I hate tin weevils

[ferny]

The carpet in the car is dead and there was a bit of rust here and there so I've spent a day scrapping and slapping paint on. Then I got to the front and found these. I don't know anything about the way these cars are constructed so don't know how serious this is. Both are shots of the wheel arch inside the car. The first is the left (passenger) side and the second the right (drivers) side. On the drivers side it runs up where the arch joins the side for eight inches. Hopefully you can see the rust. I pust some rust convertor on it last night so it's gone black.

On the outside, inside the passenger arch, there is another rust hole which will need dealing with. I can't get a shot of it right now but will try later.

What do you suggest or advise? I can't do the welding myself.

[MoggyTech]

Common rot spot. This area on the outside, gets bombarded with everything the tyres kick up. Very easy repair though, but with a twist.

Cut out the rot, and make a repair panel for the inside out of 2mm steel and weld in place. On the outside, add a 2mm plate over the area you have repaired. Use seam sealer on the welded edges, and zinc weld through primer on every part of the repair.

Finish the repair by painting the outer section with epoxy based primer, POR15 then underseal with added waxoyl. Clean and retreat this area every spring.

Just find someone who can weld, access is easy, as is the actual welding, as the panels are thick with little risk of blowing holes.

[dunketh]

If thats the only rot you've found then congratulations are in order!

Have you attacked your sills and chassis legs with a screwdriver yet?

[ferny]

Thanks for the info. But is the car in a "dangerous" state as it is?


There's the odd bit of rust. Some under the bottom wood section on the side of the car. And the bottom rear wooden section is also rotton. It was sold as very solid...

It's also had a repair on the section below the rear seat and on the floor behind the drivers. Very iffy repairs because I can see welding wire. But it seems solid and I can see penetration.

[bmcecosse]

It certainly needs attention - but may just scrape through an MOT like that!

[ferny]

Cool. At least I know it won't fall apart if I hit a bump in the road.

I didn't know it was there until I started scrapping. You'd think I'd learn not to do that after owning a 40 year old car for a couple of years already..