205 Gti Shell Rot

[martin205xs 0 2 Cars]

Evening all,

 

So dont know if any members know me on here from my posts on facebook and pscuk.

 

recently acquired a beauty of a 205 GTI 1988 1.6 everything looked ok on arrival and sounded a slight bit tinny with the engine having idling problems but came with a full years test. so naturally you think well there cant be much wrong if it passed it test!

well the brake servo was shot and had to use my left foot to release the brakes when pulling away from junctions the car had a misfire and the power seemed down.

1 new dizzy a ignition amplifier a retracked afm and new custom HT leads and she was purring like a kitten with every cylinder holding 11.5 bar with no leaking not bad even with 121k on the clock

 

i was recently having issues with the central locking and decided to go looking for the problem, it turned out to be weak earth a the earthing block in rear arch passenger side.

 

the reason it was a weak earth was evident when i found there was only rut in that area and little or nothing of an arch. Got to hand it to Peugeot the underseal really makes a panel look solid and holds the rust just in place.

 

i then decided to go on a rust hunting mission.

 

then off came the rear beam for a strip down and service and sand down ready for repainting

 

Found the rear of the sills were shot and the drivers side sill was rotten in strange places

 

then going off a hunch i remembered my last 205 had rot in the rear footwell due to a leaky window seal and a missing floor plug so up came the carpet instantly i felt damp and smelt the smell of rotting water.

determined in my stride to find all the rust i discovered the front well was a swimming pool luckily with no rust but the rear footwell was rotten in places

 

as you can see i have outlined where i need to cut

i then got bored so decided to sand down the rear arches to remove the rust from round the trim holes. surface rust can soon turn into rot so decided to try and cure it while i can.

 

so cant complain for a £650 project that was not meant to be a project.

 

cutting footwell out tomorrow and grinding back any other rust i find. the thought of resheling has crossed my mind but i want to restore this one at the end of the day shells are not the cheapest and easiest things to come by.

 

the car will be getting used for hill climbing and a few track events so most of the interior is now surplus to requirements and so will the engine in the future to make way for a xsara vts engine. might as well hold on to it or put it on ebay.

 

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

I am now a bit scared to lift my carpet. (but think i'll be ok tbh), having said that, my car has had "somethin" done O/S rear lower quarter. I expect a plate put in..... i KuRust the lot in the inside and crossed my fingers tbh.

 

Have you, or will you be sourcing the wee grommets for the replacement of the kit/arches? or got any other ideas?

Edited September 6, 2013 by dobboy

[martin205xs 0 2 Cars]

Hi Dobboy

 

I managed to retain a fair amount of the rubber washers that hold the arches in place but the metal securing washers were all rotten. but currently i am working on a different way of securing the arch trims to the body work.

[MiniGibbo 142]

Bummer if you new any panels cut off a donor car to save using sheer material let me know.

[martin205xs 0 2 Cars]

Might have to take you up on that minigibbo

[MiniGibbo 142]

Yeah sound, depending on size of bits you want I should be able to cut you what you want and stick it in the post