Well as you know, I bought Nessy so I could learn the tricks of the bodywork trade on a car which needed plenty of work.

I decided to have a poke at the rusty area at the base of the drivers side A pillar. It had obviously had the existing rust covered up with filler, so I knew what lurked underneath wasn't going to be pretty, but still, I wasn't quite ready for what greeted me by the time I'd got back to solid metal...





I ground back to clean metal, then painted it up in primer, then sprayed the primer with laquer to make it water-tight. This is my 'quick fix' for making rusty metal sound.



Now clearly this is a structurally integral part of the car, so I needed to make sure that the material I put back would maintain the integrity of the safety cell. I found a suitable patching material in the house...



I cut a chunk out of it, and test-fitted my expertly crafted patch.




Finally, I painted it up using primer, awaiting final installation and filler to smooth out the join.






Don't worry, this is only a temporary "stop the cops pulling me over" fix. Next month (if all goes according to plan) I'm buying (most likely) a small trade-spec Murex MIG welder (~£400 worth!), and this will be one of the first jobs.

cheers

James

Jesus... that is nasty rust! FFS that cut out from the bottle still has the label on it

Although... that does actually fit bloody nicely... template for some new metal??

That surely has to be fluke that the bottle has the same contour as the 300 panels!!!!
Adam

LOL, good work, that label adds extra body strength Steve! Volvo blue I see Foggy too!

I'm hoping to address this issue if............no when I get around to replacing the windscreen in my 360 after the wheel nut incident. Once the screen is out, tell the chap to have a cup of tea for a few minutes while I fill the thing with Dinitrol/Waxoyl! That should prevent such nasty things coming through on the 360 in the future.

Pete

LOL, that's approaching my levels of bodgetasticness!

I dont think I'll ever be good at bodywork, I'm far too heavy handed and impatient. I tried it once on my MR2 - kinda looked ok from 20 metres, but not pretty up close - bit like a lot of the women round here!

*Waits for a certain non 300 owner to grumble about the moneypit, alias Nessy*

Nice match there, but not sure about the safety I'd get it a bit more securly fixed ASAP

yeah, or you could do it yourself Pete. We've done it on my car, not too difficult, and gives you a chance to get as little or as much Dinitrol as you like down the seams.

Good work on the patch Foggy great shape matching.

True, very true Andy. I did consider it, as then if I break anything it's my own stupid fault, and as you say, it'll mean I can do it all at my leisure.

Pete

Having been 'inside' that section of the car, popping the screen out won't really help you with your dinitrolling. You gain access to that cavity via the loudspeaker hole in the front kick panel.

cheers

James

Really, I thought as much, but with Dinitrol pentrating oil that should get between the seams and have some effect, surely? That'd need one hell of a blast from the loudspeaker panel to get up there!
Pete

MJ wrote: I'd get it a bit more securly fixed ASAP

a bit of that nice brown parcel tape ought to do it lol,

is it not worth looking around a breakers ( or Petes for that matter )for a car with a rust free A pillar and cutting a patch piece from it , that way your gauranteed a perfact profile match

That's exactly what I'll do Mick.

MJ was quite right...my uber-patch blew off today But hey, I have the other side of the bottle still...

cheers

James

Using a bit from a rust free pillar sounds a good idea.

Uh oh *shuts car in garage*

It isn't too hard to find those sections in A1 condition. My 360 only has a bit of rot there - on the passenger side. I'll obtain the use of a petrol grinder and a scrap yard...

cheers

James

Haha!! Dude, you forgot to mention the make of this wonderous patching material that is pre contoured! Looks like Asdas finest fabric conditioner from the piccy...