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Expensive repair, no going back


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Posted

I've been looking for a suitable bodyshop to repair the rear panel on my W123 230E. Spots of rust were coming up from beneath the screen rubber:

 

rust1.jpg

 

Having received over the phone estimates of approx £1,000, I paid a visit to my local repair man. As luck would have it, a mobile windscreen fitter was around and kindly removed the rear screen (for £50) to reveal some serious grot:

 

rust5.jpg

 

rust4.jpg

 

rust3.jpg

 

rust2.jpg

 

There's no going back now! All the rust will be cut out and repair sections will be fabricated and welded in before the whole rear panel and wing tops get sprayed. Considering the Merc is a keeper and I want the job done properly, I don't mind paying almost £500 for the repair.

 

All being well I should have the Merc back by this time next week. To cheer me up, I also took some photographs of the tidy engine bay:

 

Engine2.jpg

 

Engine1.jpg

Posted

Oof, that didn't look like much rust until the screen was out. What a nice car though.

 

Coincidentally repairing under-screen rubber rust is what I've been doing this week, except replace "Mercedes" with "Mini", "windscreen fitter" with "windscreen broken by amateur" and "fabricated and welded" with "bodged".

Posted

Ouch. Theres nothing quite like the sinking feeling you get when discover rust is far worse than it at first appears is there?

Posted

Ouch!

Well, I guess this is a one-time only job, and once it's done you'll sleep better at night.... It's always nice when people spend a bit of cash bringing not hugely desireable old cars* up to scratch, so I salute you for that!

 

 

 

*No offence, you know what I mean

Posted

I was mentally prepared for the worst, which is why I kept my composure when I saw the state of the rear panel once the screen came out.

 

The rest of the car is in very good condition, hence why I am not going anywhere near it with P38 and old newspaper.

 

Some jobs are best left to the experts.

Posted
*No offence, you know what I mean

 

Barrett, you're a complete wanker for saying that. I will never speak to you again. I hope your knob drops off next time you take a piss.

Posted
*No offence, you know what I mean

 

Barrett, you're a complete wanker for saying that. I will never speak to you again. I hope your knob drops off next time you take a piss.

 

Better not tell you what I think of that model then.... :shock:

Posted

Well done for biting the bullet. That sort of stuff is so easy to just keep putting off - just like I am with the BX windscreen. I know the screen needs to come out, but I'm so reluctant to do it!

 

Presume you've checked the 'roof' of the boot area below that?

Posted
Barrett, you're a complete wanker for saying that. I will never speak to you again. I hope your knob drops off next time you take a piss.

 

you are one of/all of my ex-girlfriends, AICMFP

Posted

Thats the kind shit appearing around my Rover, particularly around the boot sill area and the sunroof surround. I'm happy to spend the money and get the car up to scratch. I just need the money. Sadly myself and money always runs away from me when I aquire it.

Posted

Well done on biting the bullet! its just the thing that will only have got bigger, and more complicated to sort if left. Im afraid Im all too guilty of burying my head in the sand with this sort of thing, but in this instance I had the same thing done to my w123T, only the front screen, this summer. I tend to be a bit paranoid about water leaks, to the extent of being quite pleased when a prospective purchase turns out not to have a sunroof. Nice number plates- are they pressed metal? are they the originals?

Posted

good on ya for preserving it, it'll reward you with another 30 years of good service 8)

Posted

When its a keeper, you need to think that a new car will cost you £300pm. If you pay £150pm on an old classic you will have a near perfect one in next to no time even of you simply pay someone else to do all the work.

 

Plus you will look pretty fly at the same time.

Posted
Barrett, you're a complete wanker for saying that. I will never speak to you again. I hope your knob drops off next time you take a piss.

 

you are one of/all of my ex-girlfriends, AICMFP

 

Dude, you obviously failed to pick up the deeply imbedded humorous overtones of my response. I would have to be a fucking fat PMT lesbo to have meant those words, which I am not! No offence taken, whatsoever.

 

Perhaps I should start using smilies to clarify the mood of my posts!

Posted
Nice number plates- are they pressed metal? are they the originals?

 

They are pressed metal, cost approx £25 inc deliver via EBay. The original plastic plates were starting to look dirty.

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