Meet "Orwell", my Panamerican expedition 300TD - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

dkveuro · #31 04-30-2012, 04:55 PM

Make it look worse ! The federalizes and local mafia will think it ain't worth stealin'.

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panZZer · #32 04-30-2012, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StaggerLee

This trip sounds awesome! The rust-factor is what would make me nervous.

My guess is that you're going to need to jack that thing up more than once on this trip. I would definitely do something about the jack points and really double check the rest of the under carriage.

Remind us again before you go

just get a regular hydraullic floor jack,, lift in the front under the ball joints, and under the rocker bottoms at back protected with a piece of wood. it wont hurt it. if theres not sturdy enough rockers back there you should git some scrap metal welded in solid

Delibes · #33 04-30-2012, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkveuro

Make it look worse ! The federalizes and local mafia will think it ain't worth stealin'.

Exactly what I am doing in my "partial partout" in the classifieds section!
Tyler recommended to use some "decoration" on it... WWII Luftwaffe bomber should do just fine...

dkveuro · #34 05-01-2012, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delibes

Exactly what I am doing in my "partial partout" in the classifieds section!
Tyler recommended to use some "decoration" on it... WWII Luftwaffe bomber should do just fine...

Yeah...they tell me the Argies are partial to the members of the ex Wunderbar Deutsch über alles
SS-Offiziere.

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Delibes · #35 05-07-2012, 10:49 PM

While I kept checking the oil on my trip from Ohio on this dirty rascal, I have not done any work on it whatsoever than just take a few bits off to sell and eventually reinvest on some new parts. Today is different, and, on a road trip with Tyler to Kansas City, I allowed myself to purchase a whim, a $40 used professional steam cleaner, a EuroPro SC410. The guy had it listed for $200 but, due to lack of demand, his price dropped to $40. I drove to Topeka and stopped by the owner's cluttered and neglected home. His son opened a broken plastic box, and there it was! $40 later, I was on my way to Wichita.

With the help of Tyler, I opened the hood and found this...

The engine bay had been completely "rust protected" in oil, most likely from the vacuum pump and valve cover, as they always, always leak.

No mercy! I started by testing the steamer and spraying some degreaser.

The engine got submerged in a large cloud of steam. No, it's not my head gasket, it is the steamer's smallest nozzle in action!

While the oil came right off the plastic pieces, it took some serious scrubbing to get it off most of the metal.

I tore up all the old insulation and re-steamed with a mix of water and degreaser. Bit by bit, the sun started coming down.

As the last finishing touches, I completely washed the plastic parts in the engine bay, first by hand (dish soap) and then with the steamer.

This is what I found as soon as I opened the hood...

...and this is what I got at the end of this productive afternoon! Now I can start working on the engine with ease!
Not bad for a $1,200 car I pulled out of the forest and drove for 800 miles! As I sell stuff I hope I will earn my way into the Cheap Wagon Club.

Glowplugs tomorrow

ROLLGUY · #36 05-07-2012, 11:11 PM

I will be following this thread Miguel. Keep up the good work!

Delibes · #37 05-10-2012, 08:49 PM

The fate of Orwell will be decided very soon.
It might actually go down the PanAmerican Highway earlier than you think!

Read on here: 300TD Road Trip "This European Life: an open travelogue"

Delibes · #38 05-20-2012, 05:21 PM

Terrible news. All the mounting points for the rear suspension are rusted at the body, rusted beyond repair. It just seems like I will be going PanAmerican on a '94 LandCruiser, then...

You can consider the "partial part-out" a full one, now...

ngarover · #39 05-20-2012, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delibes

Terrible news. All the mounting points for the rear suspension are rusted at the body, rusted beyond repair. It just seems like I will be going PanAmerican on a '94 LandCruiser, then...

You can consider the "partial part-out" a full one, now...

Wow! that's sad. I was looking forward to watching this trip. No way to just weld up some place steal for now?

ROLLGUY · #40 05-20-2012, 07:05 PM

Would you consider having the mounting points fixed if they could be? I think any good fabricator could add some metal pieces around the rusted areas to spread out the load to the surrounding solid structure. Also adding some tubing inside and out to strengthen the mounting points. I have built several roll cages in unibody cars with great success, and I believe someone could do something similar (kind of an inner skeleton). I know it would not be pretty, but it would be functional. I hate to see you downgrade your vehicle for the trip (if you know what I mean). I am not Toyota bashing, but I can't see you doing the trip in anything but a 'Benz (IMO a Toyota is just not "you").

pawoSD · #41 05-20-2012, 07:12 PM

I think for an expedition like that I'd be using an in-good-shape manual 240d, not a 300td....too many additional items to fail all things considered. On top gear they drove a 230e w123 across the flats of Africa and were brutal to it, and it survived.

bamba · #42 05-20-2012, 07:28 PM

How's the motor on this rig? Perhaps you can part it out to raise funds, and then buy a wagon with a better body (and working SLS), but with a bad motor.

Never fear. You still have enough time to come up with a Plan B that hails from Stuttgart

Delibes · #43 05-20-2012, 07:45 PM

I am perfectly aware that everyone on this Earth would choose a Toyota Landcruiser, a Range Rover Defender or a Mercedes G to go on a journey like this... doing it in a W123 would be most interesting and adventurous, but with only 3 months left in this country and a trip to SF next week, I had to make a decision very quick.

The mounting points are BEYOND sensible repair... I will take some pictures and you will see what I mean by "rusty". It is a pity, Orwell being such a nice running wagon and having the SLS deleted already!

The truth is that in terms of part availability in case of an emergency, at an affordable price, you can't beat these LandCruisers. I do not know them as well as the W123, but they seem intuitive enough to figure out.

JB3 · #44 05-20-2012, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delibes

I am perfectly aware that everyone on this Earth would choose a Toyota Landcruiser, a Range Rover Defender or a Mercedes G to go on a journey like this... doing it in a W123 would be most interesting and adventurous, but with only 3 months left in this country and a trip to SF next week, I had to make a decision very quick.

The mounting points are BEYOND sensible repair... I will take some pictures and you will see what I mean by "rusty". It is a pity, Orwell being such a nice running wagon and having the SLS deleted already!

The truth is that in terms of part availability in case of an emergency, at an affordable price, you can't beat these LandCruisers. I do not know them as well as the W123, but they seem intuitive enough to figure out.

So are you 86ing orwell?

Delibes · #45 05-21-2012, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropnosky

So are you 86ing orwell?

Unfortunately, I have to. The rust is too bad to risk running it anywhere.