General sill rust?

[bert9k]

Got the needle scaler and grinder out, and have uncovered quite a few holes where the underbody panel sandwiches with the metal under the door.
whats the prognosis for dealing with this?

I know there is a coin sized hole near the jacking point thats a probable mot fail (anyone know the exact distance for pass fail?)
But the bigger issue is what to do with the rest of the seam that doesnt look too clever? Whats springs to mind is bending up some U shaped strips of metal and welding it on - is there an alternative?

thanks, B.

 

[CLXCraig]

Visit www.maranellohouse.com Have a look at "Juppy the panda 4x4"

Theres a part in there i seem to remember about sills. It should be of help to you. If not, i'm sure someone will post a good solution soon.

 

[nitro_warrior]

Funny you should mention this. Look what I found today... (pics are after prodding with screw driver and 'persauding' with hammer)

*sigh*

I had just finished fixing the rear cross member and thought I was finished

Any hole in the sill is an MOT fail.

If it's just a small hole thoroughly grind the paint and rust back until you have shiny metal and weld a patch over it. It will last a while like that. Paint it well though, outside and inside.

In my pictures it's failed at a small patch I did a few years ago. I did the repair really quickly for an MOT and was just postponning the innevitable as the sills weren't that great then. At the time I painted the outside but I should have cavity sealed it with Waxoyl or similar because it has rotted from the inside.

If it's as bad as mine! You could still patch it, as long as the MOT inspector can't put a screw driver through it, you will pass. But it will be a bit crap. I plan on cleaning it all up, cutting out the crap and rebuilding the whole lot, fabbing panels from sheet metal.

Have fun!

 

[firstcar-Y10]

oh my word, that's some hole. Looks like you clipped an iceberg. love to see some pics of the repairs.

 

[sixpotman]

This repairs real fun as the floor and both sides
of the inner and outer sills all meet and the three
plates of metal are spot welded along the bottom
of the cill.

Strip all carpet and seats out of the car.
Start with the inside of the car to support the floor
use L shaped metal 20-30mm on each leg tacked
then seam welded inner sill to floor to hold the floor
in place.

Outer cill cut back all rotten metal to clean metal and spray
a weld through primer over the cleaned metal.
L shaped metal plate again one leg 50-70 mm which welds
to the floor under the car and a smaller lip 10-15mm which
will weld to a smaller L shaped metal one leg 10-15mm
the other 20 mm or a length to cover any holes which
is welded to the existing outer cill
The 10-15mm length is clamped to the other 10-15mm
length from under the floor and welded along the join.

When complete and passed an mot protect the inside
of the cill with rust protection.

Pig of a job you get welding spatter in your ears but
the key is to clean the metal of all paint and rust
prior to welding.

John

 

[bert9k]

I'd say I was about a third as bad as your pics there, probably because i'm not in scotland!... yep I definitely am not going to use filler though.

thinking about stainless steel (304 grade) for any long seam patchups but not sure how it sticks to normal steel. anyhow, this definitely looks like the excuse i've always needed to start bashing an anvil...

thing is though, how to stop it rusting from the inside if SS isnt an option, frequent inspections with an endoscope and dousing in Qurust?

last question, have seen the video of someone driving a panda on 2 wheels, and would like to extreme jack it to 45 deg for a few hrs, will this harm the sus?

b/

 

[nitro_warrior]

You can use stainless steel, but I wouldn't. You will set up a Galvanic couple and the steel next the the stainless will be very prone to corrosion if not super well painted.

To treat the inside use a waxoyl/dinitrol/etc spray kit with an extension probe, works pretty well.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...151_storeId_10001_partNumber_140962_langId_-1
It's somethingthing you you should ideally do every year.

Shouldn't do the car anyharm rolling it over. Watch for spilling any fluids, especially fuel if your tipping with the filler side down, and take the battery out. Careful supporting the car though, axle stands are at more risk of popping out. Ideally use a car roller

Oh and if you're electrically weling disconnect the battery and alternator.

 

[Stuartl]

http://www.maranellohouse.com/juppy.html heres the direct link. As Craig says it should give you some idea what needs to be done. Use 8th guage metal as although it's strong, it can be bent into shape well.