The boy just rear ended a pickup. Peeled most of the sheet metal back, trashing the grill and everything between it and I assume the water pump.
Depending on what insurance does, and whether the engine is ok, I may be in the market quite a lot of sheet metal, including the radiator support.

Michael

A straight hit probably wouldn't bend the frame rails. Our daughter was hit on the front side, which bent them sideways, so I had to bend back (wedged frame between 3 trees, used pole and come-along w/ chains. You will likely need a new radiator support, hood w/ grill, and maybe 2 fenders, plus headlamp assemblies. An opportune time to change to Euro headlamps if you want them (Depo is cheap, mine needed tweaks). Might be time for a new radiator anyway, and prices dropped to $130 (used to be $350, still for Behr brand).

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

116 or 126?

W126, 1983. Silver paint

The impact sheared almost all the sheet metal off the subframe without actually touching it. It should be a nuts and bolts job, passenger fender, radiator support, hood, and all sheet metal above the bumper.

I need to see the front of the engine before committing to repairing it. A casual glance looks like the radiator is touching the front of the engine. The responding officer had him try to move it. It started then “there was a pop and smoke came out so I shut it off”. Lots of coolant, only a small puddle of oily looking stuff.

Michael
Just south of SeaTac airport

And my first thought after making sure he was ok was, damn there go the brand new euro headlights. And that he’s now going to be driving the ‘74 F250 SuperCab.

Michael

Insurance gave me $3,000 for my 85SD and let me buy it back for a few hundred.That was several years ago. They used new MBC parts in the rebuild estimate which almost immediately put it in the totaled category.

I suspect that you will be in a similar situation. Try to negotiate the price up a little bit based on what you've recently done towards a "restoration". Carriers have a few dollars to throw to reduce the hassle factor.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

We don't have comprehensive coverage on the 300SD so it's all out of pocket for us.
I did look a bit more closely at the damage under the hood, at least what I can see from the outside. It looks like I might be able to straighten the radiator support and inner fender but the hood, grill, radiator and fender are toast.

His car dove under the bumper of the truck, just taking a small notch out of the upper bumper cover.

I hope to at least get the hood open next week, it's tech week for the current play so I've a ton of stuff to do this week. Next week might slow down a bit and it closes next Sunday so I should have time after that.

Michael

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Usta haves '69 250/8, '76 280C, 1971 250C 114.023, 1976 450SEL 116.033
Current have, 1983 300SD 126.120

Really nice SD. Do not give up on it.

I mentioned this response to Alex, he said "I will not"

He's 16, got his license in early July. The car has already been in 3 or 4 short films, he works for an Emmy award winning film maker.

Michael

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Usta haves '69 250/8, '76 280C, 1971 250C 114.023, 1976 450SEL 116.033
Current have, 1983 300SD 126.120

Beautiful car! Should be repairable. Very similar damage to when my wife hit a deer at 50MPH a few years ago in my W210 wagon. After a new radiator, condenser, fan assembly, some sledgehammering, pulling with a strap/ratchet, and new hood she was nearly good as new. (and it drove 100 miles home on its own power after the impact even with a twisted but not leaking radiator)

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

He tells me his girlfriend told him last week it should be named after Mary Shelley.

It may well end up looking like Frankenstein’s monster when we are done.

Michael

Having repaired my wagon for a similar hit, my best advice is to really check over the straightness. Mine got ever so slightly crinkled on the driver side and that wheel eats tires for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner even though it didn't seem that bad. I just haven't had the ambition to sort that out.

Otherwise you wouldn't be able to tell, so I can say they made replacing the sheet metal pretty easy. Had to do a whole new core support, hood, and miscellaneous little bits. Only other weird nagging issue is that somehow the power steering pump got squished so the cap leaks slightly. Wish I had known when I was replacing everything else.

So I guess my other advice is to really go over every component in the front and double check things like the motor mounts (mine got torn).

Another idea; you could simply call LKQ or some other scrap yard and sell it for scrap. then use that money towards purchasing another 300SD that hasn't been wrecked.

Just an idea...

I totally hear you on the insurance/comprehensive/collision issue. It doesn't make a lot of sense to carry full coverage on cars that are over 30 years old. I'm thinking of knocking mine back to liability only to save $$$$$.

That damage isn't bad enough to give up on it, its all high up/sheet metal, I doubt the lower structure has much if any damage at least based on the photos.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)