Auto Detailers Doubt Their Ability To Bring Back Abandoned Barn Find Mercedes 300TD

Key Takeaways

• WD Detailing rescues a deteriorated Mercedes 300 TD from being crushed, showcasing their expertise in restoring barn finds
• The cleaning process reveals interesting badges on the car and the challenges they faced in removing the seats and cleaning the interior.
• Several rodent nests needed to be removed but the end result is a classic Mercedes returning to its former glory.

Barn finds generally lead to some interesting vehicles with interesting stories, but sometimes they’re not worth saving. Usually, these cars are found inside a storage unit or a barn, hence the name, but when they’re left in the open exposed to rain and sunlight, they can very quickly start rotting away. Not only will the exterior be ruined, but the interior will become a breeding ground for different species of insects and mice.

Fortunately, there are guys such as the WD Detailing team that aren’t afraid of a challenge. Here they rescue an S123 Mercedes-Benz 300 TD that’s about to be crushed. To say that this car needed some work is an understatement as most of the body panels were rusted to some degree, and features a rusty engine block. With such a deteriorated example, it might not be too far gone for the detailing team.

Ohio’s Weather Is The Number One Enemy Of Old Mercedes-Benz

The team got to work by pumping up the tires to get the car onto the trailer, but this was easier said than done. Since there was no key, they had no way to turn the front wheels, so they ended up bouncing the car to get it lined up with the ramps to get it onto the trailer. RJ explains that the first step is to look at what they’re working with and the extent of the dirt. Despite all the dirt and moss, the yellow and navy blue pinstripe is still visible.

According to Mike, the 5-cylinder turbodiesel engines found in these cars are tanks, but because they live in Ohio, many of these old Mercedes-Benzs’ succumb to rust. Both RJ and Mike point out that the inside of this car smells terrible, and they admit that it will be difficult to get rid of the odor.

This Mercedes-Benz Has A 250,000 KM Grille Badge

• RJ explains that there are a few interesting badges found on this 300 TD, and the one he knows is the Mercedes 250,000 KM badge,
• This indicates that the previous owner took pride in having such high mileage.
• The other badge is a Bermuda grille badge, but there’s no particular story behind it.
• The duo started the cleaning process by removing the seats, but there were a few issues with the driver’s seat as it kept getting stuck.

When they received the car, the only “key” they received was a small piece of metal that barely resembled a key. Oddly enough, the piece of metal that prevented the seat from moving was the rest of the key. Once the seat was removed, they started cleaning, with the first step being to vacuum the door jams. RJ also found an extension cord in the engine bay, which Mike explains is used to pre-heat the engine before starting.

A Powerful Degreasing Formula Is Used To Loosen Grime

Before they started washing the car, they had to pump up the tires once again to ensure that it could be cleaned properly. This could be one of the dirtiest sets of wheels that the WD Detailing team has ever seen as it was covered in moss. The rest of the car was pressure washed to remove any loose dirt and grime after spraying the car with a powerful degreasing agent. After rinsing off the car, RJ explained that it’s important to clean inside the gas cap with a detailing brush as it’s easy to miss it.

The next step was the roof, and RJ explained that this would usually be done first, but since they’re filming, it has to be done last because the viewers would need to see what’s happening. Cleaning the roof was difficult as it took multiple passes with the pressure washer to remove the stubborn grime.

Performance

*Performance specs sourced from Carfolio

Key Takeaways

• The pressure washer needed multiple passes to get rid of the grime.
• The wheels were covered in moss.
• The roof would usually be done first.

The Carpets Were The Dirtiest Pieces In The Car

Mercedes Barn Find Rodent Home

• RJ and Mike removed a pair of mouse nests.
• The carpets were filthy and infested with roaches.
• The entire trunk was disinfected before being cleaned.

RJ explains that once they washed the car, an iron remover was sprayed onto the exterior to get rid of any iron. This prepares the paint for polishing at a later stage. The pair tackle the trunk of the 300 TD, and they find a lot of interior pieces that are covered in bugs. The carpets were in bad shape, but they managed to find all of them, including the spare tire cover. After lifting the rear floorboard, they found a few mouse nests that smelled awful.

Once the nests were removed, they found more roaches, but then moved on to clean the carpets. RJ explains that they started the process by vacuuming the trunk and then disinfecting it with an all-purpose cleaner. To get rid of the stains, they used a drill brush to agitate certain areas and then suck it up with the extractor.

Pricing

*Pricing sourced from Classic.com

A Huge Mouse Nest Was Found Behind The Glove Compartment

More Surprises In This Barn Find Mercedes

• Polishing this old Mercedes-Benz completely changed the way it looks.
• RJ removed the glove box to find a huge mouse nest.
• This S123 Mercedes-Benz could be a great restoration project.

RJ explains that before he started cleaning the vents, he found that it was packed with insulation, which means that there was likely a mouse that made it its home. After removing the pop clips to remove the glove compartment, he found a huge nest that had to be removed. Then after using an air compressor and a vacuum to clean the vents, he started to clean the rest of the interior. This included all trim pieces, door panels, the dashboard, and everything else inside the car.

Engine

*Engine specs sourced from Carfolio

Once the interior is cleaned, RJ explained that polishing is the final step. This made a huge difference to the appearance of the paint, with the blue ending up more vibrant and shinier. Considering the original condition of this S123 Mercedes-Benz 300 TD, the difference is night and day. If they manage to get a buyer or choose to fix it themselves, it could be an incredible restoration project that shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Sources: WD Detailing, Classic.com, Carfolio, Hagerty