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  #31  
Old 04-08-2020, 02:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 280EZRider View Post
A huge undertaking, well done!

In your first post you mention water in the rear foot-well. While the rust from the battery tray in your case can definitely be a cause, keep in mind that on the W123 with no rust issues this can still happen with the cause being a bad windshield seal.
I knew it was rust in behind the battery because when I removed the batter I could fit my hand in the hole behind it. I didn't have time to weld in a proper panel so I cut out all the rust, treated the metal and put in a fiberglass patch.

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I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]
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  #32  
Old 04-29-2020, 03:47 PM
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What are you planning to use for the undercoating? I did quite a bit of rust repair on my 1983 300TD and I am ready for undercoating now. I played around with some cheap rustoleum undercoating in a can and it worked pretty well but it would not build up nearly as thick as the stock undercoating so it is very noticeable where the patches are located (especially on the rocker panels). I feel like the only way to build up the undercoating to match the stock undercoating as closely as possible would be to get some sort of brush on under coating, does any one have any insight in this or have any suggestions?

Thanks

Von
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  #33  
Old 04-30-2020, 12:34 PM
vwnate1's Avatar
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sunny So. Cal. !
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Post Undercoating

When I was building used cars we used 3M 'schut', I've prolly mis spelled it but give it a look .

Available in brush on or spray, it takes a special large nozzle spray gun to shoot on .
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  #34  
Old 05-01-2020, 11:49 AM
DeliveryValve's Avatar
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Location: Central California
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3m Rocker Schutz is good stuff. But you need a schutz gun (preferably an adjustable type) to spray it on.

The aerosol equivalent is Transtar 4303 color white or 4313 color black Tex Coat. I think it matches the factory texture well and is paintable.


https://www.ecstuning.com/b-transtar-parts/transtar-black-tex-coat-chip-guard/tre4313~tre/


.
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  #35  
Old 07-06-2020, 09:06 AM
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Back at it.

So the 'Rona is dying off in my area and we're pretty cautious about opening back up. I decided to take a drive over to the shop and get some work done.

Other than a nice coat of dust on top of my car, everything is about the same as I left her. Thankfully I left one of my Makita batteries on the charger so she was ready for me when I got back to her.

As is normal, I attacked the rust where I knew it was, and found more.

This is the driver's left side foot well where the vacuum lines run. The corner of the channel was rusted through so I cut off the rust on the upright bit.






Vacuumed all of that crud out, and then started probing and cutting until I hit metal.

That's a nice big hole.

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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]
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  #36  
Old 07-06-2020, 09:09 AM
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Since I was running short of time and couldn't start on the patch for the hole in the previous post, I decided to finish up some welding on another patch and open up the hole in the floor that started this hole mess.

This used to be the driver's rear left seat mount. Now it's a nice big hole with metal all around.


More to come this week now that I feel comfortable getting back in the garage.
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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]

Last edited by martureo; 07-06-2020 at 09:26 AM.
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  #37  
Old 07-06-2020, 10:39 PM
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Talking The 'Hole Mess'

I see what you did there =8-) .

It's looking good and far smaller rust than the cars in New England where I grew up .

Please post the repair images too .
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1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better
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  #38  
Old 07-07-2020, 10:44 AM
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Location: Tucson, AZ
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here's a handy addition to your shop tools. Forget that sloppy, old cut off wheel mess. Nice clean cuts, no burnt metal edges, no grit flying every where, no sparks, etc. DOES require PPE and an air compressor but it is a heck of a lot nicer and easier on the body.

https://healthyhandyman.com/best-air-reciprocating-saws-guide/

I have the Astro but I have used the Ingersoll-Rand. The I-R's a little easier vibration-wise but not so much as you'd notice for doing the cuts on the floor panels. Buy the GOOD blades and an air whip ball swivel.
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  #39  
Old 07-07-2020, 12:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike D View Post
here's a handy addition to your shop tools. Forget that sloppy, old cut off wheel mess. Nice clean cuts, no burnt metal edges, no grit flying every where, no sparks, etc. DOES require PPE and an air compressor but it is a heck of a lot nicer and easier on the body.

https://healthyhandyman.com/best-air-reciprocating-saws-guide/

I have the Astro but I have used the Ingersoll-Rand. The I-R's a little easier vibration-wise but not so much as you'd notice for doing the cuts on the floor panels. Buy the GOOD blades and an air whip ball swivel.
So I did go this route initially. I didn't know I'd have access to air in this garage when I rented it. I purchased a Makita battery powered, mini reciprocating saw (XRJ01Z).



The main issues are that the metal is thin and wears out blades quickly in one spot (yes, the stop can be adjusted, but only so much), the blade is blindly going through the metal and I can't see what it's going to cut behind the work; and finally, the metal vibrates like crazy with the saw.

I did end up using a plasma cutter for some of the larger pieces out of the body panels, but even that was overkill.

Right now a mini cutoff wheel in my Makita drill does the job. I'm on the market for an air cutoff tool, but as some of these spaces are quite cramped the drill might be easier to maneuver.
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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]
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  #40  
Old 07-07-2020, 01:12 PM
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Umm, the "saw" you were using is no where near what I am talking about.

Here's a better idea. I have little hands but you can get an idea of how small the actual saw is. I was wrong, the saw I have is not the Astro version. The saw is a Matco tool number made by Ingersoll Rand.

I said, use the good and I should have said the "proper" blades. Those flimsy blades you were attempting to use are useless for sheet metal work.

Click image for larger version

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ID:	158434

Click image for larger version

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ID:	158435
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Last edited by Mike D; 07-07-2020 at 01:31 PM.
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  #41  
Old 07-07-2020, 01:32 PM
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,244
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike D View Post
Umm, the "saw" you were using is no where near what I am talking about.

Here's a better idea. I have little hands but you can get an idea of how small the actual saw is. The saw is a Matco tool number made by Astro.

I said, use the good and I should have said the "proper" blades. Those flimsy blades you were attempting to use are useless for sheet metal work.

Attachment 158434

Attachment 158435
To clarify, the saw I bought is nothing more than a battery powered version of what you posted. The picture I posted shows how a user can hold and control the tool (yes, with one hand). There's a level style actuator which one can very precisely control the speed of the saw. The pistol grip with trigger is a second way to operate the tool.

As as to "proper" blades, I tried several different brands. Milwaukee had some something or other coated blade which did the best (with 28 TPI), but it was still a pain in the backside.
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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]
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  #42  
Old 07-07-2020, 01:41 PM
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Ah well, if it's working for you then it's a good thing.

There is a BIG difference between the 3000 strokes per minute of the Makita and the 10,000 SPM of the air powered one.
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Last edited by Mike D; 07-07-2020 at 01:41 PM. Reason: missed a zero
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  #43  
Old 07-20-2020, 01:18 PM
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Driver's floor continued

I finally got back in the shop to continue the previously pictured rust which had been cut out.

After cutting the rust out, grinding/wirebrushing away the undercoating of an area and cleaning up any soundproofing of the surface, I can start to cut out a patch.

Large section of patch.



Then an approximate tracing of the patch area.



I start by cutting a larger than necessary piece and slowly trim it down to the approximate size.

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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]
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  #44  
Old 07-20-2020, 01:25 PM
He/Him
 
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Location: DC Metro/Maryland
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It takes quite awhile (about an hour) to go from a crudely cut patch to a fitted one.



Once I'm satisfied that the patch fits as well as I think I can get, I'll hit it with two coats of weld through primer. Then fit it back into the cavity and get ready to weld.



As the various steps of grinding and fitting might bend the patch a bit out of shape, I pick a section to begin the weld and tack in a few inches of it. I'm most likely going to need to hammer another section back into shape so I want it fixed at one point.

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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]
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  #45  
Old 07-20-2020, 01:34 PM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
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Posts: 13,244
I continue welding using a stitch weld until a section is complete, then adjust the patch to that the seams meet all the way around.



The last few welds in this shot weren't great. I couldn't figure out what was going on as the welds seemed a bit more porous, it just didn't want to weld. Then I remembered something, checked it and sure enough I was out of shielding gas.

I'm not sure if I'll leave these or cut them out and weld them again. (Sorry, not a great shot)



Since I still had some daylight and would have to wait a day until the gas supply shop would open, I ground down the rest of the welds to inspect and get it ready for seam sealer.


To clarify, I'm not grinding these welds flush. I leave a bit proud of the surface so to avoid accidentally grinding the metal on each side. The weld bead is already the strongest part of the floor and I don't want to make the sections of the floor next to the seam any thinner. Seam sealer will smooth the transition enough as will the paint I'll apply over that. So I'm not worried about water getting trapped in the corners.



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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]
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