Nasty surprise - Rust - Advice needed

[nullspace]

Hi everyone. Jacked the car up today to begin work on the underbody. Didn't expect to find what I did - a big rusted hole out of the right side rail just beneath the wheel well. Rest of underbody looks good apart from recent surface rust.

 

The car has sentimental value to me, and i'd like if possible to have it repaired. Can this area be welded? The steel at the sides, and in the centre (where it is reinforced) are still solid, but the area around the hole is just crumbling away in my hands. I daren't poke around anymore.

 

 

I've also attached the left hand rail at the same location. As you can see its lathered in surface rust, but its very solid.

 

 

Any advice would be appreciated. First of all whether or not it can simply be welded, and secondly what sort of cost i might be looking at.

 

Cheers,

 

 

John

[etrebus]

yes that can be repaired,the cost will depend on how far the rust has spread down the chassis rail and if you will have to remove the fuel tank or not

[JC]

Not the worst I've seen either, I'd have it repaired and underseal it

[nullspace]

Thanks a lot guys. I guess it really does look worse than it is. I'm arranging to have it fixed asap so hopefully all will be well.

 

Just with it being a structural part of the car my instincts told me it was done for.

 

Thanks again!

 

John

[ESCORT-X4GC]

John if you need a hand I can help out bud so long as you don't mind driving to Stockport, we organise Fix-it-Days at my mates fully

kitted out unit, i'm sure we can arrange somthing this Spring, i'll get my grinder warmed up lol, I fixed this on my 400, got a Pass on

the MOT, solid now, we jacked the car on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/rover25x/ROVER%20400X/Image2114.jpg

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/rover25x/ROVER%20400X/Image2113.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

The Jacking Point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/rover25x/ROVER%20400X/Image2146.jpg

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/rover25x/ROVER%20400X/4F67BCF3-E302-4431-90A2-F3632EF5C1B3-259-0000000E08FDB96E-1.jpg

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/rover25x/ROVER%20400X/Image2117.jpg

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/rover25x/ROVER%20400X/Image2118.jpg

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/rover25x/ROVER%20400X/Image2140.jpg

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/rover25x/ROVER%20400X/Image2145.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

All sorted, undersealed and SOLID !

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/rover25x/ROVER%20400X/Image2150.jpg

[nullspace]

That's some impressive stuff, dude. I keep saying I fancy doing a short welding course of some sort in the summer once uni finishes. Would be great to be able to tackle stuff like this on my own one day. Having seen your pics, the fact that i can still see nouveau red on most of my underbody makes me feel much better, haha.

[ESCORT-X4GC]

ROFL, indeed, nowt but rust on mine mate, yours is mainly surface rust, i'd use a flap disc to removed the worst, galv spray the effected area, waxoil the cavity itself then spray underseal on the bugger.

[etrebus]

Thanks a lot guys. I guess it really does look worse than it is. I'm arranging to have it fixed asap so hopefully all will be well.

 

Just with it being a structural part of the car my instincts told me it was done for.

 

Thanks again!

 

John

rust is always worse than it first looks seen it load where a small rusy scab turns into a huge hole .get your screwdriver out and give it a good poke .you cant weld rust dont want to scare you but be prepared for it .the way to do it properly it to cut out all the rust untill you reach good stong clean steel .the area on yours is a double skin panel so the repair plate needs to as thick as the metal its replacing at least 16/18 gauge not 22 gauge body steel