Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all,

I am the proud owner of my new "winter project", an 87 petrol hi top camper. The plan is to renovate the bodywork and interior ready for myself and family to use next summer. I have given the van a good looking over after removing the interior and have ordered the usual suspect repair panels from A H Schofields (excellent service). I have become a little stuck on how to go about repairing the side panel o/s, opposite the sliding door. Its really bad around the window opening, the vents on the side( the hole has rusted about 10mm bigger then the large rectangular plastic vent!, and the whole bottom has rusted away. So i figure its probably better to replace the whole panel rather than patch up the original?? I have looked around, a am stuck as to where is this best place to source the panel for a reasonable price?? I will post some pics when i can get out to van during daylight!!

Hi and welcome,
The window frame is either a case of fabbing up some metal to repair or getting a bodycut,
The grill, take it off replace with a patch of fresh metal then recut your hole,
The lower of the panel, there are lower sills available, and then repair where the side panel has gone, or there is a side panel/lower sill panel available.

But as we dont have pics we dont know how bad it is.
Jim

Plenty in the wiki about the kitchen panel

plenty about floors too cos i rekon that will be in need of work...
oh and hi
mm

metalmick8y wrote:plenty about floors too cos i rekon that will be in need of work...
oh and hi
mm

I forgot to mention that bit

Thanks for the tips I have previously looked at the wiki and lots of old posts regarding rust in these areas. Some top jobs carried out!! My van has already had a "questionable" repair carried out to the floor area under the kitchen units, which i think i will redo. My concern was the rust hole in the centre the panel around the vents and window. I felt i could make a better end result by replacing the whole o/s panel , much like the Westy joker article in the Wiki section, under rust repairs. Just need to know where to source the panel for sensible money?!

probably 2nd hand panel but can you find one in good nick?

New (IF available) will be anything other than sensible

I managed to get a decent side panel from a scrap yard. It cost me 30 notes. I did still have to repair the lower section though but a centre section would be mega notes new i would imagine.

Car transplants in cheshire have some in at the min, maybe they would have a decent side, but if your not round the northwest it is a long way to go.

thanks all for the responses, maybe the 2nd hand route will be the way to go. Jimpainter, will give car transplants a call and see what they have and can do about shipping as I am near bournemouth.

Cruz wrote:probably 2nd hand panel but can you find one in good nick?

New (IF available) will be anything other than sensible

€250+/-
mm