Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all,

Looking a buying a t25 and I've found one nearby. I've read a few things about sills. Some saying run away, others replacing them. I've taken some pics, any advice on whether to buy or to avoid? Pics below... (This is a rare van in that it's in my low budget, isn't high top and is nearby)





So the problem areas....
Passenger side sill









More to follow...

Bottom of the door also a bit crusty but not too concerned about that.

Drivers side....

Rest of the underneath looks good



Cargo bay floor needs replacing at the edges where the sills are and a random patch behind the middle runner....





So.... run away? Or take a punt? Price is £1250 but I think i could get a few quid off it based on the state of the sills. Engine runs too.

Have a look at the thread below, it will give you an idea of what is involved. You can then make your own mind up.

https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=148940" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thats shocking, cant believe you are even considering buying it. If it was a high spec model with power steering then maybe but not that one. Get a solid one in original paint if possible, people hide all sorts under new paint and underseal.

Run away as fast as you possibly can, don't look back, keep on going until that awful money pit of a rust bucket is far far away.

Can you do the metalwork yourself as well as the interior & mechanical work? If so, I don't see there being a problem with buying it for the right price.

I bought a lot worse for slightly less money. Hard to say without looking at the overall picture. If you can do the work then it's fine. I had someone do a decent job for the right money in the end so happy with what I spent for what I now have. Any MOT?

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Faced with this:


£150 later, got this:



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theres more work there tahn meets the eye, to do correctly and i dont mean just cosmetically as its a structural area , see also
https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=110336" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
you will have to wade through it a bit but there is enough detail to show what is and what is REALLY there
as for money , how much they asking.............
mm

metalmick8y wrote:theres more work there tahn meets the eye, to do correctly and i dont mean just cosmetically as its a structural area , see also
https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=110336" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
you will have to wade through it a bit but there is enough detail to show what is and what is REALLY there
as for money , how much they asking.............
mm

I've been looking through the 2 threads linked here. They don't put me off completely (Im a novice welder though which is why I don't do structural / important stuff), but I guess a repair bill for 2 sills would be in the 2k range with the parts? I have friends who would give me a good rate so a little cheaper than normal garages but still wouldn't be cheap.

I think a grand would get it bought. What kind of price would I be looking at for a solid one realistically? There's always the risk a more expensive solid one would end up not being solid. I learned with Beetles that if I buy rotten I know what needs to be done but at least it's cheap to start with lol.

My beetle was rebuilt completely btw. Should have been scrapped really.

You need to look at vans with a critical eye, learn where they rust, sometimes its from the inside out. there is a recessed plastic bung that you can remove and check the inside of the rear jacking area. As for price that means nothing as far as the solid nature of the van.I was lucky when i bought a caravelle blind on ebay, solid in all the main areas and cheap. Dont rush into buying a van, save up and look at lots of them first.

as ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
the problem being as stated, when you know the vans you see signs and when certain areas are completely shot then i usually follows that certain other ares are also gone.
the inner sill/jp/rear arm mounts are common but even with a 1k budget there will be a few out there that arent as gone as the one you show,
general panel work is fine and you can get away with a lot but as you are aware you have to do these areas correctly , personally i would walk
mm

Cheers all, I'm going to pass on it. I'm on the lookout for a van still. With an mot I can get it home from anywhere so if anyone hears of anything let me know! Anything but high top, any engine, any age, any colour, empty van is fine!

On a side note I know the seller of the blue one so if anyone wants a project i can pass details!