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Mercedes 190b Questions and Answers
K.G. asks:
Could you please provide some more info re:
RUST: At the trunk floor, door step panels (particularly the rear ones), under the fenders, and under the car. Has the car ever been coated with rust-proof material underneath?
DENTS: Where are they and how deep.
DRIVABILITY: Do you think that I would be able to drive the car [200 miles], if I bought the car?
Berkeley responds:
I'll take a close look at the car when I get home today. That said, the only rust on the car is surface rust. The left rear bumper has some and the top where the paint wore thin was rusting. I sanded, primed, and painted some of the top to protect it (an amature job for sure).
The bottom isn't coated (but, again, I'll take a closer look tonight).
The dents are here and there and mostly "door-ding" depth. The exception is the right front wheel well. A few years ago, the wheel seized and tore off the wheel at the spindle. The car skidded to a stop on the brake drum (from about 30 mph) and dented behind the right front wheel. I pulled out the body easily so that it looks almost normal. (The brakes/spindle were fully repaired by the local M-B shop.)
I would have no hesitation driving the car [200 miles].
I could probably borrow a digital camera and show you the car and it's details. I've been meaning to for a while.
K.G. again:
I also would like to know what you saw under the car; if the car has no coating it must have some rust; 40 years are a long time even for CA. The question is how much and if it can be removed leaving enough material behind for strength and treatment.
Berkeley again:
I lifted the car this morning and took a look all around. I would call the car rust-free. There is some surface rust on the bottom where the paint has worn off, especially around the rear wheels, but I saw nothing siginificant.
Keep in mind that the car was driven infrequently and always garaged for the first 30 years. Since then, it has been either garaged or covered (comes with a cover) a lot of the time.
There isn't any coating on the bottom other than the factory paint.