Use of Masking Tape and Other Tapes During Vehicle Assembly

[Tomnistuff]

I've seen a couple of restorer sites where they mention the use of "cloth tape like Mercedes used" and/or masking tape between panels and between the grill and the nose sheet metal during vehicle assembly.  When I disassembled my car, I found remnants of dried flaked masking tape and a couple of balls of dried and almost dried mastic in several places but not enough to understand its purpose.  It also looks like the rocker panels had old dried glue in the upper joint between the rocker panel covers and rocker panels, under the ribbed rubber strips in addition to the screws (or pop rivets in my case - don't ask!!!).  I also find in the EPC the rubber seal for the Partition Panels (front wheel house splash or dust shields), but in addition, I see listed another seal (A1138840091 - no longer available) as well as adhesive tape and sealing cord (15mm x 2mm purchased by the meter) for Partition Panels to Body Front End.

I've searched here and in the BBB, Chiltons, and Haynes and find no mention in the three manuals of Mercedes using, or how I should use, so much stuff to seal the car during assembly.  There are a couple of threads here that mention use of tape but not much detail.

I think it's time we started a Technical Manual section on "Body Assembly", like where (AND HOW) to use cloth tape / masking tape / mastic / and butyl tape during assembly to seal the car and avoid sheet metal rattles.  Unfortunately, my ignorance is almost complete and I come begging for information or sources for information of that type.

Tom Kizer

[mdsalemi]

Tom,

This kind of question seems right up the alley of our member Tom Collitt.  Don't think he is too active here lately--but try a pm and see what he says.

Today, of course, all kinds of these products are used--sometimes, it changes in a production run to fix squeaks, rattles, and fit issues.

[49er]

The masking tape between the body any grill is still pretty much intact on my car. Just ordinary masking tape from what I can tell and I will try to remember to take some photos the next time I take the grill off for some "deep cleaning"

John

[Tomnistuff]

I`ve sent Tom Colitt a note, forwarding the first post in this thread.

I`ve been studying details of some of the restoration sites' diaporamas.  There appears to be masking tape and cloth tape in lots of places.  There is also foam and plastic sheeting in places I would not have expected.  I think it's tiime to go back through those hundreds of photos and take notes, then where there is not enough detail in the photos to provide an explanation, I'll just have to pretend I'm a German engineer and decide for myself where to put cloth tape, masking tape, electrical tape, waterproof medical tape,double sided tape, butyl tape, foam, glue and mastic.  It shouldn't be an insurmountable effort, since I'm an American engineer with German ancestry. 

I'll take photos and notes and, when the car is completely restored, I'll write up a "body assembly stuff-not-in-the-BBB tour" and put it in the Technical Manual.  Then people can use whatever part of it they think is a good idea, if not completely original.

In the mean time, please use this thread to identify any of that kind of stuff that you find in or on your car.

Tom Kizer

[Run MBC]

Not sure if it's the same kind of cloth tape, but "gaffers tape" used by film studios for lighting & rigging is great stuff.  Pretty strong but easy to tear, doesn't melt or leave residue like duct tape, etc.  Comes in white & black for sure, and probably other colors.