Body repair

As long as body parts are ordered and expected within a short we continue with body dismantling. There is removed hard top from the body and windshield including frame follows.

We start to remove body panels which are not repairable as well as those which are obstructing access to damaged internal construction. First rear panel is cut away.

Lower parts of the rear wings were hopeless so those are cut off as well.

First before new rear wings are reinstalled luggage compartment panels, wheel wells and rear door pillar joints shall be restored.

Similarly we do at the front end - front panel is both accident damaged and rusted so it is not repairable and must be replaced in any case.

By cutting off front wings we gain access to internal structures for initial restoration tasks.

Front wing edges are grinded to find out location of welding spots. Those welding spots are carefully milled to separate front wings from base structure.

Now car body is prepared for basic structure further disassembly - all parts which are not suitable for restoration shall be cut off before sand blasting.

All unnecessary - either damaged or obstructive - body panels are removed from the body shell. Now there are left only pieces which shall be repaired or are providing at least some structural strength for body residuals.

Now aluminium doors are dismantled from the body and cleaned manually - paint is going off pretty easy, but primer is still in good condition.All other aluminium parts - trunk lid and engine hood - are also cleaned manually to ensure shape is retained.

Just in time have arrived ordered body steel sheet parts. Some of parts now are fabricated from galvanized steel, so body after restoration technically may last much longer than original one.

In addition to all frame components we have received also ordered floor panels, wheel wells and trunk pockets for spare wheel and tools.

There are arrived also replacement parts for front and rear wings, complete front and rear panels. 

Body has passed treatment in sand blasting camera. In some areas condition appears worse than previously expected. Engine compartment side panels have also rusted through cavities. Rusted front panels and air duct inlet plates we have been already planning to replace.

Firewall appears heavily damaged by corrosion - almost whole panel made from several pieces of steel sheet parts must be self fabricated. Recess cover under the brake booster and battery box is completely lost, but these parts we have received new. 

Unfortunately bottom of softtop box is much worse than initially expected - it looks like lacy collar. There is nothing to repair - it must be made new.

At the front end of the frame profiles we discover after sandblasting rather big area damaged by corrosion - this part will be substituted by fresh metal.Though rear end of frame seems pretty good and in line with our expectations - sandblasting has not disclosed any new rust damages. 

Body residuals are moved from sandblasting to the welding spot. Now we shall start to cut away and replace structural elements.

 Unfortunately after cutting-off of the front crossmember we discover that internal frame structure, which was not visible from the outside, is completely destroyed by rust. Now we shall make here additional cut-out and insert new piece of cross-profile. At the rear end frame components were in much better condition. Prepared place for new replacement crossmember.

As first new components doorsteps are put and fixed into place. From this point we are not only cutting away different body parts - now body is on the way to previous splendour. Now it is time to connect doorsteps to central frame and other body elements.

As doorstep has been composed from both top parts we continue with front diagonal member manufacturing. Those also are consisting of several interconnected parts. Two main structural profiles we have received from supplier so we shall those align each other and weld into place. Internal surfaces as usual are primed before welding together.

Unfortunately all body components are not available as spare parts. Among such pieces are reinforcements of front diagonal members comprising specific recesses and 3-dymensional shape which we shall self fabricate as exact copies.

Left hand side reinforcement is welded over diagonal member providing possibility to continue further with engine compartment side panels which we have already ordered.

As left hand side diagonal member is in place we can continue with right hand side rusted doorstep and crossmembers - it is time to cut those away.

Following technology first the doorstep is fabricated from two top parts and then rear and central crossmembers tailored to fit the place.

Similarly to left hand side also missing right hand side reinforcement is self-fabricated to suit the place. As reinforcement is welded to the place bottom part of diagonal member is aligned and welded as well.

Internal surfaces of body aluminium panels are manually cleaned from old paint residuals and prepared for fresh paint application.

Internal surface of the trunk lid is manually prepared for application of the fresh paint.

We have received both recently ordered engine compartment side panels so we can continue with restoration of the front section of the body.

Left diagonal reinforcement brace under the dashboard, which is destroyed by acid from the battery, is self fabricated and tailored to suit the place.

 When old engine compartment side panels are removed front longeron rusted internal surfaces became accessible. Rust is sandblasted and rusted through areas are replaced by fresh metal tailored replacement pieces.  

We continue with component restoration. Door locking mechanisms are going to complete disassembly and cleaning. All steel parts after cleaning are sent to galvanizing.

We continue with component restoration. Door catching mechanisms are going to complete disassembly and cleaning. All steel parts after cleaning are sent to galvanizing.There is checked functionality of all components after cleaning before sending to galvanizing. Door locking mechanisms are ready for last treatment stage. All small components are pictured before leaving workshop for chemical treatment.

Window winding mechanisms are un-dismountable and thus are galvanized as complete units.

Windscreen corner posts are disassembled and cleaned. Unfortunately thread on the one of special attachment bolts is destroyed by rust and we shall look for the replacement.

As the wheels also springy bumper brackets are going to the paint shop.

We have in detail reproduced front connector piece to replace destroyed by rust detail joining both front Y-shaped frame shoulders. As connector piece is welded into place new central bottom piece is also put back. Seams are grinded to get at original appearance.

Further we continue with doorstep composing - using prefabricated parts front jack attachment mortises are restored. New prefabricated doorstep bottom profiles are first precisely tailored to suit construction and then welded in place topping off tubular construction of the doorsteps.

It is time take care about rear end longerons. First we restore complicated multifunction junction at the rear end of doorsteps. Rear longerons are not available as prefabricated parts so we handmade most damaged front piece and weld it to the place.Prefabricated short outer crossmembers serving also as attachments for rear jack mortises are welded into place.

New prefabricated parts - rear spring footing plate and rear shock absorber mounting cup and handmade profiles are tailored to suit precisely. New pieces of longeron profile sidewalls one by one are welded into place.

Shock absorber mounting cup is precisely, following factory angular and linear measurements, fixed into place. Welding of the rear spring footing plate into place is topping this rear axle attachment point reconstruction.

Rear junction prefabricated bottom cover plate is first tailored and finally welded into place.

Prefabricated rear longeron rearmost pieces are used to compose support frame for trunk floor.

As left side is finished similar technology is applied to restore another longeron on the right hand side. Similarly as on left side profile side walls around shock absorber cup are screaming for repair - we tailor plates to replace destroyed areas and weld into place.

Parts received from galvanizing shop are sorted and packed for storage until further necessity or attached to the restored units.

Vertical walls of the load carrying construction at the rear of passenger compartment appear also heavily damaged by rust and must be partly replaced. As it is done main supportive construction of the car body is finished.  

 Body reconstruction continues with floor pan recreation. Received spare panels are precisely adjusted and welded into place.

As all panels are fixed into planned position welding spots are grinded to achieve visual conformity. As jobs on the bottom surface are finished body is turned to the normal position and necessary treatment is provided to the welding seams in the passenger compartment.      

We cut away residuals of the soft-top box bottom and fabricate new replacement panel. New panel is precisely adjusted and fixed into previous position.

Soft top box bottom welding spots as well as welding seam of new lower slice of vertical wall are grinded to get at original appearance.

Last damaged component keeping together passenger compartment structure and luggage compartment is cut out. New replacement panel according to original technology is riveted and glued to the B-pillar and welded to other body components. Fresh floor fragments are welded into place to finish composing of the front end of the rear wheel arch inner plates.

As rear longeron surfaces are prepared we start restoration of the boot panels.

Whole rear end of the car body shall be temporary assembled to check compatibility of all components - in this structure just boot lid, top slices of the rear wings and some pieces of rear longerons are left from previous body. Among first tail panel centre support finds its place in the middle of nowhere.

As all components are adjusted and tailored to suit each other structure is disassembled to start welding operations one by one. When trunk floor and rear extension are in place both "pockets" - wells for spare wheel and tools - are spot welded into place.

Rear arch inner plates and rear inner wings were mated and welded to another parts of already restored carcass.

 Rear trunk floor corner panels are mated and welded to the surrounding components. Welding seams are completed according to originally defined pattern.  

Several areas after welding are becoming difficult of access for easy rust protection treatment on this car model body. Those practically closed cavities have been treated already before final paneling by protective primer coat layer. The same protective primer layer was applied onto inner surfaces of the rear wing panels.

Rear wings now were composed from two parts - original top part and patch panel down from "eyebrow". Rear panel now was precisely tailored in-between restored rear wings.

 Mated rear wings and rear panel were welded together as it has been prescribed by original technology. Welding seams have been carefully grinded to ensure needed surface quality. During restoration course continuously were monitored gap between trunk lid and other proximal components ensuring equal width of mentioned gap along whole perimeter of the opening. Final result of all those efforts was satisfactory - orderly appearance of the restored rear part.

As main works at the rear end were finished we cut away all rusted residuals at the front part of the body. In advance characteristic body points were "documented" by specific temporary construction welded onto front crossmember.

By cutting away front inner wings we finally got access to the damaged areas of the front frame members. Most damaged areas are replaced by fresh metal patches and smaller damages were repaired by welding.

Cleaning of the internal surfaces of both diagonal front braces after removing of the front inner wings led us to sad conclusion - in many places with no protection treatment applied in closed cavities internal surfaces are more rust eroded than visible from the outside.  Diagonal front braces as structural elements were not available as spare parts so we should manufacture those dimensional parts ourselves.

Our reproduced front diagonal braces are attached to the place. Now we can cut away damaged front firewall panels.  Upon removing of firewall plate we see that also internal surface of firewall reinforcement cross profile was in threatening condition and needed to be replaced. We precisely reproduce all front firewall panels.

Both firewall corner patch panels comprising openings for air ducts were precisely reproduced and mated to all surrounding panels - each of those shall fit together with other six body panels at this junction.

Legroom front edge floor panels were tailored and welded into place. Patch panels of the firewall damaged areas were produced and welded to substitute corroded metal.

At the very front of the body reinforcement panels with holes for ventilation outlets were matched to construction and welded into place. Both rusted through end-pieces of the front tubular crossmember were replaced.

 Inner wing panels were welded to the previously prepared construction forming sides of the engine compartment. All pieces of metalwork according to original construction were produced and welded into place in the engine compartment.

We restored shape of previously damaged aluminium hood. Hood was installed on the hinges to ensure precision of welding at the front part of the body.

All external body panels before welding from now were tailored to suit original hood.

Front inner bottom plate was fixed against crossmember and afterwards it was welded to the front panel. Front wing top and side pieces were adjusted and welded into the place.  

 Damaged areas of remained original body components were cut out and replaced by newly produced patch panels. After welding all continuous seems were grinded and tin-loaded to achieve required surface quality.

Front lamp housings did not exactly fit into dedicated front panel cuttings - it was needed to apply some extra finishing work to achieve needed compliance. Rear lamp housings were worked into rear wings cutting away excess of wing edges before welding.

It was taken decision to show our work on this project at the annual World Exhibition "Techno Classica Essen 2011", Germany. For demonstration purpose we should take body off the welding rig and put it onto own wheels. Body after restoration for the first time again was installed on the axles.

190SL was again on the wheels. Though this time not yet on the own wheels - restored front and rear axles of this project were brought to the exhibition also as exhibits giving to any visitor possibility to imagine final quality of the project. Before long trip to Germany car was carefully packed to avoid corrosion problems of "naked"steel.

Project components, body and axles, were among central pieces of interest on RMW stand at the "TechnoClassica Essen". Body was showing different stages of welding operations. New bright life of this 190SL had started successfully - during exhibition project was appreciated both by classic car enthusiasts as well as industry specialists. 

After return from exhibition we continued checking of the restored body shape. All decorations were installed to ensure perfect fit after painting.

Adjusted lamp housings were welded into place. Welding seems of all panels were grinded. As last stage of the welding operations was tin loading achieving needed shape of surface and minimizing use of filler before painting.

Seat support brackets were welded into place.

After tin loading again all external decorations were installed to check compatibility. Tin loading was also applied to ensure gaps are equal all around any opening.

Car was brought to lifting gear to fix all small parts, like brackets or clamps, at the bottom of the car.

Fueltank was installed into tight place and attachment brackets were welded accordingly.

Like all other decorations bumpers were installed in place to check complete compatibility. As perfect fit of all involved components was achieved car was completely disassembled and all separated components were sent to paintshop for two months. At the moment it was agreed that car should be painted in DB166 blue-gray possibly with authorized by Mercedes for 190SL alternative hardtop colour DB158 white-grey (or even DB40 black).

At the paintshop body was completely disassembled and each part was separately prepared for painting.

First all surfaces underwent mechanical and chemical protection treatment. Prepared body shell, as well as all other dismantled components, was coated by corresponding primer layer.

 Body surface was primed and weld seems sealant applied along all seams underneath the body. Seams sealant was applied also on weld seams on the internal surfaces of the body - in the engine, passenger and luggage compartments. There was applied filler over the whole external surface.

There was needed on some areas applied more than one layer of the filler. Each layer of filler was carefully grinded ensuring correct shape of the surface was achieved.

Body was left for a month for filler to dry and shrink. Afterwards body exterior was grinded using different grade sandpaper until needed surface quality was achieved.

All body components were assembled to check compatibility. Complete front lamps and chromed radiator grille was assembled.

Rear lamps perfectly fit into dedicated place. Places for new chromed stone guards also were checked and adjusted accordingly. Verified were all locations till the smallest decoration detail.

As surface preparation was finished painting was started. First body was primed again and painted in final colour from below. Elastic protective coat was applied along the welding seams affected by environmental impact. Engine compartment and internal passenger compartment surfaces were also painted according to Mercedes original paint scheme. Luggage compartment was also painted as supposed by factory.

During the last stage of process layers of external paint were applied. All removable body components were also painted according to agreed specification. Car was transported from the paintshop to the assembly workshop.