what to do with the seams

[garethnadin]

Hi everyone.
I've just started the bodywork on my 81 leisure drive poptop. I looks like the previous owners have done some body work in the past. The seams have what looks like filler in them. I have read on here that this is not really I could thing. So I have started raking the seams out with a 4" rotary wire brush. My question is, what do I re-seal the seams with after I have cleaned them. I have pre-treated with vatcan bit have not painted yet. Thanks. Sorry if this has been asked a thousand times before, I've had a look round the wiki and other posts on the forum first, this is the first time I've been anywhere near any bodywork since my first car (ford escort) in 1984. It's also my first Aircooled anything

[ninja.turtle007]

Depends on how bad the rust is. Do you have pics?

[Smudger38]

Hi everyone.
I've just started the bodywork on my 81 leisure drive poptop. I looks like the previous owners have done some body work in the past. The seams have what looks like filler in them. I have read on here that this is not really I could thing. So I have started raking the seams out with a 4" rotary wire brush. My question is, what do I re-seal the seams with after I have cleaned them. I have pre-treated with vatcan bit have not painted yet. Thanks. Sorry if this has been asked a thousand times before, I've had a look round the wiki and other posts on the forum first, this is the first time I've been anywhere near any bodywork since my first car (. . escort) in 1984. It's also my first Aircooled anything

Tigerseal is highly recommended for the seams.

[garethnadin]

thanks is it a mastic type from a gun?

[1664]

No point just doing them from the outside; you'll have to attack them from the inside too else it'll be back in a fortnight

[bennwedge]

go down to your local body shop suppliers and pick up some seam sealer in a tube for a mastic gun and also some brushable seam sealer in a tin. the main cause of seam rot comes from the back in the arches. Our vans are getting on a bit now and if you look closely youll probably find small cracks have formed in the arches where the underbody sealer is beginning to deteriorate through age. letting in water ,causing the dreaded rust. These areas will need attention or you rust will come back in no time.