Thoughts on managing rust and crunchy bits over winter - What would you do?

[Tims Triumph]

Hello,

So I've recently recommissioned my 1500HL for permanent everyday use. Incidentally if anyone in the North West is looking for a good old school mechanic with a particular gift for rebuilding and tuning SU carbs PM me and I'll put you in contact with my mate in Whitchurch who has just done a fantastic job on mine - car drives like new, plenty of power, and bags of fuel economy - can't recommend him enough!

ANYWAY,

I have one major bit of rot on the front N/S sill continuing to the bottom of the Wing. It's a bit frilly and bubbling through a bit on the sills which makes me think it's probably all coming through from the inside as from memory these inner bits were already getting a bit crunchy back when I first bought the car in 2011 - and haven't been done.

Anyhow, It's my plan to cut these out and do some proper hardcore welding in Spring time next year plus anywhere else that needs it doing (the drivers side too as I'm sure that's not too far behind).

The conundrum I have however - is how best to contain this rot during the winter as its going to get much worse with the salty roads etc...

Given that I am going to strip it all back in the fullness of time I'm not bothered about chucking a load of fibreglass or something of that ilk over the top to stop it being attacked from water spray from the road (yes I DO wash it twice a week) - but I'm not sure if fibreglass is the right stuff... Does anybody have any suggestions, I've thought about that black guttering sealent, bitchumin, underseal etc etc.

suggestions?

I reiterate - I'm not going for a long term fix - just something to cover the holes and the bare bits of rust so that it's not going to spread like wild fire!

Cheers,

Tim

[cleverusername]

Other than wash it, and clean out any muck trapped behind the mud guards (if they are fitted), my advice is do nothing. The only proper repair is to cut it out and fix it properly. Anything else you do will be a bodge that could well make things worse. You could simply trap moisture inside the panels and box sections, making them rot more.

There is a good chance you're right, a small amount of rot on my offside sill(a couple of inches), in two places, required me to cut out two huge sections from the sill to repair all the rot to the inner reinforcer. My advice is get it fixed properly and as soon as is practical.

[matt of the vivas]

Id just scrape the loose rust and paint off, and paint some black waxoyl over it for now. Itll help stop it getting any worse.

[Galileo]

I just watched this video on rust removal methods, not totally applicable but interesting anyway!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi-tK1jwO-k

My temporary technique is to paint on rust convertor before dealing with it properly later.

[dollyman]

Hi Tim, as above is a good way. But i would use fibreglass and resin as well. It makes for a very waterproof and strong.ish repair. It also cuts off the oxygen supply and you can bridge holes. Dont use body filler as it is porous!!! Also if you use waxoyl or similar and then try to weld? Have 999 on speed dial Use it when finished.

Tony.

[sprint95m]

Maybe this is just me but what has been said is not my way at all.

I would sort it, full stop.
In 2007 I was in this exact position when I acquired a Dolomite 1850.
It had about 6 month MOT and tax but I didn't run it at all until I had sorted it.




Ian,

[Tims Triumph]

Maybe this is just me but what has been said is not my way at all.

I would sort it, full stop.
In 2007 I was in this exact position when I acquired a Dolomite 1850.
It had about 6 month MOT and tax but I didn't run it at all until I had sorted it.




Ian,

Yes in an ideal world that’s what I would do, but unfortunately, when you’ve got to get to work and various other places, and it’s your only car then there’s not the option to do that! And given the tight finances of life especially at this time of the year there’s no option but to patch it up as best as possible until the time comes when I can - A afford to be without it for a couple of weeks, and B afford to do the work! Hence my question is about keeping it contained as best as possible for now.

[AlanH]

If you are just looking for short term protection, I would suggest a drying it, a good wire brushing, degreasing, treating it with rust converter and applying two coats of Hammerite smooth.

This may be a bit controversial but I did this over three years ago to the underside of my 1850 and it still looks good.

[GTS290N]

Get it dry.
Remove any easily removable holes, if the rust is that bad then the rust isn't doing anything structural.
Get as much surface rust off as possible, back to metal.
Treat all metal that's left with Machine Mart rust treatment
Cover any holes with fibreglass mesh and resin, make sure it's well stuck.
Copious amounts of black paint over the lot.
Copious amounts of underseal over the black paint
Make sure you don't block the drain holes when doing all this.
Hope you don't get pulled for dodgy cills by the polis/vosa or are in an accident.

[cliftyhanger]

When I bought my toledo, it looked fairly tidy
Some time later, on a friday (I think) I saw a small bubble on a sill. MoT was on the Monday.
I poked said bubble, to discover a thin skim of filler over silverfoil type tape. It had been like that for several years......
(I spent the weekend stripping the tape/filler off the arches, and cutting out a lot of metal/rust, then making/welding in repair panels)

Anyway, my point is that ignoring the naughtyness of such repairs, it held up over MoTs etc and looked fine. So for your needs, something similar will work.
Personally, I would scrape off all the scabby rust/crud. Possibly some tape to give you something to fill to, then use Upol Fibril (wonderful stuff, a fibreglass based filler but way "softer" to use than P40etc. It is in the rain gutters of my toledo, and has been for 8, yes 8 years with zero bubbling/further issue.

I like cars that are patched up and used. To me they are having a much better life than those that are left forever locked away.....It is what they were born for.

[cleverusername]

When I bought my toledo, it looked fairly tidy
Some time later, on a friday (I think) I saw a small bubble on a sill. MoT was on the Monday.
I poked said bubble, to discover a thin skim of filler over silverfoil type tape. It had been like that for several years......
(I spent the weekend stripping the tape/filler off the arches, and cutting out a lot of metal/rust, then making/welding in repair panels)

Anyway, my point is that ignoring the naughtyness of such repairs, it held up over MoTs etc and looked fine. So for your needs, something similar will work.
Personally, I would scrape off all the scabby rust/crud. Possibly some tape to give you something to fill to, then use Upol Fibril (wonderful stuff, a fibreglass based filler but way "softer" to use than P40etc. It is in the rain gutters of my toledo, and has been for 8, yes 8 years with zero bubbling/further issue.

I like cars that are patched up and used. To me they are having a much better life than those that are left forever locked away.....It is what they were born for.

Passing an MOT is not a measure of the quality of the repair. It should fail, it was hidden well enough they couldn't see it.

Once something has started to go, you will struggle to stop it unless it is something superficial like surface rust. Once it has penetrated to the surface, you will usually find it had spread 10 times further on the inside of the panel.

I have tried every products and bodge in the past. They have all failed, even on panels when I thought I had got away with it. When the bodge was removed there was a horror show underneath.

Unless it is surface corrosion, the only way to fix it is to cut it out and replace it.

[cliftyhanger]

Yep, cutting out and using decent metal (many repair panels are not, the steel rusts faster than the original stuff) is best.
But on my toledo, it means I would be scrapping it as the car would not warrant the time/cot/effort of repairing "properly" and the fibreglass is holding up very well in the gutters. Probably better than a welded repair!

But the OP needs to do something to keep his car usable. So as a temporary repair I would do it, and do a better repair when time/finances etc allows. Not really sure what the alternative is.

[Galileo]

Once it has penetrated to the surface, you will usually find it had spread 10 times further on the inside of the panel.

I have tried every products and bodge in the past. They have all failed, even on panels when I thought I had got away with it. When the bodge was removed there was a horror show underneath.

Unless it is surface corrosion, the only way to fix it is to cut it out and replace it.

Party pooper.