In a message dated 10/10/2006 3:47:34 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes: Well it's time to finally address the rust on the body panel with the camper hookups. Here are some questions I have: =20 * Does one have to remove the kitchen/sink cabinets to apply new undercoat behind the panel in order to do a proper job? =20 * Is it a big deal to remove and reinstall these cabinets? =20 * Can a body shop merely cut out the rusty metal from the outside and weld a new piece in its place or does he have to replace the entire panel? =20 * If it's only surface rust, does sandblasting to bare metal and painting with POR15 do the job? The rust only seems to be on this panel.
Gerry, the only way to do a proper job here is to remove the cabinets. You'll see why once the cabinets are outta there. I just did this on an '87 yesterday. It took me 4 hours to remove the cabinets, clean and prep the area which is now ready for preping for POR-15 application then adding new metal. You will need to remove as much of the rusted metal as possible and leave only what is solid enough to make a connection to the new metal. I will now POR-15 the entire area inside including the rocker panel which is now opened up and accessible. Then, I will add new metal from the inside using countersunk pop rivets on the joint that shows outside, inside just standard pop rivets. Any small rust holes that cannot be covered with the new metal will be filled with POR-15 and/or POR-15 Putty and chopped fibreglass matting. Then the entire area will be covered with POR-15 inside and out. The outside will be primed using automotive primer on the surface before the POR-15 is dry to provide maximum adhesion then Polyester body filler will be used to repair the uneven surface area where the two metals are joined with the pop rivets. This is the method I have used successfully a number of times and seems to work the best. Welding new metal will require a very high level of competency on the part of the welder so as to not warp the entire body side panel and thereby creating a very big job of straightening afterwards. Cheers, Frank Condelli Almonte, Ontario, Canada '87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg (Forsale) & Lionel Trains Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley _Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html) _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm) _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10, 2007 |
Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of
Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection
will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!
Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com
The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.
Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.