"I am about to embark upon a project to replace a fender--something I've never done before, as I have always combined my projects to engine and running gear-related tasks. This is a right front fender. Is this something that a non-body man should tackle? "
I just had a fender replaced in a 1980 116 by an experienced body man who I know pretty well. He told me it was a real bitch to get off and I could see why. It's bolted on, but MB used a thick rubberized type of coating over everything. He eventually had to use a torch to melt the stuff so it would come apart and even then it was a bitch. Don't know what they used on
115, but if it has the same coating, it could be a real pain.
Another issue is what fender you're replacing it with. According to my guy, the aftermarket ones usually don't fit right, some don't even have the mounting holes drilled in them. We went with a MB OEM one, which cost a lot more, but in terms of time and trouble, was worth it.