O.K, so I've been trying to sort the Pig out over the last few days . . . I had asked my brother to come over and do the welding/filling to save me time but he's a useless c**t so I just started it myself.
How hard can it be ?
(I'd like to point out that this is, by far, the largest-scale welding job I've done on a car so I was a little anxious for the first minute or two . . . once I started hacking away with a grinder it all seemed O.K again.)
So - here's the bits I had bent up (to save more time) . . . . Problem is that the shop didn't have any appropriate thickness mild steel so did them in pre-galv !
With a good going-over to get the zinc off and they're all good.
The plan was to tackle two bad areas, just forward of the rear wheels, one on either side.
Each area would be divided into two plates as the bends were fairly complex and weren't even along the length so it would give me some adjust-ability . . . .
So 2 areas, each with 2 plates = 4 plates, right ?
No.
Area 1 : Drivers side.
Mark out the rot.
Cut out the rot.
Welding in new tin
3 Plates (the welding does get better as I go along - promise).
. . . .
Then cut out the rotten bit next to that . . .
Weld in another
2 Plates and slap some P40 on to seal the joins.
Notice another bit of rot a few inches further along where some numpty jacked up the van on the sill. Bend the seam back straight and cut out more rot.
Another
1 Plate ready for welding . . . add P40 when done etc . . .
Area 2 : Passenger side.
A bit more tricky as it's under the sliding door . . .
Cut out rot, treat and weld in lower plate (another 1 Plate).
Notice there's rust on the other side of the sill so cut and weld in another
2 Plates from the inside . . .
Cut and form last Plate (hopefully) . . .
Weld in place. (note that I haven't cleaned up the welds at the top of the plate yet . . . . long story)
. . . .
Next stage - Sanding, filling, sanding, priming . . . .
In other news I hope to be picking up the "new" wheels tonight . . .
