Date:         Tue, 30 Jan 2001 10:08:13 -0500
Reply-To:     Doug Alcock <dgalcock@HEWITT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doug Alcock <dgalcock@HEWITT.COM>
Subject:      Re: westy rust redux
Comments: To: Hans Brouwer <hbrouwer@PLAYGROUND.NET>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

>This visual outside rust is only part of the story. Before I took ours to the
>body shop (it showed less seam rust than the one in the picture), I took the
>kitchen cabinets, inside panel and insulation out and guess what, pin size
>wholes all long the bottom edge. I figure condensation or rain got in between
>the insulation and outside panel.
>
>I suggest with owners permission that you take of the electrical utility cover.
>This provides enough room to put your hand in for an inspection. If it is damp
>and you feel loose rust flakes than be prepared for the worst. In my case it
was
>$3000 CDN (acid wash, all windows and top removed, welded new piece of metal


Good Advice IMHO. You have a potential mess inside --- and the inside will look
a lot worse than the outside. I'm currently putting a (sheet metal) band-aid on
the same seam, along with fixing seam rust at the fenders etc. etc. I regard
this as cosmetic --- I know the rust will return. I'm fixing it so it looks
decent and will be easier to sell when I find the rust-free Westy (with
automatic tranny) that I'm looking for. If I was doing it all over again I would
have paid the extra bucks for a van that wasn't a project. For the next one I
will --- and I'll 'Rust Check' it religiously living, as I do, in the land of
salt and snow.

Cheers,
Doug Alcock
'84 Westy --- maybe I should call her 'Rusty'
Toronto, Canada