[Body_Work] Rust Rust And More Rust!

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

I'm at a bit of a cross roads with my GTI.

 

It seems to have rust everywhere!

 

Specifically - The panels behind the rear arches are both shot and need replacing. Both footwells are letting in water as there is rust in the scuttle panel and I think the sealant has split behind the front wings.

 

Theres a hole in the boot. The sills have been repaired several times but are now exhibiting rot on the bottom on the lip ( the edge bit where a jack would go)

 

There are signs of rot in both corners of the enclosure at the front of the fuel tank.

 

So ive taken it to a body shop that Ive used before.

 

His advice - remove the wings and sills and see whats what. He is looking at charging £30/hour and reckons not much change from £1500 once we start.

 

I just don't know if its worth the effort!

 

Are there any guys around Suffolk that fancy helping me out- cant really afford it!

 

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

same old thing with rust, double what you can see if not more on a 205 as that underseal can hide loads of sin's,

Overall depends on what you think of the car or if repairing as anything can be done but at a cost

[welshpug 1,656]

I helped fix a car probably worse than what you describe but it started off as far less!

 

you wont know till you get the carpets out and tank off, the more you can do the better.

 

the wings if still sealed on as the factory did them I would personally leave on if at all possible, its rare they do need removing, you can work around them to repair the inner wings usually.

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

I can strip it no problem and know the floor is good- the carpets have only just been refitted. The inner wings have been repaired but the scuttle panel is a right mess. I think is it worth the cost when you can pick them up for that kind of money. I mean it only cost £1500 when I bought it!

[GLPoomobile 958]

Can you pick up a good shell, locally, for reasonable money, within acceptable timescales?

Will another shell have similar issues once you start stripping it back?

How do you feel about saving a classic Vs sending another to heaven?

 

It sure is a lot of money, but realistically they are all at an age now where they need a bit (or a lot!) of welding and paintwork. You may luck out and find a totally mint shell, and then find in a few years time some of these issues start to creep in.

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Where abouts in Suffolk are you bud i could lend a hand if you wish.

[culreoch 0]

I mean it only cost £1500 when I bought it!

Same here... ours turned out to be a basket case really. Rotten up front, inner wings, boot floor, passenger floor, inner sills, outer sills, etc etc.

 

We reckoned if we just scrapped it and shelled out another 1500 on another unknown example we could be back in the same situation with another rustbucket. That's the dilemma.

[jackherer 543]

Can you pick up a good shell, locally, for reasonable money, within acceptable timescales?

 

Paul definitely knows someone locally with a mint shell stashed away but there is no way I would sell it to him for re-shelling this 205...

 

I was looking at this the other day, it's actually in remarkably good condition for a 25+ year old car with a quarter of a million miles on the clock. It's a genuine original survivor that seems (from the passenger seat at least) to drive really well and it deserves to be preserved IMO.

[tartanbloke 35 1 Cars]

When you have owned an old mini, then you know exactly how bad rot really is.

 

Seriously, the issues you mention seem small compared to what I have fixed in the past on an old British Leyland product. Learn to weld and the feeling of achievement when you are finished will be immense.

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

Juttie,

I'm in kesgrave about 2 miles from woodbridge. 5 minutes from the A12. I'm up for trying to do it myself but I don't have a garage so I'm concerned about it sitting in the damp whilst it's being ground down/welded etc etc.

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

Kieran,

 

Cheers mate, I do think the car is worth saving its literally doing my head in - there's so much wrong with it!

 

Its relatively solid- the floor is ok - because I had it repaired a few years ago and as you know I've spent a lot maintaining it mechanically. It goes well and as you say doesn't look like its been to the moon and is on its way back.

 

I'm not really sure where to start - sills? front wings? rear bumper bracket panels? take the tank out ? Literally do not know what to do for the best.

 

Barnaby Worthington-Titwank III aka GLpoomobile - I really don't want to reshell it- seems like a cop out and almost like giving in if I do that.( and ive killed 2 GTIs already and don't intend to add to the tally)

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Should be fine outside if you just do a little at a time and any bare metal you expose just spray with some weld thru primer if you need a hand let me know.

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

does weld through primer not absorb moisture? I know a lot of primer do so that is a major worry for me!

 

I'm thinking remove the bumpers and wings and get the tank out then I can assess the footwell leak and the rear bumper bracket panels. Also with the tank out can see how bad it is underneath. Tackle that then worry about the sills after.

[Gaz205 50]

Slowly but surely I'm sure you can get there, it may be a 2-3 year project but at least you will know the car inside out. I have a similar all be it lesser issue with mine but I'm sorting it as best mechanically I can then tackling the body and rust patches. By the end of it, respray and welding you won't have much change from £3000-£3500 but that's a decision for yourself I guess!

[steve@cornwall 100]

As often said on the forum, the later cars ph 2 onward seem to have much more of a rust problem than earlier ones, (not counting some of the really early ones) My choice for good solid shells would be from 1989-1990 an the difference between them seems to grow with time too. Metallics also seem to suffer worse in my experience. So what I would be thinking, space permitting, would be to pick up a base model that is solid. This would give you spares for the rattle box, and could be cut up to provide repair sections for the gti and even a practicing canvas for your welding. Without a doubt I'd start with structural mot failure areas an try my level best to leave the wings attached, If you can keep any paintwork needed in less visible areas and below the side trims it will keep paintwork to a minimum.

 

Strangely enough, after our parallel learning curves with compressor and spray guns, I've just purchased a second hand mig having never welded before. I need to tackle (in the order I intend to do them) exhaust system for the 16v cti, Rear bump stops on the diesel (rotten ph2 that has already had some rough looking welding underneath that has lasted ten years but looks shocking) split drivers seat rail on the gti and finally roof area above rear windows on gti if I get neat enough. Something else that I've always wanted to be able to do myself so I'm going to give it a go!

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

hi steve,

 

Oddly the car has must passed an MOT with no advisories.

Its not that its dangerous as such its just that I know its tatty underneath and given another winter it will be a lot worse I think.

 

I know where there is a field full of GTIs all in various states of disrepair but getting the guy to sell one is another matter all together!

 

Today a mate has texted me saying there is a warehouse opening offering lock ups so now may be the time to take the car off the road and get on with the repairs!

[And 15 1 Cars]

Weld through primer is a zinc coating it's more a paint topcoat type of thing as its a sealer it's better inside panels were you can't then access to repaint or seal after like between metal sheets joints etc.

Edited October 7, 2016 by And

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

Cheers andy.

[yeti-dj 7]

I recently had some rust issues with my old lazer green 1.9, what we thought wasnt too bad just got worse and worse until the car was stripped to a bare shell so we could see the extent of the rust, that car has sat out side for 2 years and then in a garage with a dirt floor. These 2 events killed the car, it simply wasnt worth saving, tin rot had taken hold of it everywhere and it was finally decided to scrap the shell and re-shell it.

 

I would get it stripped down and see what your dealing with..

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

I'm going to crack on with it. Haven't got a garage so I guess a car cover will have to do. Will report back with my findings!

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

A selection of the issues.Mainly concentrated around the rear end.

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

As you can see its along the bottom of the sills, the bumper racket panel and in the area of the corner of the fuel tank area... I'm thinking if I can get the tank out and clean everything up then my local body shop can do the rest.

 

They seem to think it might be time to remove the sills, do the inners and fit new outers. He charges £30 per hour but I'm not really sure how much its likely to cost.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Telf

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

And a couple of other shots

[Anthony 1,002]

That doesn't look too bad - I was expecting far worse if I'm honest from your earlier posts!

 

The rear bumper mounts are a common rust point these days and Skyquake on here does a nice repair piece quite cheaply.

 

Edit: Just seen the later picture - the bumper mount area looks to have spread beyond where the repair panel covers, although still hardly a show stopper.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Anthony

[Telf 224 2 Cars]

Hey Anthony,

 

Skyquake has supplied a pair of panels. I honestly don't know what to do about the sills etc. The rust on the tank corners bothers me- its beyond my ability to repair but on the other hand I'm not sure how bad it really is as far as a proper body shop repairing it is concerned. They have initially quoted in the region of £1000.( to replace the outer sills and repair any inner damage, sort the bumper panels and investigate the leaky footwells)

 

The other issue it has is the leaking footwells so I'm going to try and remove the front wings over the weekend...

Edited October 14, 2016 by Telf