Back in the day when I got the bus the the first set of welding was done. 4 arches, 2 corners & 2 sills. I have photos somewhere, but they're old fashioned printed ones.... I'll find & scan them later. The near side was welded by an aircraft fitter, I think with gas. Unfortunately he had to fly out for a job and couldn't finish it all. The off side was welded by a mechanic. Fast forward 20+ years and we're back to where we started, well its not as bad as the first time around, but I've discovered few nasties I never knew about Let's start with the offside rear arch, looks like both ends have had a section welded over the top! Ditto for the corner! And a lot of filler to level it out. [/URL][/IMG]
20 years thou, not bad. Most cars after 20 years are , well , gone. Remade as "new steel" for an import car.
Obviously did its job and didn`t crack / peel / shatter . I`d like to see the repair when you`re done and if you can get the shape back without filler ... Don`t agree about overlapping the panels but the end result looked good - with a bit of P38 !
Not as bad, I don't think I have layers of panels to deal with. The rear arch is going along the bottom lip, but that's a job for further down the line. The plan is to work round logically, panel by panel, so I don't have it un-driveable for too long.
I'm thinking weld pins and slide hammer to bring it out as best as possible, then a much thinner skim of filler.
Looks good for 20 years. Not like the chamber of horrors on my bus that rust as I watch and only done about 7 or 8 years ago.
OK, I wish I hadn't started. It's an arch over half an arch! And yay!, the inner arch is FUBAR, the middle will is toast, and the C post needs a new bottom. The inner sills are cover sills & I can't really see what's left of the original inner sill.
20 years ain't bad. I'm having to redo stuff i did 10 years ago, though i suppose if i'd used waxoyl or something afterwards it might have lasted longer.
Outer sill & inner cover sill removed, someone likes seam welding! Could't really get to the cover sill with the angle grinder so used my air cut of tool, my compressor is not really up to the job... It took ages. The original inner sill is paper thin, the midle sill is mostly missing from the door runner down. The floor is rusted through where it was hidden by the cover sill. The top hats & outriggers look ok. I'll remove the interior during the week & drill the spot welds for the inner sill, then figure out what to do with the rusted out floor section. At least I wont be lying on my back in the cold wet & dark.
Sooooo, the floor! It looks like the bit the inner sill spot welds to has rusted away quietly behind the cover sills. The step area & top hats seem to be ok I'll cut & grind back the floor area to something solid to weld to. Question is..... Is the floor 1mm or 2mm thick steel?
Inner sill now completely out, middle sill trimmed down ready for extending & the reat 2 top hat sections trimed & in need of a neb bit letting in. A trip to Just Kampers tomorrow & reassembly can commense. I cant decide if i should buy a length of top hat or just make some sections.... £25 vs a few hours work......
Inner sill replaced & middle sill repaired. A bit more work on the c post... & the 2 top hats still to go in. Its cold, dark & wet so it can wait untill the weekend
The inner arch is uncovered now, not too nasty The sections at the back look easy enough, not too sure about the front bit...I think its best to offer up the new panel to see what what goes where
good luck with it....I don't envy you doing this kind of work over winter...been there...done that.....ruined the Tee shirt.
Much rain means not much progress... Managed to put some new metal into the battery firewall thingy & the rear half of the inner arch.
Made a start to the front of the inner arch, I'll offer up the outer panel & snip & bend the angled section to fit Trimmed the outer arch to height & carefully started to remove the corner to see how much more of the arch needs trimming... And, Yay, another panel on top of half a panel! Im hoping to reuse the corner to make a decent repair.
