End of the road for the W123? Featuring 70Mai smart dashcam

The Mercedes 230E W123 has been one of my longest (and most popular) projects on Furious Driving, and today Id planned to replace it's brakes to make it fully mobile and ready to be driven at last. But things didnt go to plan.
Theres more rust. Lots and lots of rust. Its bad.
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[@giulianomarco]

Think of it more as your gaining a garage rather than losing a car, Matt. (I'm not helping much, am I?) 👍

[@furiousdriving]

almost..

[@lordbrennanofsealand5772]

Of all your cars the Mercedes arouses the least desire. Maybe move it in to a fellow KZbinr with interest. Positive is you gain and can develop a functional workshop in the process. That would be a more interesting series and a great place to film out of. Good luck.

[@rockatansky1305]

​@@lordbrennanofsealand5772totally agree, lost cause ?

[@lordbrennanofsealand5772]

@@rockatansky1305 nah it would probably be exported to Africa and do a million miles.

[@PJDX2010]

Sorry to see the condition of the 123. Definitely the rational decision would be to strip for parts, however gutting this would be. Repairing the car on the driveway will be hellish - it really needs stripping back to the bare shell if you are going to be sure to catch all the rot.

[@LILACJENNIFER]

You mentioned Tasty Classics in your commentary. There is no one better to take on a basket case such as your Mercedes, Ben Molesworth is a fine man of skill and patience and a joint project between yourselves could prove profitable for the both of you.

[@jameswalker7874]

I think your best bet might be to get a Mercedes specialist to have a look at it and give you an honest opinion first. At least then you're sure as to whether it could be safe again or whether it'd just be too much. I'm not a fan of scrapping cars either, but ultimately if you're going to put your family in it you need to know it's safe. It doesn't look good, but sometimes things look worse than they really are. I'm hoping that this is the case for you :)

[@jamesmiller6977]

Breaking the car and selling the parts would be a hell of a lot of work in itself. Imagine wrapping the bonnet for safe transport! Your garage would be filled with the parts as well. Sell it as it is through an auction as a "parts car with a running engine".

[@mikes747]

I think it may be time to let it go. It'll free up some space and maybe look around for one that's a better starting point. You can't save them all!

[@garethbird4259]

W123's are the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to rust. She's a goner Matt, break it up and don't ever come round mine with the screwdriver of doom poking my W126!

[@Appelsap1337]

I’m currently working on the exact same area on mine. The worst part is the back of the rear floor/ where the trial shaped thing from the rear suspension bolts on and next to is a hump for wiring inside. No patch panels are available for that area. The rest is easy, drop the rear suspension completely and access is plenty. Patch panels are available and resonably priced. Its 3 layers at the suspension area, the middle layer is not available but its flat. Soup classic motoring has a w123 video on that section as well. These cars are just masters of hiding rust. I think the only way the own one is to buy a rusty one and do the welding yourself properly. Seen so many with a mot but with just patches over rust making it worse. If you have questions just ask.

[@user-sf7kl9uh7k]

Unfortunately 80's and 90's Mercs rust like queens, far worse than the equivalent BMW's or VAG's. Who could forget the awful W210!!! Rotting from year 3!!!

[@jonmarshall1502]

I inherited a split screen 2 door Morris minor a few years ago. I knew it was a bit rotten but got the replacement panels I “thought” I needed. But it soon became apparent that it was beyond my capabilities. I had real connection to this car as it was a friends and it was the car that got me into cars as a younger guy. I literally had to have a good sit down , staring at it trying to convince myself one way or the other what to do. Eventually it took the word of another friend with more experience than me to give me the reality check that I needed. I realised there were other things in life that were more important to me. I sold it as is condition to someone who thought he could finish it. And I managed to sell the replacement panels I’d bought. I never made my money back but it was better to quit before it got out of hand. In the end it was a huge sense of relief and I’ve never regretted passing it on. I really didn’t want to 👍 this video , because it really is quite sad in reality.

[@r.g.2095]

This car is the reason I found your channel so Im emotionally attached to it. Not to mention the fact that I do have the same 230E w123. I also know, that the more w123 is scrapped the higher the value goes up for the remaining ones. Either way, I would be sad to see this one going down...Please check the popularity of your w123 videos maybe it worth to keep them rolling so we can put together the saving cost for you with more views and likes...

[@krissjacobsen9434]

Before completely giving up, I would take the wire wheel and strip away all the rust so you can see the extent of the damage. Do the same on every hint of bubbling or brown color on the underside. Then you'll make the decision.

[@kittyhawk9707]

Yet that is more work ..and for what .. he may spend days doing all that and still come to the same conclusion ... It is hardly gonna make it any better is it ...

[@krissjacobsen9434]

​@@kittyhawk9707 Then he can make the best informed decision as possible. I've been in a similar situation with rust many years, where I ended up just scrapping the car, and I still regret that to this very day.

[@tomflyinghat9122]

Head over heart Matt. No point trying to do the impossible. The MB has had its day and time to break it to help other car owners.

[@MegaReddevil71]

Used to find Mercedes of that age coated the underside In a very thick sealant which cracks and water gets behind so what can appear solid can be very rusty under the sealant I wrote this comment before actually watching how much rot there was

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

It hid some problems.

[@jamesdecross1035]

The Alfa Romeo does the same.

[@morganmcdonagh2663]

i have a w123 and a w124 and a w201. Yes they all rot under the underseal. Remember these cars are 40 years old!. Everything rusts after this amount of time if its lived outdoors in the uk climate. it doesnt matter if its a ferrari rolls royce or ford cortina or you name it. The equivalant ford has been scrapped 20 years ago for rust like this generally

[@danielrussell446]

Yes that was a common sight on the older Mercs at our workshop back in the day

[@stevieboyNI]

Sorry to see this Matt, think we have all been there. I dont think you can have any regrets, you've gave it a damn good go. Maybe giving the 400 tourer or Mini your efforts now could lift your spirits.

[@rockatansky1305]

With the amount of attention that car needs I dont think me personally would ever see the finished result !

[@tonys1636]

Come on Matt, not the time to be defeated, sleep on it and view with fresh eyes, you know you can do it. They are becoming rarer by the day so 5 - 10 years will be worth a King's Ransom. Don't put a time on the job just one of those slow and steady progress one's. It will be rewarding when done and you can have pride with the job.

[@andrewsimpson718]

I’m really sorry for you to watch this video knowing how much blood sweat tears and pain have gone into it. At the same time you have given it every chance. I think you could resurrect it still. You have clearly shown the skill and perseverance to do so. For me in the end it comes down to how much else you have on your plate in terms of projects, and that’s aside from work and private life away from KZbin. I guess if space was no issue you could store it…..and return to it…but really we know that storage without use and especially in an as yet not finished state is probably just going to mean more work in the end. Overall I would say you have done your level best given everything else you have had on and continue to work on. I think part out the bits you can and be satisfied that in doing so you will no doubt be helping other projects and putting some money back into the pot for other cars. I have watched how hard you have worked on this car as with others and I remember you particularly doing the drivers footwell repairs - and that a friend / acquaintance of yours helped you figure out the non running - and he has passed away. But in the end in life as with cars not every project can be won. Well done you for giving it the best chance possible and actually to sum it all up for sticking with when many would have given up long ago. That’s no reflection in a negative way on your judgment - rather it’s a pat on the back and a good on you. Your channel is probably one of if not my favourite because it’s so real and you will try most challenges mechanical and body and interior and electrics - and here you have had all of these in bucket loads. Don’t be downhearted - sad a bit of course - but you have so many other projects and so as sad as this is if you decide to stop now on this the other projects will also gain a bit more time. Lovely car I agree this model W123. Maybe it’s a case like you said of get another some day in future….

[@KiwiStag74]

My friend, I've been there. Actually, thinking about it, I've been there twice. The first time was an Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint Veloce - a lovely car I had poured my heart into. However, I'd been driving it on gravel roads and this had shaken the rust moths to the point that they stopped holding hands with some of the factory rubber underseal - so much like that on the Mercedes - had developed a couple of cracks, so I poked at them and found that my pristine floorpan, sills, inner front wings, front subframe rails, upper front strut mounting points, firewall and front valance area were actually held together with hopes and dreams. I put it down to divine intervention that the car had not just exploded in a cloud of ferrous oxide and left me sitting on the road with four wheels and an engine. That goo they use must have some pretty strong tensile strength - that's for sure - but I will never forget the sinking pit that quickly developed in my stomach and chest when I discovered the extent of the rot she had. Being a fairly rare car even then and more so because of her spec, like you, I didn't want to scrap it....but it made more financial sense and would move it on quicker than trying to sell it as a whole vehicle as a rot box or project. The second car was a 1977 Mini 1000 that had only done 80,000 miles, but had a bit of body rust that was easy to patch and all panels were purchasable if I really wanted to go that route. Then one day I thought I would pull back the firewall insulation to check for the sticker that would give me its paint colour......and I found a huge hole in the firewall through to the cabin and into the firewall brace where the master cylinders sat. This was the game changer for me because this repair would need me to remove a section of the car that - if I did not get it right - would potentially leave it twisted and it would fail its safety inspection regardless. I couldn't just patch the hole, as it required multiple layers all joining at the points where the holes came together and - as I poked around - I found more that detached the firewall brace from the inner wing and the brace itself was failing until around the centre of the car. This level of repair would mean I had to dismantle, brace and rejig the entire front end to accomplish and with the lack of tools and knowhow on a repair that large, I threw in the towel and sold it to someone who did.....although I gave him full disclosure - something I was not afforded when I bought it from a bloke I found out later was known in the local Mini circles as a restorer and owns a workshop dedicated to this passion.....leading to the question as to why he would pass this Mini on to me, eh. Although the car was saved, it didn't stop me feeling that deep sinking sensation when the plans for driving the car and restoring it as a father-daughter project for her first car, knowing I just did not have the skill set required to do what now had to be done. You know as well as I that the rust you see in a W123 is the tip of the iceberg for the rust you don't and that there will likely be more of a spread on what you've picked away at. Although I love the car, there comes a time where one must be objective. If you want to save it, try selling it to someone you know will restore rather than break up the beast....or strip her down and sell the parts off. That would be my options as I saw them if the car was mine to work on. I'd hate to have to do it, but the work is in such a more serious league than I could handle. Hope that helps. All the best

[@alasdairboyd7299]

The Duke boys made it look a lot easier getting in through the window!

[@hadtopicausername]

I feel for you. Rust truly is the gift that just keeps on giving.

[@BernardSamson-hf6fc]

Matt you should look at how much have you invested, a new sill and floor repair is not the end of the world, strength wise, welded panel will give it structural rigidity. Clean it up with grinder, to make sure there is not more rust hidden..

[@kittyhawk9707]

Ideally to do it properly .replace the whole floor ..

[@RobertBlake-zd4cs]

Before you decide i suggest you double and treble check the other side. If that has gone and I would be surprised if it has not you should part the car out to save other Mercs. if the other side is sound you need to strip back ALL that dodgy underseal as I am sure it is keeping water snd moisture from getting out. A lot of stripping, a lot of body panels, if available, and a ton of welding. Tough choices lie ahead. Good luck.

[@jamesdecross1035]

Ouch! What do I think? I think it's always easiest to be the onlooker offering advice. Myself, I made the 'fatal error' of saying to my Dad "It's only metal work, at the end of the day" too, when he pulled his Alfa Romeo sportwagon off the road in 2014. After many false starts, and extended periods of 'rest', this year I finally get to reassemble it. The MoT is not far away now, and that feels great for a shoe-string budget restoration. What was once 'Car of the Year' it is now quite a rare thing, but it looks great, even without a respray - that'd be phase two. It's a tough road, and only you can choose. So, my advice? Step away for a bit. Then return to assess with eyes wide open. Set the project goals and then look again at the options. I had to reattach structural element and go several layers deep in places. All the while other similar cars have been going cheep, dirt-cheep. Perhaps, I could have switched models, or re-bodied. I continued. I did it.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Excellent to read that another 156 SW is being saved - I still regret selling mine - it was a tremendous, and very beautiful car!

[@thedeadstig123]

Everything is repairable matt, just depends if you want to spend all winter welding be a shame after how far you've gone to throw the towel in

[@Phiyedough]

Trouble is he has to do welding outside so winter time is not ideal, especially if it gets windy.

[@danielrussell446]

@@Phiyedoughand would Matt be able to do all the welding or would he need someone to help then there is the financial angle

[@jtothew4201]

​@@Phiyedoughit needs stripping and welding properly maybe on a jig or something.

[@Uni_Iris_1]

No car is beyond saving, but not every car is worth saving. I know how it feels to loose a car to rust, I recently lost my SAAB to rot. It may be worth calling it a day on this car because its just so much money, time and effort that could be spent on a less rusty car on the fleet. Don't get caught up in the sunk cost fallacy. Maybe its time for a tagline change, from "Broken Rovers and Shattered Dreams" to "Rotten Cars and Shattered Dreams"

[@furiousdriving]

Sunk cost fallacy - thats the phrase I shall have used here

[@vidfletch]

I don't think people were being negative about the Merc, just realistic. They are perceived to be high quality but they really aren't. Yes, compared to most they are sort of well built but they honestly don't live up to the hype. Yes, they are old and will rust. I had an early T124 estate. It's genuinely the worst car I ever owned. All the internet forums at the time were full of people saying how great their W123s and W124s were, but they had spent thousands of pounds fixing and maintaining them due to rust and the cost of parts.

[@BelfastMurf]

That’s a shame Matt. The only consolation is that rather than just wasting time & effort you’ve gained valuable experience from the welding & other work you’ve done. You’ve a great stock of spares to sell or hoard while waiting for a more solid one.

[@alansorbie4038]

You’ve done so much work already. You may as well just keep going and finish it. The only reason old cars stay on the road is that someone at some point has made uneconomic repairs instead of scrapping them ……

[@al557uk]

Sorry to see this after all your hard work. It doesn't look as bad as the other side was. It's a lot of work for you. But it'll be worth it when you get to drive it.

[@iandennis7836]

I believe Soup classic motoring has dealt with a similar Mercedes - not sure which body model his is - but he went above and beyond to restore it, might be worth contacting him, ask him to look at this video. He would be in a good position to ad ise one way or t'other.

[@PaddyBoy644]

17:38 welcome to the next instalment of Furious Welding!!! Good luck mate you might need it. Thanks for the great content. Cheers Pat🇦🇺

[@TheLuisg92]

If you decide to give another go, consider getting replacement floor and sill panels. They are not terribly expensive and will save you time. Even with rusted floors these cars are solid and be welded.

[@skyll4141]

I really wouldn't give up. get your sills done and patch the rest. any holes within 30cm of a suspension mounting will fail the mot. plus you have put so much into it it's not worth giving up now.

[@PatrickHostler]

Like most folks are saying, I would call it a day… and for me, concentrate on the fabulous little mini.❤

[@michaelkeen5010]

Pass it on to free up time and money for the rest of your fleet.👍

[@skodakatie7341]

You’ve given it your best Matt, it’s such a pity this rare and very collectible Mercedes is so rusty. However it is suffering from extensive corrosion, to soften the.devastating blow, at least the parts will keep other models on the road. Sadly they can’t all be saved❤.

[@michaeltutty1540]

With that Clubman, there is an easy explanation for the bulbs blowing regularly. The Bosch voltage regulator is miserable. One thing that helps is to figure out how to make sure lights do not come on until after the car is running and you turn them on. The voltage jump when the alternator starts generating blows bulbs at an insane rate. Looking at the rust in the 124, i think you have hit the same point I did with the 1990 Volvo 240, Arthur. The structural rot was too extensive for proper repair at a price I could contemplate. A young felliw decided he wants to try to save the car. He can't quite fathom what 34 of our winters and 400,000 miles have done to the old car. You have done well to have the 124 this long. Most of them here rotted to nothing about 10 years ago. That rubber underseal holds water and dirt against the metal as soon as cracks or gets damaged. It can also separate from the metal, causing the metal to disappear. What I am seeing in the video is rot that is structural. The only safe way to save that car is to strip it out, then dip the shell so you see what is bad on it. Then be prepared for new floor pans, new sills, inner, intermediate, and outer, and probably structural reinforcements where the subframes mount. Unfortunately that is an expensive process and very time and space consuming. It looks like the end of the road unless you are ready to spend big money and big time redoing the entire body at once. This is beyond the piecemeal approach

[@furiousdriving]

34 winters and that many miles is going to make plastic rust!

[@adambirch3400]

I've done the floor welding on a w123 before and its quite simple - the floor is single layer and continues up to become the inner sill. The outer sill is a second layer that goes over the top (or bottom as it were) of the floor. The extra layers you saw are just the underseal and the sound deadening. Where the stabliser arm mounts are is usually quite strong and looks good on yours. The wheel arch looks a pain but I'd attack that by cutting the inner wheelarch out and then repairing backwards. I think youve put a tonne of effort into the car thus far and I don't think giving up now would be great, but I understand it's time taken away from all the other projects... What I'd also say is my grey grotty P6 was saved 20 years ago because it was super rotten, and the person who repaired it just used sheet steel, so all the repairs are flat instead of shaped. I'd suggest taking that approach to save a lot of time and money.

[@anthonystevens8683]

Matt, do you want to keep the car? Can you afford to fix the car monetary and effort? Is the car worth saving? Can someone else fix some of the body issues? What other body issues are as yet undiscovered.? All obvious questions that I'm sure you've had turning around in your thoughts. Ultimately it doesn't matter what us subscribers think it really is your choice and your choice alone, we can provide opinions, guidance and anecdotal experience that might help the decision but that's it. Take some time to think about it. Personally I would love to see the car saved as like you I hate to see a care move on to calculator heaven but I have let what was a great car to me go that served me very well for a decade because I could not afford or justify the expense of keeping it. Take care Matt and take your time.

[@gjclark2478]

In my early 20's I worked in a garage and we had one of these in that was an 83 (Y) and was only 12 years old. We were working on it doing mot failure work. It needed extensive welding and brake work and it was a pig . Move it on 👍

[@ArlenMoulton2]

No way is this thing too far gone, I agree that it's not the right thing for you personally to carry on with it what with all of your other projects, however there are people out there that could fix that, this car could live again, it's just a case of finding someone that wants to. Maybe talk to Al at 6D Diesels, if you do decide to break it he's a Merc specialist...

[@stuartdavies5191]

Wow! Thanks Matt for sharing such a heartfelt video. I'd be inclined to break it for parts but be proud of yourself that you had a go. Gutted for you though.

[@SirOsisofLiver]

Can’t save them all. This looks to be ready for a trip to the breakers.

[@damianbrown6669]

Sadly I feel it’s time to get rid.

[@grahamclark4518]

I've been there then again I'm paying to do it, To be told "Your car is almost scrap" is really really tough, I decided to go ahead and worry about the cost after its done, The thought of scrapping a car you love I couldn`t, such a tough decision. Depends if your in the situation to afford some help but doing it yourself outside is going to be hell

[@johnps65]

It was always a brave move to take it on Matt as nothing rusts like an old Mercedes. I'd just let it go, sell the salvageable parts and move on.

[@andypicken7848]

Matt you have have enlightened me. I had no idea that Mercedes used paper mache in their construction

[@MartinIbert]

The big honking Merc isn't too wide to walk past. It's all the clutter on the right wall that keeps you from walking past it. If that shelfy-toolboxy thing wasn't there, you could get past the Merc no problem at all!

[@stu.555]

Such a shame for the W123, reason why I initally subscribed to your chanel. My Grandad had a blue W123 in the 80s, think he bought it new and remembered driving around in it.

[@jonbrawn4301]

I'm a huge fan of these "proper" Mercedes, the amount of rot you have found is the tip of the iceberg, once you start really digging it will be a huge amount of work. IMO I would break the car as awful as that sounds, get your money back and help other W123's live on. God luck !

[@sportshatch]

The problem with the rust at the rear wheel is , you will need to drop the rear axle and the complete suspension to gain access to weld it properly.. it’s also not going to be simple,there are multiple layers of steel around these suspension pick up points. Anything within 30cm of any suspension point needs fixed. I’m sure you’re capable of doing it , but this is a major job. The floor will be relatively straight forward after the interior is removed . I think to do the rear suspension points it would really need to be on a rotisserie . I’m sure you know what it’s like welding under a car. Access from jack stands would be very difficult . I don’t mean to discourage you ,but go in with your eyes wide open.

[@cliveprocter3698]

Trying to out do Seaside Garage on who's got the most rotten MB vs. time and effort sunk into it. Get shut and put something small and mini shaped into the garage to work on over the winter months.

[@MyManiacGamer]

Definitely carry on! You've come this far with the welding, might as well finish it off!

[@user-hl2nx7cz1b]

Rust like that around suspension mounting points would be a major headache to get strong and safe, along with getting alignment correct ! Save and improve some other 123’s and strip it for parts !

[@willswheels283]

You’ve gone much further with this car than many would have gone with it, I’ve said it before you have a tremendous amount of dedication and will when it comes to resurrecting old cars and I really thought this car would see the road again but it seems that’s not to be. It’s such a great shame after all the time and energy you’ve put into it. But on a positive note, it’s a goldmine of spares.

[@allantaylor3064]

Newly subscribed to the channel but have been watching you on and off for a while in regards to this car I think you should move it to the barn if possible and strip it for parts that way you can be sure the car lives on in another vehicle, bring the mini home when blasting has finished and put the money front the sale of the parts into your other projects 👍🏻

[@DarrenCoull]

Sad to see, and sorry to be negative, but looks like the tin worm is going to be forever appearing under all that rubberised coating. Truly the only way to tackle it would be total strip to bare shell, then chemical dip to remove all the paint and underseal, then acid dip to remove the rust. The holes uncovered may then be able to be fixed with enough time and effort, but I fear your work area isn't suited to this at all, as well as your tolerance for bucket loads of welding! You would really need a double garage with a lift to be viable, sorry to say! Perhaps @NitroSilvia can assess and advise if it's time to walk away? He manages to piece together far worse SD1's 🙂

[@timonsolus]

Agreed. Mr. Furious simply doesn’t have the garage facilities or the funds to do this car justice. Time to pass it on to someone who does.

[@nigelh4617]

If the Merc was your only luxobarge / intercontinental cruise liner, but... you have the Volvo and Crown Vic. The Merc's dismantling and parts sales could bring in some restoration revenue for other fleet members. Still, a tough decision to make, all the best with it.

[@richardmence966]

Keep it, you know it will be the most amazing thing once its fixed. Millions cannot be wrong

[@williamwales6619]

Lo Matt, cards on the table. I have never seen one that bad to be honest. Yes i was in favour in getting rid. Still am but the good points are the stuff you have bought for it and the engine etc. With your contacts i'm quite sure someone will want the bits . My negativity is also my practicality. Yes it can be fixed but not in any short timescale. Another thing is IF you did manage to fix it and get it driveable it's gonna sit in the driveway more often than not. Difficult and hard decision but think of the time you get to spend on the rest of the fleet. Said my piece .keep up the good work. Thanks for the vid . Later 😒

[@Philip.Magnusson]

I think you are right. I've had my share of w123s. ALL of them have had a lot of rust but some are just not worth the time, you can get nice ones still that doesn't cost a fortune, maybe not with your spec, but you can always save the interior for another one. I broke down a 1976 220D a while back the interior brought me 300 euros in complete with everything, I still have the engine, gearbox, driveline, rear end, front and rear subframe, door trim, handles, hood, trunk, lights, front and rear windshields, all the door windows. There's a lot of parts so don't just pick a few things and then scrap it, mine was just an empty shell when it left for the scrapyard.

[@StArGazEr11713]

I think you should keep it and repair it. Such a nice car and in the future I will be worth a lot. The time and effort will be payed back in the future. Hopefully!

[@MrFlazz99]

I can't believe that there's a rotbox which even you think is too far gone. Having watched all the welding you've done on this and the Crown Vic, I got to thinking that you were the bodger's bodger - cardboard-aided design and tin snips to the fore. Seeing this now, I really thought you'd dangle a bit of jeopardy / doubt and then get stuck in again. Let's be clear - I always had my doubts about this one (though I'm not rude enough to come on here and actually say it's a desperate heap of sh**), but your persistence has been admirable. Giving up now almost seems like defeatism - and breaking it for (valuable) parts might be slow-motion heartbreak. For one thing, the hulk is going to sit around for years while it's being dissected, getting sadder and sadder. Even though I would agree that it's too awful to continue this time, passing it on to another enthusiast (Tasty Classics?) would probably be the nicest way to go. Best of luck anyway!

[@titchness8487]

Come on Matt! You can do it! It's alot of work but you've poured so much effort into it so far!

[@Oldspeed86]

Well Matt, thing is you have many projects, content and places to do and go… the 123 may be a good car BUT you have a good idea of what’s to come if you keep it. The other three mentioned afore are more than enough. If the 123 was your only or say second car that needed the extensive and you didn’t have all the other things going on and will keep going on I’d say keep it. But that’s not the case here. The CornFlakes are probably the tip of the ice burg my friend. Besides the if you were to let it rest in peace the money make off the parts could go into the Crown Vic or other things currently happening with the other projects. Hope this helps ya Matt. AL

[@james011974]

I nearly bought a very early one of these about 30 years ago. It was literally parked in a hedge not far from my home. It was diesel automatic and I think it was a perkins conversion and tbf it did fire up after a out an hour and an old fella I knew introducing flames straight into the intake with the better part of an evening newspaper straight down as well (ashes) man it was the slowest old yoke ever and I mean not ok slow but dangerously slow. On further inspection like your one the floor pans and sills were rotted out and as far as I remember it was made up of complicated double floor pans and stuff. I walked away 😂

[@peterbroad1772]

TBH I thought when you got the Mini that taken together this is too much body repair and the Mercedes would end up disposed of.

[@QbecBolton-ok3df]

It’s repairable. Cup a tea, make a list, do one job at a time finish that before you move on to the next, stops you getting overwhelmed. Don’t rush to drive it tomorrow, enjoy the project. Good engine, gearbox trim and glass it’s all there, in my experience old cars will always, always challenge you, trick is not to let it get you down. Be positive, set yourself a target, weld it up, take it to Le Mans classic in 2 years

[@Robhoyle1]

When you did the work on the drivers side and said the near side wasn't as bad, I thought if that's the case it's the first car I know of where the drivers side is worse. The near side is always worse in my experience, in this case it was just hiding better. Sell it as a spares/repairs runner, least hassle

[@llessibm]

I know it’s a tough decision but break it for parts - it would be a very interesting series of videos as I doubt that it’s as easy as one might suspect

[@chrisbowditch6684]

Ok, bad day. I suggest taking a break and then come back to it later on. Anything is saveable with your skills.

[@begachka]

There'll be somebody on youtube who does welding that would give it a go. Pete C, Nitrosilvia have all done bigger jobs (not all on the same car) and there will be others who have done similar. Sometimes a car becomes a legend - your battles with the fuel system spring to mind - and this seems to be going that way. Good outcome if you can move it on as a project.

[@Ttoe280]

At least , if you break it , it will help to keep more W123 , on he road

[@AdrianM082]

I think it's time to move it on Matt. There are plenty of goodies in that Merc to complete someone elses projects. The time could go into your other projects 😊

[@stuartquinn8408]

I was so looking forward to seeing this car in particular back on the road again, they are truly wonderful vehicles but in your situation I can understand that breaking the car is the rationale decision.But sometimes the irrational decisions are the best for our souls.

[@somervillearron]

The other thing to consider is,after all the work your going to be left with a box of patches! Putting the strength into the wrong area is so easy by mistake or even not enough. You have to think of how the car would hold up in a accident I know I wouldn't trust my life on it,all it takes is to miss a portion then it folds in a bad crash😢 I'm no pecsmist but you have to be realistic,it's sad to see it go the only way I'd trust it is totally shipping the paint and underseal

[@TheCounty90]

I feel your pain mate. I bought a 3.9 ES Disco 1 in Niagra grey for £375 and thought it was a 1 year project. The rust was extensive and 2 years in still going. I heind sight I wouldn't have bothered but works for me as a past time. Plus we use them for overseas trips and green laning so worth it in the end. But the only reason we do this is for fun so if it is no longer fun, do something else you enjoy. Like others have said, you can't save it all.

[@racer4ever30]

im affraid its just too far gone, I would just break it for spares to save others

[@loveformotors9417]

Save it already so much hard work gone in to already. It will be a long journey but it will be worth it when it's finished it will be a great feeling knowing you've saved it from the scrap heap.

[@35dononeill]

I'm empathise with your situation. You have so many other cars, like the Austin Mini,. Could you contract the welding out to someone? I know you've never scrapped a car before, so i see why you want to maintain that threshold. You're too hard on yourself. Quiting while you're ahead is not the same as giving up. You have so many other projects that deserve your attention.

[@pqsaservices]

I'm no welder Matt, but that really looks way beyond a part-time 'amatur' welder to me. Maybe a professional body shop could save it, but I doubt that you could, without a lot more time, effort and equipment. Surely you would need a 4 post lift to be able to work safely on that, and to get it to a safe standard. I would therefor agree that it is probably time to call it quits on the Merc W123, at least that particular one. If you can recoop some of your expense by selling the parts thats great. In this case the sum of the parts is greater than the whole! So sorry for you Matt, I can see how gutted you are feeling. Jonathan.

[@jonathanthorpe1653]

I would give yourself a few days to think about it. These cars and one with that specification are quite rare now and going up in value. Most of the panels are available and you have put so much effort into the driver side it’s maybe worth carrying on.

[@craig1010cc]

Can understand the dilemma. might be worth seeing what the cost of farming it out would be to get you to the point you have a genuinely solid shell. If you break it and look for a better one, no guarantee you wont be finding similar after a year or 2.

[@ianclark9280]

You have done so much already. It would be a shame to stop now. I'm sure that you would love to see it back on the road. I saw a really nice one earlier today and thought about yours. Good luck 😂😂

[@richardhunt1384]

Oh that proper sucks Matt!! Think I'd push it back into the garage and put a notice online saying you've a Merc to break and start stripping and selling! If you say you're sitting on a Gold Mine then I'd definitely be heading down the selling route!!

[@tedburnard841]

So sorry to see the state of this car, especially as you have put so much into it so far. Recoup your capital that you have sunk into it by parting it out and also selling the parts you have already bought. Rust is a cancer and is never fully eradicated. Cut your losses mate. I had owned cars for 45 years and prided myself that I never wrote off or scrapped a car. Over the next 6 years, I scrapped two. They were not worth as much as the work they needed. One was even a Merc! Spend your time enjoying the Crown Victoria and the Rover!

[@deniscurtin9510]

Its the right decision Matt. Speaking as a welder, as soon as I saw the first video of that 123 I said to my son its rotten as a pear with far too much work and only good as a donor. Move on, now you have space.

[@iainmacleod4007]

It’s really not worth the time and effort to repair, however it will make a great parts car. The W123 model is desirable if in good condition and parts are becoming rare and expensive. Cut your losses and move on.

[@ldwp6395]

I'd keep ask around and see if you can find a clean rolling shell, and transfer what you can over. Then either scrap the current shell, or donate it to the banger boys so it goes out in a blaze of glory (heinous to some, but if it's going to scrap anyway, I don't have a problem)

[@gframe287]

I keep playing in my head The Traveling Willberies - End of the Line 😢

[@brystonecowboy]

Send it down the road Matt

[@rogerbyrne9040]

I personally would break it as there is too much rot and probably a lot more as you open her up. Another option is to get another similar merc with a really good rust free body and transfer some of the rare parts onto it like the dash and horn etc (not the abs though probably, too complex). Maybe that is a project for someone else to take on.

[@madmanmapper]

I'd say part it out, but the thing is you'll be hanging on to it for a very long time. Dunno if you can or want to do that. I don't suppose you could get lucky and find another one in good shape but either in a front end collision or with a blown engine, and just transfer all your good parts to that one. Bit of a long stretch.

[@michaelbacon561]

The W123 and W124 are hailed as the pinnacles of automotive quality, but paint and anti-corrosion technology was still progressing. I've seen many rusty W123s and Volvos of that era, yet the W124 did seem to be the best for resisting the menace. Bottom line: these cars are old and made of steel - they are all going to rust eventually.

[@Daz_Stap]

If that is what you can see with a relatively cursory inspection, you know that ince you start grinding back there will be three times as much. By cashing this in now, it will free up time and funds to pay for the Mini restoration, which will be a great project to see progress on.

[@lukemallory7832]

Back in c. 1990 my father scrapped his W116 280SE due to rust. He really liked that car but even back then it was an issue. I think the underseal stuff works better in theory than in practice - the dampness here in Ireland at least didn't help. I offer no opinion, whatever you do is fine by me!

[@marcusdixey9336]

Crazy idea, but could you reach out to another channel one that loves welding. Yorkshire car restorations? Would make amazing content for them and would save the old girl. I know you can weld to a good standard, but this is complex and structurally integral, there will be more hiding too. Just an idea if possible would save all your hard work and potentially a lovely car

[@insaneflamey2k]

Having recently parted ways with a Saab 93 convertible that had turned into a money pit, I think you need to part it out or sell as a going concern. Sometimes you need to know when to stop and move on. Not as if you don't have any other projects. Divert the time and money into your other cars.

[@charlygriffin2828]

You've got to decide what your time's worth and what else you could do with your time. Same is true for breaking it for parts as opposed to selling it as is

[@paulw5822]

Get a quote for the welding ( there will be even more required) and factor in other costs to get it running before making a final decision? If the cost is not too crazy, then consider selling another of the fleet to cover it?