My body is rusting around me, please help!!!

4 replies [Last post]
Wed, 04/02/2004 - 00:57
murph
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Joined: 06.11.2003
Location: Southampton

Hello all,

I put my 1985 300GDS in for an MOT today not really expecting a result so I was not disappointed to see that it failed!

I will have to have some major welding done to include up behing the tow bracket just under the rear door. Does the body have to come off for this? if so is that any easy job? what is needed? how long would that take? could I get to the area by removing the bumpers and towing gear and lowering the tank?

I have seen the site Jesus has posted for panels and sent them a mail for the two light cluster panels but does anyone know where I could get new front wings?

I am sure this G will not die on me but hey it feels as though we are in casulty at present.

Any help or advise appreciated

Thanks
Murph

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Wed, 04/02/2004 - 11:15
#1
Rustbucket
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Joined: 18.12.2003
Location: Penicuik, Scotland.
My body is rusting around me, please help!!!

Hi Murph, Must be major rust for it to have failed M.O.T. Give us some details as to what is actually holed. If you don't know then go back to the tester and ask him to show you. Suspect it is not the body itself but part of the chassis.

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Wed, 04/02/2004 - 15:25
#2
whelanrob
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Joined: 11.11.2003
Location: ireland
body restoration

Hi Murph,I too had a lot of rusty spots, but here in Ireland our DOE test seems more lenient,so long as rust was'nt so bad that parts would fall off it was considered to be only cosmetic if it was'nt in the chassis itself.Nevertheless I find myself in the middle of a body restoration.Under my rear door is also in a bad way but I am confident it can befixed in situ,taking off tank, bumpers and tow bar gives good access as you suggest.That part is available as a repair section from the people who do the rear sections,but it is not that complicated a part to fabricate especially if its appearance is not crucial,I mean you could simplify the shape of the section.In my case I have cut this part out of a G I am scrapping.This is a great time to clean out your fuel tank,clean the tank gauze,and protect the tank with new paint,hopefully preventing future problems in this area.
Front wings would be very expensive items I feel,but again I have found that they are repairable.My headlamp bowls were very bad but easily patched and again appearance is not important as they are covered anyway.I had rust along the side under the trim strip,but the strength of the steel in the G makes welding in patces pretty easy.Also the relative flatness of the panels is a great help,no complicated curves.If you take your wings off, be prepared for work on the inner wing at the top section next to the bulkhead this was pretty bad on me,again I salvaged sections from the spares truck.
The boot floor had a few places needing patching and where the side panels under the rear windows met the top of the inner rear wheelarches in the boot too.
Any more might frighten you off,but if you or a friend has a mig or tig welder and some time I am sure you could tackle most anything on the bodywork of a G
Good luck
bob

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Thu, 05/02/2004 - 01:34
#3
murph
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Joined: 06.11.2003
Location: Southampton
Rusty G

Thanks for both of your replies.

Bob my troubles seem similar to yours, the front wings are OK around the bowls but gone where they meet the body just above the rear part of the front wheels, also a hole in the inner wheel arch. The strips below the doors have surface rust but underneath have rusted chassis box by the front of the doors. I have contacted the supplier Jesus mentioned re the two rear panels and under patch panel and the are available, the rear underbit is where the the MOT man was most concerned as to how we were going to get in there.
In the UK they can now fail the MOT with jagged bits on the body ie brocken rust bubbles!
I think this is about it. I have not tried welding but I am thinking that may save some money here!
Cheers
Murph

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Thu, 05/02/2004 - 10:06
#4
Rustbucket
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Joined: 18.12.2003
Location: Penicuik, Scotland.
My body is rusting around me, please help!!!

My bucket's not so rusty after all then :) Think I'd be changing MOT tester for the future if he is coming out with remarks like " the MOT man was most concerned as to how we were going to get in there. " He's obviously not had a lot to do with welding cars then :? The chassis is the main structure of the vehicle and unlike today's cars the body is purely cosmetic and plays no part in holding the vehicle together, therefore holes in the body do not weaken the structure ( safety ) of the car. As Bob says it's only if the corrosion is dangerously jagged or hanging off that it will fail. It helps if you find a tester who deals a lot with this type of vehicle.

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