Newbie questions about T25s and rust

[oxford_guy]

Hope this isn't a stupid question, but given the age of the T25 now (newest are still about 16-17 years old) , is it actually possible to still buy one that doesn't have any significant rust issues on its original paint? Or do they all eventually rot at the seams and footwells and the only non-rusty ones you're likely to see are ones that have been resprayed? The problem with the latter is that it can be difficult to tell (without photographic evidence) if the vehicle has been repaired and prepared properly before spaying or just filled and blown over...

Is the rust-proofing any better on the later (1988 onwards) vans? Should I be worried about *any* rust on a T25 and what sort of levels of rust can/can't be sorted out without spending silly money? Can anything be done about rusty seams?

I'm looking to buy a T25 (hopefully a nice pop-top Westy...) and am prepared to shell out a fair bit for a decent one, but have a nightmare of buying a potential rust busket (bad experience with a Triumph Spitfire many years ago...). If I'm worried about rust, should I really not be looking at T25s? Have considered the T4, it seems a decent vehicle, but it just doesn't have the character of a T25 and is more cramped inside

Thanks

Paul

[T3teedub]

Many of those that started life as campers would have been wax treated internally from new. But even the wax treatment needs maintenance. It's often the "builders" vans that were converted later in life that usually show more rust but even some of those can be rust free.
You are correct that the later ones were better prepared during manufacture.

[kevtherev]

Don't be too hasty too ignore resprayed vans....however they've been done the cost of it should not be included in the van ...Whilst I can agree a bad respray can hide horrors...a half decent one can retard the terminal creep to its original iron oxide state.

mine was waxoyled at an early age and has delayed the inevitable...however I had it resprayed 3 years ago as the stone chips and rust staining around a few seams was becoming unsightly.
may I suggest others will do this as they like the bus to look tip top

["WEAZLECHIN"]

huh huh, rust. what rust earlier (Aircooled) were not good with rust protection.

[jason k]

post 85 vans are better protected but i found an 82 Aircooled for a mate thats better than most 89 -90s i ve seen.
pre 85 vans are also watercooled or diesel too not just Aircooled.

[horizontal kipper]

we got a 79 built registered on a 1980 v plate westy joker imported from germany last year never been resprayed, all seams perfect only rust starting to show is a few bubbles around the back hatch window. looks like a wax treatment was done well. makes a change from the rusty splits & bays ive had in the past.

[craigieboyo]

check the post in general topics about the value of a van

http://archive.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic ... 580#184580

[PEET]

Unfortunatley old vehicles = rust.. i hate it! T25's do seem to just get it in the outer panels tho as underneath is usually solid, even on some of the ones i've broken.

[CovKid]

I used to work with a classic car restorer and he always said that "Nothing last forever mate - doesn't matter what you do the rust will get in there".

I tend to agree. The Vactan stuff is a wedgie owners friend though. Soon as you see any, treat it with Vactan and it stops it dead. Good for seams. If you read the 'Paint Your Wagon with a roller' thread, theres a lot of info in there on halting rustworm.

["WEAZLECHIN"]

definately agree with covkid. if its deep rust, it has to be removed (cut out) but vactan certainly is good stuff for seams etc, once the scaly stuff has been scraped off.

[oxford_guy]

What about an Aussie van, are these likely to be rust free? e.g. from http://www.gdaykombis.co.uk/welcome/index.htm?