Body Panel advice please

[kevcorks]

The hole under the wheel arch can be seen below. There are pictures from the outside as well as the inside. I am goung to replace both wheel arches at the same time as the lower sill, so once I have cut them out I should be able to patch up easier and sort out and protect any corroded metal that has been exposed.

[Plasticman]

lower sill,bottom of side panel (fridge one) and inner closures are all rotten, you said "to sort everything out properly" then you get to the joys of arm mounts and jp's
mm

[silverbullet]

Why is there an L-shaped hole in the floor by the base of the C post? That is naughty.

[kevcorks]

Yes the lower sill and bottom of side panel will all get done, will also look at the area mounts and jp's.

Which L shaped hole are you referring to? [FEARFUL FACE]

[kevcorks]

Do you mean this one?

panel1.jpg

This is the hole it failed it's MOT on, so all this will be getting cut back to good metal and repaired.

[silverbullet]

No, inside at the base of the C post you have a hole in the floor that looks like it was cut as part of the camperization.

[kevcorks]

Ahh, yes that is a square hole that the gas bottle frame sits above, I'm guessing that as the gas bottle sits inside a cupboard it's for ventilation so there's no build up if the gas leaks.

[Plasticman]

Whatever it was chopped for ,weld it up ,also you don't realy want to vent any gas leakage into the chassis lol

[silverbullet]

It is a structurally important corner too!

[kevcorks]

Wouldn't it be better leaking under the van rather than building up in an enclosed space where it could explode?

The gas is only on when parked up anyway.

How have they got away with putting g it there if it compromises the integrity of the chassis. There's loads of the Autohome campers around so surely this would have been picked up?

[CovKid]

I mentioned some time ago that when I replaced lower panel, I decided not to reinstate the floor edge to this panel (my choice) so there would always be an escape route should I get a gas leak. I also found (over time) that the interior doesn't get damp now because it can breathe. The oval holes in the lower inner sill were also altered slightly (bent outwards) so that should any water end up in there (either from spills or condensation), it will drain out much faster. Not everyone subscribes to doing that but it worked for me. Had no rust/rot since and that was about five years ago.

[kevcorks]

Thanks CovKid. Do you have any pictures to show what it is that you did, or was it mentioned in another thread.

Thanks

[CovKid]

Ground back floor edge to solid metal, treated and painted it, leaving say a 1" gap between this edge and sill panel. Alternatively you could reinstate this panel and leave a small 1" vent hole in the floor. I'm sure it was MM that actually added drain channels (a bit like battery trays in engine bay) to allow any water to drain out.

[Plasticman]

Your call but if you wish to do it right then follow the threads showing that ,if not then I will leave you to it
mm

[kevcorks]

Hi all again,

Hopefully this weekend i'm going to get some good weather (and time off work!) to make a start cutting some holes in Doreen.

I'm planning on taking off the lower sill and arches and grinding out any rust and corrosion in there before repairing with any patches that are needed. Can anyone tell me the best stuff to coat the bare metal with once I am happy I have removed any rust? Is a red oxide primer the way to go, or is there anything better out there that people have used? Is this the kind of thing: http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-o ... 50ml/48712" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; , or am I way off the mark?

Please excuse my ignorance in such matters, I am an electrical engineer by trade, and big bits of metal and paint are fairly new to me!!

Thanks