1978 280SE Rust, rust, rust

[skot2]

Hello All:

In the throws of restoring this great car. I have encountered surface rust..............not a problem aka BONDO . I am now at the rear quarter panels...............man! The left (passenger side) is DOA. The wells in the trunk are compeletly gone on both sides.............wheel well on drivers side is intact. My question is.....what was the construction material of the wells in the trunk. It seems to have some type of insulation with sheetmetal and some type of coating. Does anyone have insight into the correct fix. I am going to definitely have to replace the 1/4 and rocker on the passenger side. Does anyone know of a reasonable supplier?? Thanks for any information you can provide.

Best Regards,
Scott 78 280 SE/CE

[alabbasi]

Welcome to my club I own a very rusty 450SEL that I am in the middle of repairing and my car is pretty much suffering from rust in the same places.
See the attached link for pictures:
http://alabbasi.netfirms.com/www/450SEL_pic.htm
Currently I have purchased the fenders from another lister, the rocker panels from the Mercedes Benz Dealer (at a cost of $600 dollars). And the rear quarters are currently getting cut off another 450SEL at a yard 100 miles away from where i live.

As you own a 280SE, you can still get aftermarket rocker panels at less then $100 dollars each. You can also get wheelarch repair sections.

Once place to find these parts is http://www.rustrepair.com. Good luck and post some pictures. We would love to see the progress your making.

[Gregg Bambo Jr.]

See one of the threads in: 108 chassis body work question.
for a possible solution to preventing further rust damage after your repair. The material I used is the same as used in pickup trunk beds.

[skot2]

Originally Posted by alabbasi

Welcome to my club I own a very rusty 450SEL that I am in the middle of repairing and my car is pretty much suffering from rust in the same places.
See the attached link for pictures:
http://alabbasi.netfirms.com/www/450SEL_pic.htm
Currently I have purchased the fenders from another lister, the rocker panels from the Mercedes Benz Dealer (at a cost of $600 dollars). And the rear quarters are currently getting cut off another 450SEL at a yard 100 miles away from where i live.

As you own a 280SE, you can still get aftermarket rocker panels at less then $100 dollars each. You can also get wheelarch repair sections.

Once place to find these parts is http://www.rustrepair.com. Good luck and post some pictures. We would love to see the progress your making.

Thanks for the feedback and the pics. I will check out the sights and let you know. I found the rocker panels at Adsitco...........the exact price you said...........It will be a beauty once I am done.

Scott

[skot2]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bambo Jr.

See one of the threads in: 108 chassis body work question.
for a possible solution to preventing further rust damage after your repair. The material I used is the same as used in pickup trunk beds.

Thanks for the reply. I had thought the same, the spray on type rubber molding. I think once I get the quarters repair, I will try that.............

Scott

[Benzcrusher]

I can provide nice rear quarters from a southern "belle"