When does frame-rail rust finally kill a finny? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Hecke-ster · #1 04-23-2006, 01:46 PM

Greetings,

I finally got the ol' finny back home form a storage location that I had it at right after I bought it. I'm getting excited and ready to tackle this major project. I "rescued" the vehical for very cheap, but I knew it was a real gamble because there is some significant rail-rust at the front driver side quadtrant, just at the back of the wheel well. It has taken out a portion of the driver's floor, plus some of the frame-rail going back. There is a wide hole right at the bottom-back of the wheel-well which let water get in and do it's work for quite a while it seems. It is a real shame that the people that drove this before me would let things like this just go and go. So much of that damage could have been nipped in the bud with proper attention.

So... I figured that because the diesel engine is still running pretty well, at the very least I would have a good engine and parts car for restoring a better one with a better body but dead-engine if I cannot restore this one.

Oh, I almost forgot also that battery juice probably dripped down on the inside of the wheel well on that side and rusted out holes in that portion.... I am really praying that I can somehow get some reinforcement welding done to rescue the whole thing! The body is pretty straight all-around, but the interior is pretty musty and in need of some major renovation. I know that this will never be a primo restoration, so I don't care too much how ugly reinforcing the frame metal would be so long as it's not visible from the outside shell.

Anyway, these questions might be difficult to fully answer without some pictures. I will try to take some later this morning and post them for follow-up.

Thanks.

hellflosse · #2 04-23-2006, 02:21 PM

I might sound a bit mercenary, but as a non-Mercedes person I could never see performing rust repair on a car as nearly worthless as a W110 or 111, but that's just me.

Now if you can get down to LA, I can give you the number of a guy that has a totally rust free 190 gas with dead motor for $300 or so.

cth350 · #3 04-24-2006, 07:18 AM

- If it's too ugly to drive, don't.
- If you lift it with a jack under the front axle and the doors have a problem opening and closing, you've got serious trouble.
- Nobody likes being splashed in the face while driving.
- If you find a cat in the car come the morning when all the windows are shut, you have a problem.

Nows time to learn how weld.

Is your car as bad as this one? It's a thread titled "A sad ending - Not for the squeamish" over on the m-100 group site.
http://www.m-100.cc/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=608

Karsten · #4 04-24-2006, 09:20 AM

[QUOTE=cth350- If you find a cat in the car come the morning when all the windows are shut, you have a problem.

[/QUOTE]

Haha, I have a parts car which acts a "cat house" for the neighbours cat. It enters through a hole in the floor. I guess I should take a picture of this some day

Karsten

Tomguy · #5 04-24-2006, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cth350

- If you lift it with a jack under the front axle and the doors have a problem opening and closing, you've got serious trouble.

Wow, now that would be one bendy frame!

psfred · #6 04-24-2006, 12:01 PM

Ha! Don't try opening and closing the doors on a Buick Century with one corner jacked up -- won't work! They open, but the body flexes so much that they won't close properly.....

Peter

Hecke-ster · #7 04-24-2006, 12:50 PM

Hellflosse,

It's indeed good to learn that these are "worthless" mercedes. That should make finding other parts cars easy and cheap. In fact, I can indeed get over to LA, so I would like you to contact that guy and tell him that I will come and pick up that 190 for free. Since they're worthless I'm sure he'll understand and agree to it. I'll take yours off your hands as well, Thanks!

To answer some other peoples' questions:

>> No, a cat cannot slip through any holes.

>> It needs quite a bit of cleaning, but it is far from ugly to behold and I would not be embarrassed to be seen driving it. I wouldn't have bought it if that were the case.

>> Jacking it up on the axle sounds like an interesting idea. I will maybe give that a try today and see what happens. It seems like there is a lot of structural integrity left, so I am doubting it will bend at all under a "load" like that.

Restoring a car like this is certainly not something I expect to make a profit on. It is a hobby for me, like a very large puzzle that needs solving. I like to hawk out the best parts for the cheapest prices and such, and I'm not in a hurry. I get my hands dirty and learn the engineering that went into it with my own experience. It doesn't take eight years of training and a specialized computer to work on either. At the end I hope to have a driveable classic for occasional use that is pleasing to ME. The way energy prices are going also, the market for old diesels might heat up considerably. AGAIN however, the value for me would be in having a car I can still afford to fill up (with bio-oils). That is a "HND" (Whole 'Nutha Discussion) however which I'm sure has been batted around in the general diesel discussion group.

Thanks for all the input. I'll try to post pics soon.

----------------------------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellflosse

I might sound a bit mercenary, but as a non-Mercedes person I could never see performing rust repair on a car as nearly worthless as a W110 or 111, but that's just me.

Now if you can get down to LA, I can give you the number of a guy that has a totally rust free 190 gas with dead motor for $300 or so.

Furious D · #8 04-24-2006, 08:01 PM

Hecke-ster, it's good to see others in the process of restoring these "worthless" cars as well! Try and get some pictures up, but by the way you describe the rust it's not that bad. If you've got the time and skills, and enjoy this as a hobby, then it sounds like a worthwhile project. I've "restored" a few old Volvo's, and while they may not be worth a lot of money, it's a good feeling to get them back on the road again. Now I'm tackling a Fintail as well. As far as the metalwork goes, be sure to use good quality metal. Also make sure that once repaired everything is sealed/coated up nicely. If you do it right you will have a car that will be enjoyable for years to come. Enjoy!

t walgamuth · #9 04-24-2006, 08:26 PM

if you are a non mercedes person perhaps you should go post your negative comments on a non mercedes forum.

tom w

Hecke-ster · #10 04-24-2006, 08:54 PM

Tom (Good Sir),

Suggesting the somebody's chosen project is worthless didn't strike me as all that positive a way to start a reply to a thread. My reply was quite in jest, but it's all in how you read things perhaps? Perhaps I was reading your original reply in the wrong way? Jokes or sarcasm don't always translate well in plain text.

I am confused by what you mean by "non mercedes person" as well. I own a mercedes. What other credentials might I need? If you don't care about these worthless cars, why were you responding to me? Perhaps it would be better to focus on issues and cars you yourself care about?

Let's just drop it though. I'm ready to move on.

davestlouis · #11 04-24-2006, 09:10 PM

I probably should keep my nose out of this, but if I'm reading these posts correctly, Tom is responding to hellflosse's comments, that could be taken as pejorative toward these cars, if they are not meant in jest.

davestlouis · #12 04-24-2006, 09:10 PM

I wish I had a finny, BTW.

t walgamuth · #13 04-24-2006, 10:17 PM

indeed i was referring to the negative comments by hellflosse. heck-flosse's answer to them was commendably humerous and good spirited. i dont like it when someone is ridiculed for their choice of a project.

i remember well all the hopeless cases (cars less interesting than a finney) that i spent hours fixing up so i could have some fun with them not caring if they would ever be valuable or not, just wanting to learn and have fun.

perhaps i was too harsh on hellflosse. if so i apologize.

tom w

hellflosse · #14 04-25-2006, 01:16 AM

My comment reads much worse than I intended it. Poor choice of words and I'm sorry for that.

I didn't mean nearly worthless as in "Of no redeeming value to me", I meant it as "having very little MONETARY value to most people". I think they are amazingly cool cars and can't wait to get one. And by "non mercedes person" I mean "I don't currently own one". I'm looking for a heckflosse of my own to drive/restore.

I was just commenting on the fact that, sadly, most of these cars aren't worth very much $ on ebay, etc. I'm looking at buying the 190 mentioned above even though rebuilding the engine and getting it on the road again will most likely cost far more than I can sell the car for. Sucks, but I do know where you are coming from.

At least by the end of it you will know how to sling a wire feed with authority, which is a skill worth at least as much as a rusted-out W110!

t walgamuth · #15 04-25-2006, 09:08 AM

good for you.

thanks for clarifying.

tom w