Welding Woes

[Fez_uk]

they don't even look like metal, I think they are interior plastics??

 

[larson]

they don't even look like metal, I think they are interior plastics??

might struggle to weld them:augie

 

[R1cho]

hmmmm yea i think there could be a problem welding plastic lol, I've just ordered 500ml of Vactan rust converter/treatment/primer so gonna go over the whole car with that then the chassis, under sills (when they been fixed) and arches are being painted with Bitumen Paint, going to paint the top sills with hamerite and will also give the inside of the sills a good dose of waxoyl and i will no doubt repeat the process of painting the chassis etc on a yearly basis hopefully this will keep my T2 rust free till i die :lol:lol:lol:lol

 

[makeitfit]

If you're going to do all that I'd start from the inside mate. The rear arches rot from the inside out and you wont know for ages cause the plastic bits cover the rust fest
My rear arches look mint from the outside but have a gander behind the interior plastic side panels and whoa nelly
The little plastic plugs that hold the arches on are probably the cause .
Check also all your sunroof drains and sill drain holes too. I think there's one behind the mud flaps too, which of course gets full of sh1t and forgotten about:doh
Good luck

 

[R1cho]

i've looked at the wheel arches and it seems at some point someone has already given them a coat of something, when the rust stuff gets here i'll start from the inside as you said just hope its not to much of a horror fest

 

[R1cho]

you still would not be able to weld the middle of the three as there is no way to get at it, yes there a three sections and it all ties in with the B post and front seat belt points

any chance of a diagram please so i can get a better idea of what i'm up against?

 

[solarman216]

any chance of a diagram please so i can get a better idea of what i'm up against?

Dunnow about a diagram? and how do you get that on here, but if you cut the outer sills off on the top 90 angle and just outside of the bottom flange then you could access and weld the middle section, (if there is anything to weld to) and then weld on replacement outer sills, these are what they look like inside, if you look a third from this end you will see a doubled section, this is on one of the posts, you would not be able to weld this, the rust seen is only surface I will sand blast this and paint it before fitting or selling, have not made up my mind which yet, Rick

 

[solarman216]

Sorry forgot the pic, Rick

 

[solarman216]

and the outside

 

[R1cho]

I think they are interior plastics??

I messaged the seller to ask and yes they are the plastics :doh

 

[laurieash]

and the outside

Now you have some cills off can you get a sheet metal worker/firm to make some up using your as a pattern,sell on club and fleabay,you can make your second million:lol laurie.

 

[R1cho]

Now you have some cills off can you get a sheet metal worker/firm to make some up using your as a pattern,sell on club and fleabay,you can make your second million:lol laurie.

thats a bloody good idea lol

 

[solarman216]

Well it is an idea but these things are pressed on a former and die in a heavy metal press, I do not know if it would be worth it for a small production run of say a couple of hundred, and do not forget that is two sets of formers and dies left and right, think the overall cost would be high, but I do know a guy who does sheet metal work albeit stainless, will have words, how about stainless sills? any market? they might be a bit boxy but they would fit, Rick

 

[R1cho]

Well it is an idea but these things are pressed on a former and die in a heavy metal press, I do not know if it would be worth it for a small production run of say a couple of hundred, and do not forget that is two sets of formers and dies left and right, think the overall cost would be high, but I do know a guy who does sheet metal work albeit stainless, will have words, how about stainless sills? any market? they might be a bit boxy but they would fit, Rick

to be honest m8 i think there would be a market for any sills that would fit, even if it was just the outer sill would save having to patch

 

[pablo0874]

ive just rebuilt a hole that size with metal mesh fibreglass and filler and custom paint and its just padst the mot inner and outer sill was totally shot ,.not a long term solution i agree but it will give me more time to source the sill and renew

 

[pablo0874]

i will post a pic on here as soon as i get me car back from the testing station as it failed on other stuff but the sills:thumbs:lol

 

[R1cho]

well i've been going round mine today looking for rusty bits to treat with the Vactan rust treatment stuff, and what can i say, i think my truck is trying to turn into a cheese grater both froth wheel arches have holes that were hidden under them rubber thingies in the wheel arches there a hole on the inside of the engine bay around the wheel arch a few others in various places that i would never have found if it weren't for me actually haveing a good look round the car looks like its time for some constructive building with fibre glass :augie

 

[pablo0874]

i used aqua steel to treaat the rust and its very good i would say the best ive ever come across and cheap as well on ebay, if its not in a high stress position and you can patch it with fibreglass and get a good w seat belt anchor right in the mifatreproff coating on it it will do the job ,
even the sills mine passed and you could see the swell in them that they had been filled but im not a pro at bodywork but the important thing was they (the dreaded mot inspectors ) could not fail as it was solid but they just made there own hole under the rear arch on the four door there is a seat belt anchor right in the middle of the wheel arch open to watrer splash of the rear wheel needless to say this was very weak but looked ok to the eye it was so flimsy they just holed it .its worth chec king yourself,
because it fooled me .
on lifting the rear carpet underneath the rear seat there was more over £100 later and i now have another mot cert for 12mths.
but if i was you i would get under and check everywhere with a bright inspection lamp half of mine ended up on the driveway ,it must be lighter now though, good luck :thumbs:thumbs

 

[R1cho]

If you're going to do all that I'd start from the inside mate. The rear arches rot from the inside out and you wont know for ages cause the plastic bits cover the rust fest

You're right i found a great dirty big hole on the driver side passnger arch
might install a wndow in it and tell people its so they can atch the road asa they travel :lol