Titivating my Mercedes 124
Discussion
We should not forget that while yours has had exceptional amounts of no-expense-spared effort applied to it, it has also had a much more productive and voluminous working life than the vast majority of other 124s in the UK. And I think I am right in saying that it's always, or at least mostly, lived outdoors. So I think it's pretty reasonable to expect some other car, ideally with shagged mechanicals or stuffed at the opposite end, to provide it with a repair section
Some interesting pictures of the rot and also the replacement parts. Someone had fun with a Stihl saw! I got both corners: Paul can practice on the other corner first. Baister reckons the rot is attributable to wet leaves being stuck up there. Paul observed that the hinge is almost seized solid (as is the strut) such that enormous stress has been placed on the hinge mounting point.
This cross-section is fun:
This cross-section is fun:
This looks like the stuff of nightmares. I have said this a number of times in this thread, but I really can see this being the end of the road this time.
Here is the attempt to remove the relevant part on the practice side. I am struggling to see how the part can be fitted without removing the roof. Which is really not on the cards.
Grrr.
Here is the attempt to remove the relevant part on the practice side. I am struggling to see how the part can be fitted without removing the roof. Which is really not on the cards.
Grrr.
Oa, you know I was really worried about killing the car but with your pick up idea you have saved the day. If it cannot be fixed it will become a pick up.
Hopefully the Man will be able to fix it. I'll be really pissed off if not, I feel like I have put a lot into it this year. I'm already browsing for potential replacements. I think a Japanese import E320 estate rather than a s210 E55 AMG. But I don't think I have the stomach to do all the work I did on this one a second time.
Hopefully the Man will be able to fix it. I'll be really pissed off if not, I feel like I have put a lot into it this year. I'm already browsing for potential replacements. I think a Japanese import E320 estate rather than a s210 E55 AMG. But I don't think I have the stomach to do all the work I did on this one a second time.
I have just returned from the Man's premises. It is easy to be blazé about Paul's skills but he has really excelled himself this time. I really thought the time had come for this car but it would appear not. He has removed the offending parts from the car (or what is left of them), created access to the relevant area, removed the needed parts from the donor without damaging them, and then figured out a satisfactory method of reassembly.
Here is a view of what is left of the car. You will remember that the tailgate hinge is bolted to a cup which is concealed internally within the top of the rear pillar.
And more to the point, here is what is left of the hinge mounting point or cup:
This is the replacement extracted from the donor. This gives you an idea of how it all works and how badly rotten the old part was.
Here is where the "new" cup has to go:
And here is where it came from.
Now, fitting the new cup to my car obviously cannot be a reversal of the process of removal from the donor. It is not possible to get at the top-most spot welds without removing or cutting a hole in the roof. Rather the inaccessible inner faces will be bonded using a structural adhesive. The accessible faces will be spot welded as from the factory. And the long seams will be mig braised or mig welded as appropriate. Finally, the inner part of the pillar will be spot welded back into place, again, as it was from the factory:
Liberal use will be made of zinc primer and anti-corrosion cavity wax.
Finally, here is a shot of the replacement (left) and new (right) hinges. The rot is obvious to see; my hinges were also seized almost solid, the difference between them is night and day, the stress on the corroded cup mounting must have been enormous.
While I was there I saw rejn's (rather gorgeous) 300 TE-24 in paint, baking in the booth. This is going to be one hell of a car when it is finished...
Here is a view of what is left of the car. You will remember that the tailgate hinge is bolted to a cup which is concealed internally within the top of the rear pillar.
And more to the point, here is what is left of the hinge mounting point or cup:
This is the replacement extracted from the donor. This gives you an idea of how it all works and how badly rotten the old part was.
Here is where the "new" cup has to go:
And here is where it came from.
Now, fitting the new cup to my car obviously cannot be a reversal of the process of removal from the donor. It is not possible to get at the top-most spot welds without removing or cutting a hole in the roof. Rather the inaccessible inner faces will be bonded using a structural adhesive. The accessible faces will be spot welded as from the factory. And the long seams will be mig braised or mig welded as appropriate. Finally, the inner part of the pillar will be spot welded back into place, again, as it was from the factory:
Liberal use will be made of zinc primer and anti-corrosion cavity wax.
Finally, here is a shot of the replacement (left) and new (right) hinges. The rot is obvious to see; my hinges were also seized almost solid, the difference between them is night and day, the stress on the corroded cup mounting must have been enormous.
While I was there I saw rejn's (rather gorgeous) 300 TE-24 in paint, baking in the booth. This is going to be one hell of a car when it is finished...
I was rather gutted that the end might have been near after all the work and expense you've put into this.Zonergem said:
Huzzah!!
I wonder if that resprayed W124 is this one which was there in late July or just another one on the (re)production line...
That's the one. It's a really nice spec. Brazil brown leather, automatic climate control, orthopaedic, lecky memory seats, 7 seats, cruise control. It has been there since the spring.I wonder if that resprayed W124 is this one which was there in late July or just another one on the (re)production line...
I'd be surprised if anyone knows better how to dismantle and re-assemble a 124 than the Man. Nor how better to deal with the model's weak spots. Especially not when price is a factor. Couple his bodywork expertise with his proximity to Baister and Dunston should be the place to go if you want your 124 doing up but haven't got £25k to spend.
He has done at least seven 124s that I can think of, three 201s and at least three 129s.
Edited by r129sl on Wednesday 18th October 21:04
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