Body Panel advice please

[kevcorks]

Hi All
I am after some advice as to replacement body panels for my 1990 T25 Autohome Kameo.
Last week it failed its MOT on a hole under the rear wheel arch, only a small one, and I had a friend who is a welder attempt to patch it up. However, the body panels around the bottom and the wheel arch are just full of rust and crumbling, if you look at the pictures I’ve attached then you will see where the bottom sill is starting to bubble all the way along.
Rather than cutting out and building up with patches, which is what the MOT garage suggested, I was looking at replacing the bottom sill panel and both wheel arches. You can see the corrosion around the petrol cap is really bad, so it will need doing at some point.
Can anyone point me towards a good supplier for the panels, are the ones from Just Kampers any good, or is there a better supplier out there. Are these the panels I’m after:

Side sill: http://www.justkampers.com/vw-t25-parts ... -1992.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Front arch: http://www.justkampers.com/vw-t25-parts ... -1992.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rear arch: http://www.justkampers.com/vw-t25-parts ... -1992.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Any help and advice anyone can offer will be greatly appreciated,
Thanks
Kev

[kevcorks]

Bump [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

[CovKid]

Until you cut into that lot, you won't actually know how much of the structure (particularly jacking points) is rusted/rotten inside.

The sill isn't so bad: https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ar ... outer_sill" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Plasticman]

as said
have a read through this
https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=110336" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
now not saying yours is quite as bad in that area but the outer sill and lower fridge panel will be shot as well as the inner closures and when you chop the lower wing part away it will be sad in there as well,no doubt the arm mount and jp.
sorry
mm

[kevcorks]

Fantastic info there , thank you very much.

I don't think the rest is too bad structurally, although I won't tell until I start opening her up. The jacking points have all been welded up and repaired for her last MOT 12 months ago, the previous owner spent quite a bit of money on her. The only thing that stopped her getting an MOT this year were the front pads and discs which I have done and this small hole under the wheel arch. Unfortunatly there is too much rust to easily weld a patch in as they need to be fully seam welded for the MOT.

I've only owned her for about 2 months but the garage have been doing any work on it for the past few years, and actually said structurally its fairly sound. I just want to sort it properly rather than botch it up. It looks like there has been water ingress through and around the vents which has tracked through the lower sill. Like you say though, I won't know until I start opening her up.

I'm fairly handy and enjoy doing things myself, and bearing in mind it was the bargain of the century (£500 !!) I dont mind spending a bit and fixing it up.

Thanks again, i'll have a good read through of the posts and see how I get on. Once I get her opened up i'll post some pictures.

Regards

Kev

[CovKid]

The problem you'll have is that although its relatively easy to weld up stuff from the outside for an MOT, the integrity of those corners (and indeed the trailing arm mounts) depends on the strength of the steel within. Also, getting an MOT pass is no guarantee that one day the trailing arms won't crunch up into the bodywork. The corner in rear arch does not look good. We've had cases like that before and as MM will tell you, what may appear cosmetic often hides underlying structural problems. In my experience, by the time you see rust on the outside, the damage within is far greater so cut back to solid and put right, then replace what shows on the outside to finish the job.

You'll definately need to get any cupboards out that sit on that side, and brace yourself for a shock. Don't let it put you off though. Better done than left.

[silverbullet]

Look at this and note the massive blister that grows inside the sill end, long before it shows elsewhere...
This was from a rhd panelvan from which I bought the nsr corner, because the wing and arch were still ok.
https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.p ... 0#p8063980" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[boatbuilder]

Lots of work there and hidden rust will reveal itself behind those panels.
Looks like there is lots of filler there on top of the rust.
Its all do-able although time consuming to do it right so that all the rust is removed and new metal is treated both on the inside and outside of the repairs.
I used JK panels on mine and have no complaints really, just that the metal is a bit thinner than the original panels.

[kevcorks]

Yes I know it's going be like a can of worms once I start, but we will see.

Going to get the interior stripped out this week to have a look from the inside at the floor and sill from the inside and I'll go from there.

I'll probably go for the JK panels as I've yet to hear bad reports about them and the price seems right.

Thanks

[Plasticman]

as ive stated before ,all the pattern klocker panels are the same the difference is in the price to a certain extent and the packing, jk throw them in a big box and are happy to send you panel that have already been returned as damaged in the hope you accept them, this from personal experience and documented, use schofield instead,imho
mm

[boatbuilder]

Yeah my panels were shipped from JK the whole way to Ireland in a thin cardboard box with no padding. One of them was damaged, didn't bother sending it back, just hammered it straight again.

[Plasticman]

Nah,return everyrime,hit there pocket and buy elsewhere

[silverbullet]

Front arches are now available from Classic, rears should be next in line. Not cheap, but the correct gauge steel and they should line up first time without shortening/reshaping/deburring etc etc

[kevcorks]

Thanks all, great help as always

[kevcorks]

Update.

I have managed to strip out all of the interior. What a pain, but it will give me a chance to sort everything out properly. Ive attached some pictures as to where I am at.

It doesnt actually look as bad as I feared. The lower sill wil need replacing, but the floor seems solid with no holes.