Rust repairs on our van - all the usual places!

[volks_womble]

So I have finally stopped putting off tackling some of the rustier bits of our van project...

some of you may remember it's arrival in august last year:


It was always going to be a project, it has just taken a little while to get round to starting it!

So, the idea was to attack something non-structural, and possibly easy first... so I chose the nearside step :S

Not much to say really, so I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Mats in place:


Under the mats:


All chopped out:


Repair piece, modified, and held into position:


Welding in progress:


No more (large) holes:


The bit round the corner:


Starting to clean up:


There's some more grinding to be done here, although I probably won't dress the welds completely flat.

Once that is done, it will be on to the next bit:


Hopefully I will get some time to cut this out, and start putting the repair panels in this week.

Enjoy
Mark

[volks_womble]

Have managed to spend a good couple of evenings this week, plus time over this weekend. I dont feel like I made much progress though...

I got the step ground back, and some primer on it. Looking much better:



Cut out the rotten seam and the seatbelt mount:



then I got distracted by the flaky underseal up the inside of the wing, and started digging:



which then lead discussions on wing and b=post repairs

After looking through some of metalmick8y's threads and some other kind souls who sent me some links to some great detail pictures, I took the plunge and started cutting...

Chopped the wing out..


But kept going, since this seemed like the only way to get to the bit under the top of the wing...


so finally started taking rust out rather than good metal:


The edge of the wing wasn't as bad as I expected:


Repaired the edge, ready to go back on:


And after much faffing about, finally started getting good metal into the van:


It doesn't feel like I have got too far this weekend, but I am at least sarting to get good metal back in... Need to sort out the join of the b-post with the seat box next...

[pandp38]

You are doing a great job with the bodywork. The photos will be a great help to anyone else wanting to do a project like this. It certainly gives me an incentive to work on mine when the weather picks up.
Keep the photos coming!
Paul

[Montydog]

Great photos, encouraging, make it look too easy [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

[volks_womble]

I am glad it looks easy... cos it doesn't feel it! far too much time working out how best to make the repairs, and not enough time attaching new metal... I guess its a steep learning curve, as I don't know these vans well... yet!

That said, I had a good session on the van this afternoon, Getting some new material in:

Bottom of the b-post closed up:


Top bit could then be chopped out - I waited till the outer edge was back solid again before attacking this corner:


New inner skin section on the b-post:


and a patch to fill the remaining hole:


So, some cleaning up to do tomorrow then, hopefully I might even get far enough to get the top section of the wing back on. after that it is seatbelt mount and outer wing section...

[Plasticman]

your doing good there, and it will look loads happier after a rub with the grinder
mm

[volks_womble]

Thanks Mike,

Spent a couple of hours on the van yesterday - Got the inside of the b-post cleaned up, and got a reasonable(ish) edge on the outside. Unfortunately, I ddn't take any pictures before starting to get the rest of the wing in place to work out where the hell in should all be when I weld it back together, so that's mostly covered up now...

So, as of now, the top of the wing and the outer panel section are all tacked back together, but not attached to the b-post yet. Mocking it up, it seems like my welding at the front of the arch has pulled the whole thing forward a bit, so I need to find a way to push the whole arch back towards the b-post before welding up.

Will take some pics next time I am over there, as it will make more sense then!

[Plasticman]

ah you see when you do that type of repair you need to allow for the weld itself .especiallyn the way youve donne it ,also next time add the steel just shy of the actual desired face , this will also allow foir some variation in weld size and distortion, hopefully after youve hit it with the grinder (not too much or you will be through,i see enough vans like that and the resultant adjacent panel is near scrap)when youve stuck some picks up give me a shout as there is another way you can salvage it with relative ease
mm

[volks_womble]

Well, since you ask, here are some pics... it was bothering me anyway, so it doesn't hurt to go and look with fresh eyes...

Anyway, here it is as it stands:

The two sections I removed have been re-attached, and are in the correct position relative to each other:


Height is roughly right (with a little help from the trolley jack):


..and the shut lines on the door look OK:


but there is too much gap between the wing and the b-post (roughly 5mm):


and, in this position, you can see where the the door vent trim is rubbing:


At the top, there is definitely some way to go...


So, am currently thinking about ways to apply pressure to the front edge of the wheel arch to ease the whole lot backwards a bit... Certainly it needs something, as I cant weld the wing in as it stands! However, if there are better ways to go, then I am very open to suggestion!

Thanks
Mark

[bluebus1987]

Hard to say from pictures but it looks like you've lost a fraction on the B post repair and shrinkage on the arch weld has pulled it a little forward too. sort of half and half. I'd be tempted to get rid of your welds and get the B post line first before doing it again, I've got to attend to this area myself at some point and I'm not looking forward to it.

[Plasticman]

ah you cut it with out keeping a tie in or adding a temporary one, nevermind, you need to remove the rear part of the wing and that includes the top part thats rubbing, then use some long c clamps to hold the rear part o0f the arch to the b post and tack , also when you weld a part into the rear edge of an arch as you have done , you putb a twist (best way i can describe it)into the rear and you may find if you hold it to the b post and then open it/swing the front out then the gap may come good, if so tack it here, then mate up to the front edge of whats left where you cut it,
if you cant pull it the weld a lug on both parts and pull nthem together with a threaded rod/longish bolt, ,then add the top part ,you will find this then allows it to sit further back and so give more clearance to the vent you speak off. easy to do hard to write/describe, ive done this on most vans ive done and i know youve had a looksee so you will get there
mm

[volks_womble]

Thanks mike, I think I get what you mean;

I need to take out the two wing sections I have added in. If I attach the outer section to the b-post, then pull the face out to the correct position it should close up the panel gap.

After which, fitting the top section back onto the newly attached outer should then leave me with the cut line across the arch to close, which hopefully I can do with a couple of tabs and some clamps or nuts and bolts.

I think the sounds feasible...

Out of curiosity, how would you have braced this to avoid the location issues? I thought long and hard before cutting the top out, but couldn't see a way round it..

Thanks again, much appreciated
Mark

[Plasticman]

i would weld a couple of tabs to the remaining arch and to the cut of bit,and make your join and alignment with the arch first (after fixing to b post of course) then try door for gap , it should be correct, then add the top part that you had rubbing issues with ,
most of the vans i do have varying gaps on the door/arch seam area, and thats some that have NOT been played with,,,

mant ways to stop the arch area spreading, you could weld a flat bar from somewhere on the A post to somewhere on the B post sort of horizontal ,each is different and you only have to consider if it hinders access to what your working on,

there again they dont all move, to be honest i only ever do it if the van has signs of a thump or its so rotten i need a reference point that is the correct distance apart

oh and ref the rear arch bit , hold it in any position that gives a good gap , usually out then when tacked just push/hold it back in to meet the front half
mm

[volks_womble]

So, had a good day working on the van - late start, but late finish too

following Mikey's advice, I took out the wing sections I had tacked in, and started to fix them a different way. This meant I could take a picture of the b-post for comparison:

Before:


After:


Much better

Attached the outer wing section to thr b-post propely, you can now see the gap/misalighnment with the rest of the wing:




Decided to use a combination of a tab (bit of angle) and a long carver clamp into the b-post to pull the wing up and back. Seemed to work well (once I made the tacks man enough...):




Panel gap looks OK:


So got the join stiched up, and then got the top section in:


Which all took less time than I expected, so I figured I might as well get on with the seatbelt mount too. I am using the repair sections, as sold by scofields, but I seem to be cutting off the complicated bits as I dont need them. They are also somewhat shorter than the hole I had so I made an extra section and kntted that into the front of the arch:







So at the end of the day, some good progress - this sids nearly complete. Some cleaning up to do, and some welding to finish - I ran out of gas... will steal a frieds bottle tomorrow ...

[Smosh]

great photos.Intresting to see how its done. Making me feel guilty for not doing mine myself. Keep the pics coming.