Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:04:42 -0700
Reply-To: Zolly <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Zolly <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
Subject: Seem rust restoration, etc
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I have been busy with restoring Vanagons now for years. Full restorations and partial body repairs, beside the general repairs I do, or the regular fuel line renewals.
But some of you only would need seem rust elimination, which I do on all the vans I do and can be done without painting the whole car, saving the van from destruction.
The most common rust is long seam under the inlets on the driver side. It can get out of hand and occasionally would lead to replacement of the rocker panel. Mostly it is rust coming from the inside from the insulation being soaked with water and keeping the seem wet all year around. It is not a problem for the non-camper vans though.
An other common area is the right rear side seam, just above the wheel arch. Behind the rear wiper bottle. Although not as bad but the constantly wet insulation does the same from the inside and at times it can be terrible also.
The Vanagon has about 43 feet of seam on the outside that by now has hardened and cracked most places.
I cut it out as deep as possible, treat it with anti-rust agent, paint the inside with POR15, prime and apply new seam sealer, then paint it with the original color. Insulation is replaced with non water absorbing kind after the area has been similarly treated.
It is a delicate job, requiring steady hands and experience.
The removal of the camper's kitchen unit and restoring the area behind it is obviously the most demanding and time consuming work, but it has to be done to save the vehicle from certain destruction by rust.
This kind of work is not a standard body shop item and would not be received well. Very unusual and awkward to them.
I have pestered the List members before with my advocacy of fuel line changes, which I do very often, being also a "Save our Vanagon" item that is urged by the passing of time that makes the rubber hose hard and cracking and being under 36psi pressure, the 25 years old hose will start pissing onto the cables that may jump sparks or the hot exhaust that would start the fire. Some of you will lose your van to fire this way, others will get the fuel lines changed.
If anyone is interested in the above items, may call me at 425 773 4646.
Zoltan
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