Rust Repairs

[iceberg]

Hi Everyone,
I have a very early 230 SL with minor rust.  There is surface rust on the frame rail.  Both front floors need replacement.  No rust in trunk, actually just very superficial rust.  However the fron right fender and the rear quarter pannel have about 2 spots of about 2-4 cm where there are holes.  As there are financial constraints I have stripped the entire car of all mouldings and chrome and am getting the entire car sand blasted and them primered, just so that I can preserve it for better financial days.  My question dear freinds is that since I am stripping the entire car and meaking it ready for the bodyshop guy, how much should this excersise cost me.  Please let me know and also does this solve my rust problem.
Warm Regards,
Hassan

[waltklatt]

Hello Hassan,
You will get various prices from those who respond.  It all ultimately depends on the place you take the car to for the sandblasting.  Mind that they use a softer media blasting like nut shells, plastic pleets, etc.  The reason is the sand is too abrasive and will warp and dent the heck out of the large flat areas and especially the hood, trunk, softtop case cover and doors as they are all made of aluminum.  I would use extreme care when stripping these panels, the rest of the car is steel and should resist a harder media like mentioned above.  The cost will vary so much, that's it's hard to pinpoint.  Much like the paint jobs too.
I have always used a chemical stripper for all the cars except for the wagon-which was sandblasted-which ruined the roof so bad that I spent months correcting it.  So dont fall into the same quagmire I did.
Best of luck with the rust and old paint stripping on your 230SL.
Walter
1967 230SL-diesel
1963 230SL-for sale

[Khurram Darugar]

Hey hasan,
            If you want to just preserve the car and spend money on it later, maybe you dont have to strip the whole car.  Where you have good paint with no rust, you have a well protected area.   Strip and treat the areas that have rust to prevent spreading.  On surface rust sandpaper and anti rust paint may be ok?  

On the floor you may have more on your hands.  

If you think the floors needs replacing then sandblasting and primering may not be adequate.  You may need to cut out the rust and treat the remaining surfaces.  But it gets tricky because you dont want to remove a large section of loaded element such as the inner sill and the cross beam that goes from the sill to the trans tunnel.  

Having said all of that if you are planning to store for 2-3 years you might get away with wax oiling the crap out of the floor and keep your fingers crossed.
Good Luck!
Kay