Funny coincidence that not only am I an Elan enthusiast, I also have had several of these old C Class Mercs, and currently have a W203. I find them lovely cruisers. I do have one little tip regarding rust on these cars. On a previous example I owned I made the mistake of allowing the rear brake backplates to go rusty. The problem with that is that the handbrake shoe hold down springs would no longer secure the shoes, leading to a non functioning handbrake, loose shoes and they are a nightmare to change! Lesson learned, I go over my current C Class annually with Waxoyl and Merc preservation wax and it is still mint underneath despite its 20 years. BTW, I can recommend the genuine Mercedes preservation wax, it is top quality stuff! 👍
