Tidying up bodywork for summer, please help:)

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We just had some small chassis repairs by Ian Taylor at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

He made a fantastic job of major work on someone here's Ford based van, which was probably eye wateringly expensive, but for small jobs he's actually remarkably cheap (or should I say good value).

I think that I'd prefer to bite the bullet and get someone like Ian to do a proper job from day one, rather than do it twice.

He's obviously quite a long way from you, but there'll be good people closer by, I'm sure someone can recommend one.

Here's one Paul

Hi Max

Very ugly I'd say. Properly spoils the look of your van.

I would agree with Chris - get it done professionally from the start. I'm always up for DIY (you should see the mods I've done on our van!) but in your position I think I would play it safe.

Dave

maxnewbie wrote:
I was thinking about cutting off the top parts which are in the line of sight, and repairing using fibre glass.
My question...is this part of the sill structural to the body?....ive got a fresh mot, failing Mot wont bother me much, i will pay someone to get professionally fixed next year should the van fail. 
Thanks For Time Guys

I suggest that you ask your question & post your photos on this forum:
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These are the guys to tell you whether the sills are structural or not, and if a fibreglass repair will or won't pass the MOT.
If the sills are structural and you cut out the welded sections just because they are 'ugly' then you are being very foolish and compromising your own safety and that of any passengers you may be carrying.

Frank

Also probably not what you want to hear but...

Get out and enjoy the van, you'll soon forget the unsightliness (and you don't have to go back to the same places next year if you're really ashamed of its current condition).

We've seen some wrecks on our travels so far, that looked like lace work, (and it's my opinion that an AutoSleeper usually has the edge on style over even much newer vans anyway), even the owners of some very old and rusty vans were sitting with their feet up, chilling and enjoying the wine and scenery.

Maybe adopt this approach with a plan to get it done before next year's MOT?

Failing that, put some filler over the edges of those plates to disguise them for now.

The sills will definately be structural.
Looks like a 'bodge' repair.
Best option if possible is to remove the repair and cover the sill the complete length.

Looking at the photos it looks like the 'van' has been over on it's side?
Lots of work needed on that score alone.

Good luck.

PB

peugeotboxer wrote:The sills will definately be structural.

Not definitely PB, the Boxer sills are not structural, according to my MOT guy. I asked a couple of years ago when a hole appeared in one of mine.

Frank

Aha, like others Frank, I read "Transit" and didn't look at the subsequent photobucket pictures.

I was also told the same by our commercial MOT tester about our old '95 Exec Boxer which had a rust hole in the O/S sill.

Well spotted Sir.

meanchris wrote:Here's one Paul

Thanks, got it now, signal not great at moment.

meanchris wrote:Aha, like others Frank, I read "Transit" and didn't look at the subsequent photobucket pictures.

I was also told the same by our commercial MOT tester about our old '95 Exec Boxer which had a rust hole in the O/S sill.

Well spotted Sir.

Some confusion here. The van that has all the damage to the driver's side is a Boxer, the van with the welded sills is a Transit, two different vans.
I mentioned the Boxer sills as an example that the Transit sills might not be structural either - but then again??

Frank

Hi Frank

i was indeed referring to the Transit with regard the sills.
Certainly as a 'PCV Bus' conversion, they were an MOT issue!

PB

peugeotboxer wrote:Hi Frank

i was indeed referring to the Transit with regard the sills.
Certainly as a 'PCV Bus' conversion, they were an MOT issue!

PB

Fairy nuff
Interestingly, my van failed the last MOT due to corrosion of the sills. Although they are not structural, the corrosion was within a prescribed area [seatbelt mounting] and therefore a fail. I could have cut the rot out & patched it up with fibreglass and it would have passed.

Frank

I'd agree with meanchris on this - as long as it's safe and nothing's going to break or fall off, it would not worry me to leave it as it is until I'd got someone lined up to weld in a replacement section and finish it properly.

I drove my Mk5 Transit based Flair around for a couple of years with a rather crusty looking side panel (the well-known rust in the panel under the Cascade water heater) without any real sense of shame - and it made me appreciate it even more when I finally found a body shop that would do a good job at a reasonable price...