Hi Mike,
I have done all the body work that you discribe on Sophie (You've seen the
result!), and I wouldn't attempt it unless you have a years worth of weekends, a
VERY understanding wife, shares in elastoplast, and good psycotherapy!
Everyone is right, the sills are the MOST important parts, then the floors.
Worth also looking at where the rear radius arm mounts, mine was waggling in the
air when I checked (hence wicked rear end bump steer!!)
Rear wings and arches, get them replaced together. can be done pretty quickly,
(first side 4 weekends, 2nd side 1 weekend I am sure a pro could be much
quicker) and once done you don't have to worry. BTW get the insides of the wings
coated in copious quantities of hamerite!
Widescreed surround, you are right, the bit under the windscreen rubber is
usually in pretty good condition (the reverse of what is usually true,). The
flange bit rusts first, I think because of water finding its way in from the
top. These can be bought and replaced, I patched mine.
Door skin. get them reskined!
Bonnet, front edges are a disaster, patched mine, but had to rush it, trickey to
get right!
Rust on the seams (VERY VERY common), mine has same dispite sand blasting, rust
proofing and repainting with 2-pack. One trick, get some wax-oil, spray it on
the seam, squidge it in well with you finger, and the T-cut off the rest. Gives
you a little more time before the rust returns!
In fact spray wax oil in all those sorts of places.
Hope this helps
Tim
Michael Hargreave Mawson wrote:
> Dear All,
>
> With the exception of one broken part (o/s under-rider) and two missing
> parts (the little chrome corners for the rear windscreen trim on the
> hard-top), the only thing wrong with Carly now is bodywork rust. This
> I intend to deal with sometime this year and I need your opinions and
> advice.
>
> Firstly, let me say that I am the world's worst body-repairer. Try as I
> might, whatever effort I put in, or technique I use, pretty much all of
> my body repairs are rust within six months. I'd like to blame this on
> the fact that I have no facilities, and have always done body repairs on
> the roadside (or, if very lucky, in my parents' garage), using bastard
> files, sandpaper, Isopon P38, aluminium (aloominum) mesh, Rust
> Preventative, and several coats of spray paint, but I suspect the
> problem is with me, and not with my tools. Last summer, I did some
> repairs using a new method - stripping back to bare metal as before,
> filling as before, but then painting with two coats of Hammerite before
> spraying with "Rover" Inca Yellow. Those seem to have survived the
> winter. Amazing - not to mention inspiring.
>
> The problem areas I need to address are as follows:
>
> Bonnet (Hood)
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Rust bubbling through on the leading edge of the bonnet (hood) on the
> driver's side.
> Rust-coloured stain along weld with wings
> Rusting bare metal where paint has fallen off around retaining clamps
> and where the bonnet meets the tops of the sills.
>
> Windscreen frame (Windshield frame)
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Both pillars have rust bubbling through on both of their sides
>
> Doors
> ^^^^^
> Bottom edges of door skins have rust bubbling through
> Chips to trailing edges of doors
>
> Rear Wings and wheel arches
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Wheel arches are shot on both sides, and have been bodge-repaired with
> aluminium (aloominum) mesh and filler in the past.
> Bottom rear of O/S wing appears to have been sculpted out of filler.
> God knows what other horrors lie beneath the paintwork.
>
> My questions are as follows:
>
> Does anyone recommend that I try and do any of this myself, given my
> track record?
>
> If so, what areas do you think I might be able to tackle, and what do I
> need to do to ensure a long-lasting rust-free repair?
>
> New rear wings, or just new wheel arches? Which is most cost-effective
> in the long term?
>
> ATB
>
> --
> Mike
> Michael Hargreave Mawson, author of "Eyewitness in the Crimea"
> http://www.greenhillbooks.com/booksheets/eyewitness_in_the_crimea.html
--
Tim Dafforn
University of Cambridge
Structural Medicine Unit
Cambridge Institute for Medical Research
Hills Rd, Cambridge CB2 2XY.
UK
Tel. (01223) 763230
Fax. (01223) 336827
http://smokeroom.cimr.cam.ac.uk/
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