Club 80-90 Forums

I'm in the process of getting my van ready for use over the summer, i bought it as a cheapish non runner, got it running before driving it home etc. Has MOT until april sometime so need it ready for it then! I've started trying to get the engine running nicely, as i'm comfortable around them but i should start thinking about the body...

I'd like some opinions on some rust on it, how bad it is and what you think it is likely to cost to fix?

First and i guess probably worst, you can kind of make out it's near the front wheel just further out than the jacking point. A hole...



Next the cab floor, thers a few holes in it and its pretty thin... E D I T: should point out that theres a lot of "rust dust" making it look very bad towards the step, should have swept it off first



And theres bits like this on the bodywork, seam rust... pictured on the sliding door under the window.



I'd appreciate any opinions.

Thanks a lot
Rich

Get it dealt with asap ... the jacking point one is very naughty ... although technically not a test failure (allegedly ) the cab floor can be plated easily.

That's NOT seam rust btw that's 'cut a hole in a steel panel for a window' rust ... seam rust is round where the body panels meet

Ian

well the obvious 3 courses of action mate

1) leave it see what happens?

2) repair yourself weld filler etc

3) take to a body shop

To be honest nothing there is beyond the skills of a hobbyest but it depends to what level of finish you want is the van worth it blah blah and how long do you intend to keep it

thanks so far!

So nothing is a terrible problem so far, even that hole - it has one both sides.

I am a keen hobbiest, so would prefer to learn and do it myself - it's just the MOT is due soon, and would rather give it to someone who knows for it if terminal. Do you have any idea what it is likley to cost at a body shop, just the hole at first?

The holes in the floor are probably the easiest bit to mend yourself. The floor and sill would probably get you a fail for the MOT. Your window isn't too bad but think about doing it soon as it doesn't get any better. With a bit of practice and maybe a college course / friend to teach the basics it isnt too hard. 90% preparation 10% welding.

Hi,

The rust on your van looks identical to what we had on ours when we first got it.

We had the floor plated, the sill and jacking point welded, new door skin on drivers' and sliding door, hole in o/s A pillar welded up - this lot cost £400 but we had a lot more done than it looks like you need. Hope that gives you some idea of cost, altough I could have been ripped off for all I know...

Stick with it, whatever you decide to do. I only bought our van for messing about and I'm totally hooked now and it consumes my every waking minute....

Chris

Chris , 400 seems pretty good to me for all that .
jaylo

If yours has a fridge - take out the bottom vent and check for rust there too.

Ours was in a similar state and I managed with a couple of friends to fix it OK.
But if you add up the evening class in welding, MIG kit + GAS and the time £400 to fix it is a good deal.

Best of luck.
C.T.

Thanks everyone... I've been quoted £60 for the sill problems and £30 for the cab floor.

T25rc wrote:Thanks everyone... I've been quoted £60 for the sill problems and £30 for the cab floor.

That seems cheap!

That seems very cheap.

Is that just for labour? It does seem cheap but I'd worry that the rust would be just covered up which would be fine for a while.

Yep theres no point welding over rusty areas, the bad bits need cutting out/treating first. It may well be worth you treating the areas then get the welding done,or just make sure the guy doing the work does it all properly.

Thanks everyone... I've been quoted £60 for the sill problems and £30 for the cab floor.

Well, that won't sort the jacking point problem out, because it goes MUCH deeper, and is a difficult job IMO. If you picked it apart and cut all the rusted metal away, there would be nothing anywhere around it, just the heavy jacking bracket.
A £60 repair in that area would mean:

a) it'd continue to rust immediately thereafter
b) very unlikely you could jack the van reliably

Difficult to put a price on it, to be honest, because a 'really' proper repair there requires cutting and bendingthe jacking points well back, cutting lower sill plate, outer sill section and internal vertical stiffeners right back, and replacing either from custom fabbed metal (of decent thickness) or from new sill panels. Stick a screwdriver straight up through the round hole in jacking bracket and it'll no doubt go straight through, and if after driving in wet, water will maybe come out...
Try to get whoever fixes it to make a hole in that lower sill area right under jacking frame, to be plugged but will allow it to be drained and dried occasionally. Make sure the internals are treated immediately after weld repairs with something like Dinitrol

£200 /jacking point would be 'cheap' I'd say, as a guide, but then ££ doesn't guarantee anything, the time and experience and care does though, and these days that tends to mean Yours Truly, or a keen and good amateur.

If it's to be a long term ownership, you should know that many welded repairs are likely to start rusting again much faster than before unless great care is taken.. because the sections cannot easily be put together inside out, like they were in production.

I'll stick some pictures up of the sort fop thing you might be looking at when it's all cut back to good metal

The floor and steps are not such a problem, also look under the seat (above the front suspension spring/damper unit)

Typically what you find when fully cut out the rust around a jacking point... (didn't seem bad, to start with, just a small hole in the lower sill panel behind the jacking point)



From Mr Wiki: