Let's just say hypothetically... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

190D22 · #1 03-29-2004, 11:24 PM

... IF I were to find a 190 with a dead engine but perfect body what would be easier: engine swap or body swap? At a minimum I'd take the doors and fenders off the donor... What does it involve to take the entire body off a car? AM I NUTS?

md21722 · #2 03-29-2004, 11:34 PM

I think it depends on your experience and preference. I've swapped motors and suspension and the suspension is probably "easier" because its not as messy. No huge engine hoists & fluids spilling out. No logistically problems with having a high enough ceiling in the garage to pull both engine & trans together. I bought a few 190's and plan to make 2 good cars out of them, swapping suspension & interior parts (and now possibly the motor). I'll learn the interior and get back with you!

md21722 · #3 03-29-2004, 11:37 PM

Do you mean the entire door, or just the door panel. Not sure why you'd want to the doors? Since body work is more complicated & expensive, I would choose the one with the best overall body and swap drivetrain & interior parts as needed.

#4 03-30-2004, 08:07 AM

There is no such thing as removing the body from one of these cars. The body IS the car. They are a unibody car, no separate frame.

md offers good advice. Unless you are restoring a special interest car that is worth a ton of money, it's just not worth changing out doors and such. Find a car with a good body and use your car for a donor of drivetrain, suspension and other parts.

My $0.02,

P.E.Haiges · #5 03-30-2004, 10:24 AM

190D22,

The body is the car, especially MB with a unit body. When the body is worn or rusted out it is not economical to try to repair it.

However, mechanical parts are all made to be R&R with new, rebuilt or used parts.

So take the best body and put all the good parts into it and keep the other one for a parts car.

P E H

190D22 · #6 03-30-2004, 07:29 PM

Well I guess that's good because the only parts that are rusty on mine are the doors and fenders which I can see are change-able. My doors are getting pretty bad with rust and both front fenders have started to pop. My only concern with new body panels is the paint matching. If I were to find panels that are the same color as mine how close would they be? I know that if you have to do just a door or fender they have to paint that whole side so the paint matches... but can MB paint be matched without reshooting a whole side???

But I'm sure there's LOTS of work involved making a 190E with a dead engine (NOT MOTOR!!!!!) into a 190D with my drivetrain though...

psfred · #7 03-30-2004, 08:14 PM

I seriously doubt that JUST the fenders and doors are rusting -- I'd bet there is more rust than you think -- check the floor pans, front and rear subframe rails, rockers, etc.

Easier to swap a gas car to a diesel than to fix the rotten bodywork on a Benz.

MB has used unibody construction since 1953.

Peter

md21722 · #8 03-30-2004, 08:16 PM

Good paint men can 'blend' the paint without painting the whole side of the car.

190D22 · #9 03-30-2004, 10:49 PM

Well the undercoat of the 201 must be better than the 123s. Mine has 0 floorpan rust. While the car was in the shop getting a tranny swap I had the privilage to be under the car with no tranny and drive shaft in it while it was on the lift. This gave me a GREAT view of the underside and the undercoat is just fine. The only places with rust are the anti-roll bar (just surface stuff making the pain peel off of it), the front doors, the front fenders, and the rear jack points. Also there is a bit under the rear window but doesn't appear to be growing too fast (I haven't noticed a change in it since I noticed it).

It's not THAT much work to swap front fenders and front doors is it?... that seems to me to be less work than an engine (and whatever else I need) swap.

chuni959 · #10 11-28-2007, 06:58 PM

found this thread on a search. I just purchased a 190d 2.2 with significant body rust and was wondering the same thing. Whats cheaper? Gas to diesel or fixing rotten body?
Looks like ill be ensuring the drivetrain of this 190d is tip top and then just drive it till it looks too ugly to drive. I dont know if it broke, rusted through or it was removed but my car doesnt have a driver side rear strut! hahahhahahahha

babymog · #11 11-28-2007, 08:40 PM

Look carefully at the rocker panels in a 201, especially between the jack points and wheel openings.

shingleback · #12 11-28-2007, 09:58 PM

I would much rather do a drivetrain swap.