Picture / link request => W123 diesels being spot welded together - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Stretch · #1 05-29-2012, 10:24 AM

G'day Folks,

I'm on the hunt for pictures of W123s being made in the factory.

I'd like to try and see how their jogs looked like (to give me some ideas on how to pull the rear fender / wing off but then get it back on aligned correctly!)

Anybody got any help / pointers / book references / links?

(EDIT - I've bumped up this thread http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/open-discussion/273079-w201-w123-leaving-factory.html with the same request)

pwogaman · #2 05-29-2012, 10:33 PM

There are two versions of the W123 body manual. The second volume of one version has an extended section on body repairs with very detailed pictures of removal and replacement of the rear and quarter panel sections, and even the entire front-end. It basically shows you how and where to cut the old sections out and how to weld in the new ones - properly. I have such a version and will scan the applicable sections in if there is sufficient interest. NO, its not for sale. ;-)

Stretch · #3 05-30-2012, 03:01 AM

Thank you very much for the kind offer. I have a copy of the German language FSM on CD that has the same chapters (albeit in German but hey I can go with the flow it is sometimes quite Dutch-like but don't tell the Dutch that some of them can get quite upset about that...)

Chapter 66-330 for example shows the rear fender / wing removal on a sedan / saloon

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/body-repair-restoration/318798-w123-sedan-saloon-rear-wing-fender-removal-has-anyone-done.html

I'm not sure if I'm happy enough to trust in that cross bracing strut system (that gets positioned in the boot / trunk) to make sure that I've got the trim line running along the side of the car in the right place.

You see part of my problem is that the side of the car might not be straight because of accident damage and besides it is all stripped down to as far as it can go at the moment...

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/body-repair-restoration/303669-my-w123-saloon-sedan-old-accident-repair-bit-rust-repair-thread.html

(And this picture still shows some bits on it - since then it got a bit more naked)

strelnik · #4 05-30-2012, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwogaman

There are two versions of the W123 body manual. The second volume of one version has an extended section on body repairs with very detailed pictures of removal and replacement of the rear and quarter panel sections, and even the entire front-end. It basically shows you how and where to cut the old sections out and how to weld in the new ones - properly. I have such a version and will scan the applicable sections in if there is sufficient interest. NO, its not for sale. ;-)

would love to see that!

Zacharias · #5 05-30-2012, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

(And this picture still shows some bits on it - since then it got a bit more naked)

Have your neighbours started hurrying past your house and averting their gaze when you're about

?

Seriously, would it be possible to take measurements between specific points on the opposite side of the car then transpose them when positioning the quarter?

I had an antique Volvo that was hit in the rear, offside impact, and repaired but I was never convinced they got the quarter straight. Later on a bodyshop owner demonstrated how off the repair was very quickly using a cloth tape measure to check at several points, between sides of the car.

Stretch · #6 05-30-2012, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zacharias

Have your neighbours started hurrying past your house and averting their gaze when you're about

?

Seriously, would it be possible to take measurements between specific points on the opposite side of the car then transpose them when positioning the quarter?

I had an antique Volvo that was hit in the rear, offside impact, and repaired but I was never convinced they got the quarter straight. Later on a bodyshop owner demonstrated how off the repair was very quickly using a cloth tape measure to check at several points, between sides of the car.

I've already been doing something similar to what you suggest here

How I adjusted the toe in / out, camber and caster on my W123 300D

I was already a bit worried about the structural shape of the vehicle when I was doing my four wheel alignment (oh so many years agao) so I've been arsing about with plumb bobs and bits of chalk => see post #5.

My main problem is that because the doors are off and well everything else is stripped away I've kind of removed a few of the reference points that are used in the FSM in chapter 66-330.

Additionally the left hand side of the car got T boned a few decades ago so I'm not really happy about taking measurements from that.

I guess I need to start at the front of the car and get it all back in shape before I start on the rear...