387,000? Motor committed suicide
81 300SD 214,000 "new" 132,000 motor
83 300SD 212,000 parts car
83 300SD 147,000

91 F700 5.9 cummins 5spd eaton 298,000
66 AMC rambler American 2dr auto 108,000
95 Chevy 3/4 ton auto 160,000
03 Toyota 4runner 180,000 wifes

Decided to go with leading. Sanity check: Will 70/30 lead-tin material do?

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'Betsy the Getaway Car' : 1978 MB 240D, 582k
'The Mistress of the Sea' : 2001 Giant Boulder, 10.30k