Checking in from the worst Pagoda Group member!

[JonathanB]

Well, I've had my 230SL since 2016 and I've still yet to drive her!  There's nothing terribly wrong the car.  Engine, gearbox, electrics, fuel injection, etc., all good even though the car had been sitting for a while before I got it.  My mechanic here in LA is paralyzed by shortage of skilled labor and can never seem to get around to fixing the rot in the floorplans/siderails.  He says (and I believe) that it would be dangerous to drive without being sorted.   Does anyone have a referral for a frame/body/rust repair shop in LA that does this kind of work without charging organ donor prices?  I saw mention of a fellow in Van Nuys named Renee Luteraan.  I think he's known in the 300SL gullwing crowd so probably out of my budget range but ....

Jonathan

[Cees Klumper]

Unless the issues 'run deeper' than the floors and sills, this is not 'classic Mercedes specialized' work, so you may want to just check with some body shops to get quotes/impressions.

(I cut out the old and welded in complete new floors (front to back) and inner sills and cross-members in my Triumph Spitfire last year in less than two days' time, just to give an idea.)

[ja17]

Nice job Cees, I can tell your getting more and more experienced. The preparation is the hardest part of it. It is hard dirty work but very important for the finished product.

[Garry]

Tell me about it. Floors on my w114

[rwmastel]

Aren't the side sills, or rocker panels (same thing - different names?), multi-layered?  I saw a W113 Joe was working on last year, doing rocker panel and wheel well rust repairs, and he talked about this area having a couple or a few layers of metal structure.

[getsmart]

Looking good Garry

Tell me about it. Floors on my w114

[Cees Klumper]

Aren't the side sills, or rocker panels (same thing - different names?), multi-layered?

The several cars I've worked on so far did have three 'layers' to their rockers/sills: outer (rounded), inner (more square) and the center section that is just flat, with the outer and inner pieces welded to it on either side, creating a sandwich of sorts. Very rigid that way no doubt. On the Spitfire (photos above) I replaced the flat/upright center pieces and the inner ones. The outers had been replaced at some point before.

[ja17]

Most convertibles have re-enforced floor sections for rigidity. If you cut the top off a Mercedes hardtop sedan of the era, and open the doors the car will break in half. The W113 cars have an inner rocker panel of thicker steel and an outer rocker panel of thicker steel to form a structural box beam down each side of the car. In addition a non-structural cosmetic rocker panel is screwed to the outer structural panel. The center tunnel of the car is heavier metal than that of sedans of the era. Obviously you can open the doors on a pagoda (convertible) and it remains rigid.

In response to Rodd's comment; Gary's W114, having a non-removable hardtop, has less re-enforcement and thinner steel, in places, than convertibles like the W113.

[ja17]

Impressive Gary, I did not know you also did that kind of work! Dealing with rust is probably somewhat rare "down under".

[Garry]

Joe,


I got some replacement panels and dug into the rust and found way more than expected and realised it was probably beyond my skills so a local guy is doing the weld up for me.

[rwmastel]

Unless the issues 'run deeper' than the floors and sills, this is not 'classic Mercedes specialized' work, so you may want to just check with some body shops to get quotes/impressions.

Most convertibles have re-enforced floor sections for rigidity. If you cut the top off a Mercedes hardtop sedan of the era, and open the doors the car will break in half. The W113 cars have an inner rocker panel of thicker steel and an outer rocker panel of thicker steel to form a structural box beam down each side of the car. In addition a non-structural cosmetic rocker panel is screwed to the outer structural panel. The center tunnel of the car is heavier metal than that of sedans of the era. Obviously you can open the doors on a pagoda (convertible) and it remains rigid.

In response to Rodd's comment; Gary's W114, having a non-removable hardtop, has less re-enforcement and thinner steel, in places, than convertibles like the W113.

So, Cees' advice to seek any good body shop, not necessarily MB-specific, is still good advice for rocker panel rust?  Just want to keep thread on point and make sure OP JonathanB gets proper advice from the group.

[Cees Klumper]

What OP would want to do, is get the replacement / repair panels from an MB parts supplier, like K&K Mfg. Then I am confident any good body shop, having those new pieces in hand and the existing car as further example, should be more than capable to do the repairs. But of course I yield to those with more experience!

[JonathanB]

Thanks to all for the advice. I will update the forum if and when progress is made.

Here is a pic of my baby.

[mmizesko]

Nice Pure ride, Jonathan!

Good Luck with it.

Mike Mizesko