This page last up-dated 04 March, 2007
Job description:
Replace rusty front panel with new genuine panel, fit repair panels to areas that are corroded around lower half of the body. Paint in original colour.
This is the amount of general dirt, filler dust, rust, off-cuts of metal, and anything else that falls off the vehicle.
The first job to attend to was to steam clean the underneath and elevating top.
After removing windows and engine lid the work of removing corroded panels started, the rear panel was really badly corroded, as was the offside battery tray, after cutting these away more rot was found on the rear chassis legs and uprights.
The above photos show the poorly welded repair to the offside rear chassis leg, this was removed as there was no strength to the repair, after the full horror was revealed it was cut off and a new piece of chassis welded in place. After cutting away the corrosion on the nearside rear corner the inner rear panel was welded in place, next the towing bracket was fitted and the new captive nuts welded in place.
This led onto removing the offside wheelarch, the photo below shows the rust under the filler, the arch was also only held onto the inner arch with fibreglass and was pulled off easily, although this panel was not badly corroded, it wasn't attached correctly and would need to be replaced.
Looking underneath the vehicle showed more horror, the inner sill had previously been repaired, and subsequently corroded again because of the lack of rust proofing. This was cut off and a new panel welded in.
The battery tray was then welded in place, next the rear corner and wheelarch were trial fitted. Before welding the arch in place I noticed the petrol pipe seal was split, this was changed as the access to it is far easier before the arch is welded in place rather than struggling through the small access hole.
Trial fitting the rear corner and arch panel.
After finishing the O/S of the rear end, our attention turned to the N/S rear arch, the inner arch was corroded badly along the lower lip of the arch, this was cut away and a new panel bought to replace this part.
Spot welding the new inner arch in place.
After filling the rear arches and corners our attention turned to the front end, the front arches had been replaced previously and were to be left as they are, however the front panel was corroded badly below the windscreen and the front panel needed replacing. This was cut off, and then we could see the holes in the cross member due to corrosion. As this panel is not generally available, patches were made up and welded in place, and sealer applied over the whole of the cross member to prevent any future rust.
The new front panel needed some alterations to make it into a RHD panel, and to fasten the handbrake mechanism to it, the next job was to paint the inside green, let it dry and then fit it.
Finally the last area has been welded and the filler applied, rubbed down and shaped, the masking paper placed over the window and door apertures and the etch primer and the primer coats sprayed on.
After unmasking and sanding down the primer coats, the pop-top was first given a fresh coat of white paint, then the roof was painted in Taiga green. Once this had dried the camper was re-masked, sealer and stonechip applied then the body painted in it's final coat.
A new rear bumper and the original front bumper were then painted in the same shade of Cummulus White as the roof, and after fitting the tow-bar were then bolted in place.
