My delima...

My 1982 240D daily driver has reached the point where I think the rust level is just too dangerous. The drivers side floor pan in the back has collapsed through the floor and the seatbelt anchor in the side of the floor pan is also rusted clean out. The passenger side is almost just as bad. Also on both sides the rust has eaten into the front of the rockers just ahead of the jackpoints and started eating through the firewall and has totlay destroyed both rocker covers and also has started eating up the front fenders.

I hate to demolish this car though as I have all the paperwork including original owners manuals and every maintenance receipt since new.Motor and body #'s match as well. It just had the bad misfortune of being a new York car early in it's life and having PO's that never dealt with the windshield leaks properly. I found a 300D in the local yard I was considering just sawing out the entire corner pieces for the front. I also have a klokerholm full driver floorpan and rocker I ordered before I realized just how bad it was. Against all odds I also managed to get the passenger side front Rocker cap from a Mercedes outfit going out of business. I'm trying to decide if I want to put all this effort and time into repairing this massive amount of rust or if it may be easier to just retire it and strip it clean of parts and sell the frame for scrap. The motor runs great. It has rebuilt injectors with new nozzles, replaced the valve seals, all new thermostat and water pump, oh and it's also a 4 speed manual! Interior is good oringinal capret and mats are in great shape, dash has ZERO cracks. yes ZERO cracks. AC was retrofitted and works with an all new compressor, just refinished all the wood as well. Flawless original headliner. That I worry about most. IF I do strip it I am worried I will rip or tear the headliner trying to get it out. And I have seen what those go for used and new.($$$$$)

So is it worth it to try to fix this?

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1978 Mercedes 240D
1981 Mercedes 240D
1982 Mercedes 240D