Lower middle panel

[davegeezzer008]

Hi guys I started work on my 82 westie in earnest a couple of months back after its sat on the drive for 10 yr as a completely stripped she'll, I shot blasted the underside the sprayed it with epoxy mastic and I'm now in the process of refitting everything that goes underneath that's been overhauled with bearings and bushes. I've loads of panels to replace including sills ,rear wings,battery boxes and pillar repairs, whilst digging about I've now discovered the lower middle panel needs repairing as its rotten its whole length from front to rear wing, but I can't find a reproduction panel, has anyone repaired this ?, could I use a sliding door repair panel ?. Some may say scrap it but I'm not fazed about all the welding I think of it as a blank canvas lol!, and I get to treat myself to a new tig welder lol. Cheers Dave

[kit]

If it is the one on the offside then GSF do them but wait until they do a 35%off weekend.

[New Kentish Campers]

If you mean the o.s or drivers side on a rhd van and you don't have a sliding door, then that panel is obtainable from Schofields. Some people call it the fridge panel mainly as it rusts due to the fridge condensate draining inside and not out

I recently fitted one and you'll need to fettle it as it's a universal side one but it's not too bad a job to do plus you don't get anymore seam rash issues as it's a one piece panel with a dummy swage line instead

[davegeezzer008]

Cheers guys yes its rotten because of the fridge and the fact that some muppet insulated it with sponge !! thats why ive sooo many rotten panels !, Ill check out schofelds and GSF as its a LHD N/S panel. at least i now know its called the fridge panel. thank you

[davegeezzer008]

Can anyone tell me the website to order genuine parts, ive got it bookmarked on my laptop but its in for repair so im using my daughters laptop, its the site thats says if the part is obsolete or still avaliable, Ive found the fridge panel on Schofields site (thank you !!) but he has also got a genuine complete rear side panel/factory window left which i could do with but i want to see if the right is also avaliable, as its not listed its probably not but id like to check.

[Wychall]

Try vw heritage or vw classic parts.

[New Kentish Campers]

Can anyone tell me the website to order genuine parts, ive got it bookmarked on my laptop but its in for repair so im using my daughters laptop, its the site thats says if the part is obsolete or still avaliable, Ive found the fridge panel on Schofields site (thank you !!) but he has also got a genuine complete rear side panel/factory window left which i could do with but i want to see if the right is also avaliable, as its not listed its probably not but id like to check.

Best give him a call, but as you say, his site doesn't list it. But, 32 quid for a repair panel as against 495 for a factory one is a fair old gap isn't it? To be fair, the repair panel isn't too bad and once fitted, looks quite good. Not 100% I'll grant you, but for that money... and of course, even if you were to find and fit genuine bodyside, you'd still have the future possibility of the seam rusting, it's an inherent problem with the T3 van.

[Wildbill]

Hey Guys. Just in the middle of replacing this panel myself and went for the GSF part. Quick word of warning it is a 'repair panel' / 'over panel' and the main section of it is not curved as the van is. So you do need some substance to the original panel to ensure it takes the curve. It's also long enough to cover over the bottom of the B post. Unfortunately this repair had been done to my van previously, quite badly! And as such didn't really have much to go to. Having rebuilt the outrigger/jacking point/ bottom part of B post, ended up cutting away all the way to the C post and then creating end flange return profiles, to replicate close to the original panel and tig welding these to the end of the said 'repair panel' (along with after thought center one) to create the form required (see Pics here https://www.dropbox.com/sc/kxvo5uz166pp ... ya9fjzCWta). Also need to mention that it's not a perfect replication so expect some cutting and shutting!