450SLC Rear screen rust

A couple of years ago, MB Spares & Service closed their spare parts division to focus on their restoration and servicing business.  At that time, I was able to buy a very nice rear screen for a C107 SLC.   The car that it came out of was very rusty, but surprisingly not around the rear screen.   My screen is quite delaminated from previous rust around the screen area.    As you can see from the picture below, the new screen is really good.

After having that screen sitting in the garage for the last couple of years, I figured it was time to have it fitted.    I purchased a new seal, and had a screen fitter who was recommended to me come to do the job.

I had previously (in 2006), had rust removed from around the rear screen and a new seal fitted.   Based on that repair, and with the car garged during this time, I figured it would be a simple swap job on the 450SLC rear screen.   I was wrong.

Once the fitter removed the old screen I was greeted by rust in a few places around the rear window aperture.   Unfortunately, when the rear screen was fitted, they hadn’t used any sealer between the body and the seal.

The worst area is right in the middle, just to the right of the first aid kit box, but there are other smaller areas of rust around the 450SLC rear screen.  Obviously, at that point we had to stop.   It would have been really silly to fit the new screen back with this rust.    We left the screen out so I can arrange to repair the rust.   After that, we will get back to fitting it.   I’m hoping the rust can be fixed without disturbing the paint that is visible.

While I am at it, I can also move over the connection for the heated rear window as well.