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  #121  
Old 05-12-2021, 07:41 PM
vwnate1's Avatar
Diesel Dandy
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sunny So. Cal. !
Posts: 7,717
Thumbs up As Always......

THANX for the help guys ! .

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-Nate
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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  #122  
Old 06-07-2021, 07:36 PM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,249
Still chugging along, bit by bit.


I managed to find a fender, mostly rust free (although advertised as rust free) in North Carolina. $150 and a 9 hour road trip on a Saturday with my oldest son.


For reference, here's the old one where it mounts to the body.



And here's the new one.





The rest of it was flawless outside of some failing clearcoat, but the tops of the fastener recess feature were gone and there was some section that I ended up cutting out and replacing as the metal had rusted a bit thinner. Sorry, no pics of the process, but here's the fender after sanding, priming (outside) and sealing (inside). I decided to try out Miracle Paint as I was running empty on POR-15.



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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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  #123  
Old 06-07-2021, 07:39 PM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,249



Inside.





This was after two coats. Prepped it well with acetone, second coat after scuffing it dull with 400 grit sandpaper (wet), washing with water and wiping with acetone again. Time will tell how it holds up, but it seems pretty solid and thick.


__________________
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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  #124  
Old 06-07-2021, 07:46 PM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,249
As for the inner fender repairs, I got myself a finger belt sander that has helped a bit, but I'm still struggling with the cramped space and getting the welds nice enough. I think I'm going to end up getting it as best I can, building up the welds on the inside and outside of the panel before grinding it back and calling it a day with some seam sealer and a few heavy coats of Miracle Paint.


Here's where we started.





And here's were we are now.





The rust kept going all the way to the right where you can see the lovely booger welds. I've had to get creative on how to weld back there as the gun, my view, my welding helmet and a light all have to fit in a very tight area.



The reddish brown stuff you see is a metal primer that I used in a rush when I knew it was going to rain for a few days and I didn't want my work to get covered in rust. The car is under a nice thick tarp, but I didn't want surface rust forming. Whenever I work on a section I just wire wheel the primer away.



__________________
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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  #125  
Old 06-07-2021, 08:34 PM
vwnate1's Avatar
Diesel Dandy
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sunny So. Cal. !
Posts: 7,717
Thumbs up Yet _MORE_ Progress !

This all looks good to me .

I hate it when folks lie and claim rust free and there's not only rust but HOLES


I borrowed a heat gun and am on my way to beginning to change my L.F. fender .

Keep going ! .
__________________
-Nate
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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  #126  
Old 06-28-2021, 09:49 AM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,249
NO MORE GAPING HOLE!

I finally got around to fixing the drain after assuring myself that the welds elsewhere were as clean and watertight as I could get them.

Sorry, not intermediate photos, only those after welding, grinding and painting.



The whole area including inside the hinge pocket gets several nice coats and we can move on to putting things back together.



Almost fully welded.

__________________
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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  #127  
Old 06-28-2021, 09:55 AM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,249
When I pulled the grommets through the firewall behind the battery to get better access to the rust in that area both grommets came to bits. They definitely weren't holding any water back.

This is the better of the two. Or at least what's left of it.



New ones were 123 997 32 81 for both, $7 each.

Only a few cable ends to chase down, disconnect and urge through this thing. I ended up having to take each connector apart to slide the individual contacts through, which wasn't terrible. But definitely worth it. I haven't done the other yet which will definitely be more fun.



__________________
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; 06-28-2021 at 03:56 PM.
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  #128  
Old 06-28-2021, 04:02 PM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,249
Some final pictures after grinding and painting.





I can't tell you the satisfaction of pushing that grommet in a freshly painted firewall. That thing is snug. There's plenty to go, but the little victories are nice.

__________________
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]
Reply With Quote
  #129  
Old 06-28-2021, 05:01 PM
vwnate1's Avatar
Diesel Dandy
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sunny So. Cal. !
Posts: 7,717
Thumbs up Good Job !

I too like to see a job well done .

Last chance for a FREE, rust free left front W123 fender before I bin it .

Has a big shallow dent , in Los Angeles .
__________________
-Nate
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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  #130  
Old 06-29-2021, 10:47 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 57
This looks like a really great repair.

I saw a video of rust around this area on a RHD car, and the Youtuber (I like his channel) is afraid this area on his car (not saying the OP's rust is as bad as the case in the video) might be structural and therefore it is unsafe to repair. He is not a W123 specialist or anything so I would be curious to read opinions on that from people on this forum:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5S6bCaKeLA
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  #131  
Old 07-02-2021, 10:16 AM
vwnate1's Avatar
Diesel Dandy
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sunny So. Cal. !
Posts: 7,717
Post A Pillar Rust

That guy's a twit ~ he's not safety conscious , I wasn't either when I was young and got steel in my eye and nearly lost it .

Anyway, that's serious rust but hardly structural .
__________________
-Nate
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
Reply With Quote
  #132  
Old 07-03-2021, 08:15 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 5,358
Probably overkill for most DIY jobbers but this is what I use to clean up welds in those tricky grooved/dimpled areas. Pricey also but when you are doing restorations, you spend what you have to.

https://www.ebay.com/p/1424615238

Click image for larger version

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I prefer the carbide burrs because they don't heat the steel as much as a grinder does while reducing the weld. They are tricky to master and face shield, gloves, hearing protection and dust mask are needed. Chuck the bits into a 1/4" die grinder, electric is preferred due to not having the air hose to deal with.

I rough the welds with a grinder and go back and clean up with the carbide burrs.

Be prepared to not have any feeling in your hands for a bit after use.
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  #133  
Old 07-05-2021, 09:34 PM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,249
Quote:
Originally Posted by YousefTAK View Post
This looks like a really great repair.

I saw a video of rust around this area on a RHD car, and the Youtuber (I like his channel) is afraid this area on his car (not saying the OP's rust is as bad as the case in the video) might be structural and therefore it is unsafe to repair. He is not a W123 specialist or anything so I would be curious to read opinions on that from people on this forum:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5S6bCaKeLA
I agree with others, its not a structural issue at all. It sucks to repair that area but its not a safety issue. The way he's working certainly is a safety issue.



If you want to see some decent repairs done to a w123 and some excellent stop motion work, check out Soup Classis Motoring on YouTube. Guy is making things happen on a different level and getting YouTube and Patreon to fund it.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lJUTskNl74&t=736s
__________________
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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  #134  
Old 07-06-2021, 09:13 AM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,249
Moving back inside now that I'm comfortable that I know where the water ingress points are and have made progress to seal them.

I used the old jig I created to put the cutoff section of the seat channel back in place.



Welded.

As you can see from this next picture, the spot welded positions (which I drilled out to do plug welds) didn't line up with the body as I wanted. I ended up hammering these a bit more into place and then plug welding as best as I could.

I'm not happy, but I'll live with it.


__________________
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]
Reply With Quote
  #135  
Old 07-06-2021, 09:19 AM
He/Him
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: DC Metro/Maryland
Posts: 13,249
Further cutting up my old floor repairs that I wasn't happy with. A nice big gaping hole.

You can just barely see it, but I ended up cleaning up the inside of the rocker panel as far as I could reach and then coated it internally with Rust Encapsulator Plus. I'm going to spray cavity wax in the rockers, but I figure where I can reach I should provide as much rust prevention as possible.



And a flashback to the same area.


__________________
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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