Bodywork Begins

[jaymanek]

A few years ago I noticed some tiny pimples in the paint.

After showing our bodyshop it was confirmed that this is caused by trapped moisture in the paint.

I hadnt had the car fully painted in my ownership, so it was from a long time ago.

This year we decided to tackle it. We were hoping it would be under just the top layer. Unfortunately the moisture was found to be on the metal.

So its a bare metal respray. Only the left side seems to have these spots but we will remove all the paint.









Its going to take some time to remove all the paint.

So far the body looks good. The bodyshop says they found filler where there was none necessary! No dent or corrosion at all.
Weird what some bodyshops do.

[swood1]

Your body looks in good condition.  Do you think this is the original paint?  Seems a shame it couldn't be repaired without a re-spray

I take it you are leaving the interior?  I don't blame you looking at the number of parts you would need to strip...  My car is totally stripped at the moment while I work on the Body the vast majority was done by a previous owner whom gave up. 

I would be interested in knowing who you are going to use for repainting and how they go about reducing any more moisture entrapment under the paint.  I shall be looking for someone similar next year assuming I can finish the body this year and I don't find too many other surprises. 

I like the colour of yours, it looks metallic.


Steve 

[jaymanek]

Hi Steve,

Im not touching the interior. My carpet is new. The hood is new. The seats are original MB Tex. The Dash top is covered in leather at the moment.. Someday I hope to find an original blue dash top to replace my cracked one.

The body is looking good so far. Havent got all the way around yet but so far, only very minor rust found.

The colour is Light Blue metallic.

Ill keep this thread up to date on progress. In terms of moisture, its simply a case of proper prep work and the use of the oven to bake each stage of the process.

Im told these issues occur if the stages are rushed.

I dont think the paint is original. I had front and rear panels done some years ago to remove the USA side markers...
It looks like the car could have been some other colour of blue at some point also...

It will be staying factory light blue for sure. I love the colour.

[jaymanek]

[mbzse]

hi Jay,
One suggestion would be, that you now as you have a golden opportunity move the radio antenna to the more common front right wing position, as used by the factory.
Fill in the antenna hole at left rear wing.

[stickandrudderman]

I don't think I've ever taken the paint off a pagoda and not found any poor repairs to rectify or welding required!

[Taleb]

hi , although its difficult but  make sure they replace the fender notches as its ..

good luck

[jaymanek]

I thought that the antenna was a 230/250/280 thing?

Mine is a 280, I thought they were all at rear? I think it would be annoying to have it on the front in terms of visibility.

Fender notches... yes.. anyone have any definitive pictures that I can provide to my bodyshop?

[Pawel66]

Check out Technical Manual for antennas. Could be in the rear as well. I think, however, not being 100% sure, that as a factory option they might have been installed in the front. That is how mine came. It is fun to watch them as they slide out and in...

Enclosed a picture of a notch - Holy Grail, Motoring Investments.

[mbzse]

.../...as a factory option they might have been installed in the front.../...

Just look at Pagoda sales literature (broschure pictures). All antennae are at right front wing position.
See a wide selection here: http://oudemercedesbrochures.nl/Engels_index.html

[jaymanek]

Well looks like it should definitely be at the front.

In this case does anyone have a template or measurements as to the exact location of the hole and size?

[mbzse]

.../...the exact location of the hole and size?

[jaymanek]

Im thinking leave it clean and just have a discrete windscreen antenna?

No antenna at all?

[stickandrudderman]

Gravity has certainly had its way with that woman in the background.....

[johnk]

What color code is it? I love the color but assumed is was blue-gray?

John

[Pawel66]

Well looks like it should definitely be at the front.

In this case does anyone have a template or measurements as to the exact location of the hole and size?

I think I saw in one of the posts on our site, that in the fender you can, actually, feel, underneath, the place where the antenna should be located. Not sure if I remember correctly.

[mbzse]

.../... in the fender you can, actually, feel, underneath, the place where the antenna should be located

Alfred (66andblue) posted on this, w pictures
The info can be found in the Tech Manual:
https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Electrical/Antenna

[Pawel66]

Thanks! 

As we say: "I know the bell is tolling, just do not know in which church."

[jaymanek]

Well the link above says a late car should have it in the rear fender... Mine is a late 280SL so I believe it is correct already.

Colour - Light Blue Metallic.

[Pawel66]

Well, to be precise: the Technical Manual material under this link does not say late cars should have it in the rear.

Quote: "A radio might have a manual or automatic antenna. Most antennas, especially manual antennas, were positioned on the passenger front fender. When automatic antennas became popular those were frequently installed on the driver side rear fender." And then: "The original Hirschmann automatic antennas that Mercedes sold for front fender mounting on a late 280SL (MB p/n 900 820 04 11) was a Hirschmann 6000-F58:".

I have the 1970 280SL with antenna as factory option and it is in the front.

Without being 100% sure, I think:
- factory - front
- subsequent (dealer on purchase or owner) - front or rear (some might have liked it this way, it is more convenient to install, some antennas, other than original Hirshman, just did not fit in the front? - I do not know)

I would have thought that if you have antenna option on the paint code plate - I would dig more to confirm where it can be/should be installed. If you do not have antenna as factory option, means it is subsequent installation, I would say rear is fine (if you do not have a factory Hirshman, it may not even fit in the front).

[jaymanek]

Ok. Thanks for the information. My antenna is Hirschmann but I doubt its the original one..

[mnahon]

Here's a Becker document showing placement at the rear. On my own car, the antenna's on the front. I agree with Pawel's interpretation that both were possible, but that if it was done at the factory, it was at the front.

[Pawel66]

Ok. Thanks for the information. My antenna is Hirschmann but I doubt its the original one..

You can very quickly verify that by looking at option codes either on your color code plate or datacard. In the Technical Manual you can find informaiton where to find these numbers on both color code plate and data card.

Then you have options numbers and their meanings also in the Technical Manual to see what options were ordered with your car.

If you have a radio in your options, there is a fair chance that it was dealer installed in the US. Then there is a fair chance as well that it was installed in the rear. I think we can say with high degree of probability that the radio was installed by the dealer in the US if ordered as option. I am not sure if we have proven information that antenna was installed by the dealer together with the radio (it is likely though).

I am not sure if we have enough info to say definitely what had to be the antenna place when dealer installed it before car was given to the owner.

I think (other Members, please correct me) that if you had no radio in options or if you had a radio in options - rear is ok unless there are numerous cases or documents suggesiting otherwise. If you have option 532 or 534 (just antenna), I think it might have been factory.

Another thing is - if your car has never had a body repair of the front right fender or both rear left/front right and if there is no trace of the antenna hole in the front fender - most likely the antenna has always been where it is.

[jaymanek]

Thanks ill do some checking.

p.s. my car is original italian.

[Shvegel]

Italian? That’s why the antenna is in the rear.  The original owner didn’t want anything to interfere with his view of Sophia Loren.

[Pawel66]

I am not sure what is our knowledge on radio installation dealer/factoy while sending the car to Italy.
But given Shvegel's point and Itlay being the center fo fashion, it is likely that a male driver would not have anything obstructing his view to the right, where the sidewalks are.

[jaymanek]

[Pawel66]

I think you have a very nice car there!
Some work required, I can see, on the left front fender... good moment to check other places too, I think (up inside the front wheel well for instance).

Has it crossed your mind to replace the firewall pad and, perhaps, the blue ignition wires? It looks like a very nice engine bay there...

[jaymanek]

Hi,

I am trying to keep the engine bay firewall pad original if possible. Its still ok!

Blue wires are recent and I like them. They are really good quality made by magnecor.

[Pawel66]

ok, sorry...
It looks nice indeed!

[jaymanek]

Not at all, I appreciate all comments!

[George Des]

My Italian version 230Sl orginally had the automatic antenna mounted up front. The mast itself was a magnet for road debris and dirt and constantly required cleaning or it would bind up. I moved mine to the rear where it was much easier to get to and was out of the stream of road debris for the most part. I also liked the look much better.

[Peter van Es]

Not at all, I appreciate all comments!

Jay, great pictures. Can you please make sure that the external hoster keeps them up, or upload the best one's here also. I know it's a pain, but it makes sure we have access to the pictures even if the external hoster changes policy or goes out of business.

[jaymanek]

I have been with this host for 15 years, hopefully wont be a problem!

[Peter van Es]

Sure. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/oct/19/photobucket-shock-hosting-fee-blog-holding-ransom. They lasted 14 years. YMMV.

[johnk]

K&K manufacturing sells a repair panel for the bottom of the front fenders for about $100 bucks in case you were not aware of that already.

John

[jaymanek]

[kampala]

Looking very nice.  Is that Epoxy primer or Etch primer? 

Appreciate the updates. 

[jaymanek]

Im told its Etch primer. Just to keep the rust away whilst welding is carried out and other panels are prepared.

[johnk]

jaymanek
Sorry to keep bugging you on this, but I like the color better than what I was going to paint mine with. There is no light blue metalic color code shown in the tec manual though, only Blue. Medium blue and Grey blue for metalics.

Can you tell me what color code?

Thanks
John

[jaymanek]

Hi All,

Sorry for the lack of updates on this.

Summer got very busy for us and this had to take a back seat for me.

The bodyshop have been working all through summer to get the car ready.

The plan was to have it all done by August but unfortunately the welder couldnt get onto the car for weeks. So we found someone else and he did a cracking job.

There was a small hole in the inner wing and what I thought was a small hole in the drivers floor.
Unfortunately the floor turned out to have extended up to the sill, and so the whole drivers floor panel was cut out, fabricated using good thick steel and welded in.
The sheet metal work was fantastic in my opinion. He formed all the same grooves and factory shapes into the new floor. Much better than buying a new panel from Mercedes or aftermarket as they are made from baked beans cans nowadays, in my opinion.
I seem to have lost the pictures of the floor being done, but will post some once I have the car back... although it is all painted now so not much to see!






































Before anyone mentions. I realised the inside of the hood is supposed to be left without lacquer.
This has since been re done.

[jaymanek]

Dear John,

Sorry for the delay.

The paint colour descriptions arent important. Ive heard my colour called "light blue metallic" or "grey blue metallic."

The code is 906G.

[Jonny B]

Beautiful color!!

[Delvis]

Simply awesome!