"TAG" - 1983 Campaign restoration blog

I then degreased the underside and both rear wheel arches before painting them with Rustbuster 121 Epoxy paint.  I stripe coated all exposed edged before a final full coat of paint.

 

I have then treated all seams with Bilt Hamber Dy]nax Seam seam sealer.

After many hours on my back under the car removing shutz, then the VW pvc, then cleaning all with a grinder, then degreasing it all - it now has a nice shiny black underside up to the gearstick.  I have wirebrushed the centre tunnel and decided not to remove the very thickly applied and very sound original pvc.  

Now ready for seam sealing.

Having cleaned up the drivers sill - it proved to be in pretty good shape with just a few patches required.

What started a small orange stain on the underside of the sill beneath the drivers door soon developed however.  

Inside under the carpet I found a matching orange stain by the sill/seat runner.  Having cleaned it up it revealed quite a nasty area of rot which I have cut out, rust treated, welded new metal in and painted with Rustbuster Epoxy 121.

I have found that the sunroof drain tubes stop about 4-6 inches short inside the rear wings.  Not a very VW solution to getting rid of the water!

Before rust treating, painting, seam sealing the ear end I have drilled new exit holes, with some difficulty due to access, in the inner rear wing facing under the car  facing away from the wheel.  I have also created a new drain hole in the same area to release any future condensation in the wing.  I then found some clear tubing that fits snuggly over the existing drain tube that I shall lead out of the newly drilled holes.

Sorry not great pics.

It was great meeting you at the show with your Dad, your progress with the car is stunning.

Love the attention to detail, particularly with the welding, quite a challenge, I imagine.

In answer to your question at the show, the product I used was Duralac Jointing Compound. It can be purchased for as little as £5m but typically £11-15. Goes a long way.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DURALAC-ANTI-CORROSIVE-JOINING-COMPOUND-YACHTS-BOATS-SAILING-FISHING-BOATS-/371147564373?hash=item566a1e6555:g:FusAAOSw9r1V8Vug

Hope this helps.

Malcolm

Nice to see someone else fighting the dreaded tin worm and having to lie on their back to do it! I especially enjoyed the welding spatter down my neck. I also set fire to my shirt!

Re the bonding of metal together. I work as a civil engineer on the railway and we bond new metal into old knackered bridge on occasion. We also use Sika stuff. Never considered it for metal repairs on cars though. Nice thinking! I shall be stealing the idea for future projects  

Looks like she's coming along nicely

Ian

Thanks for the info Malcolm.  Great to meet you at the show and Gary was looking terrific - well done to all your hard work.   Also well done with your trophy - well earned!

Also thanks for the Duralac info.

Thanks Ian.

Yes it is great fun with the splatter down ones neck and in the hair!!!!!!!!  I won't be sorry to finish underneath!  

Interesting your comments on bonding metal.  It is of course how they put together a new car so it cant be too bad!  I am sure there is lots of "sucking through teeth" at the idea - only time will tell though!  As always make sure the preparation is thorough and then proof the areas well afterwards.

Working in the front floor area of the car I have found two holes that appear to be manufacturer holes - in the the recessed dimple that run under the front seat centre and to the angled section where the drivers/passenger feet rest.  

They are about 7-8mm diameter and don't appear to due to rot - unlike some of the other holes I have found in the floor

Should these holes be there?????  They were covered by the original sound mats/bitumen that I have removed.

Are they drain holes??????

Hope the photos make sense………

I'm only guessing here, but they look to be factory holes, not something someone has added. Possibly holes to suit left and right hand drive?

Matt

Just to explain I am asking about the small hole in the photos - NOT the large holes in the footrest panel.

Oh  

The one on the right in the top picture looks like a drain hole. The other looks like a bodged repair.

Bodged repair - !!!!  That is work in progress I will have you know!!!!  Main question is whether there should be any drain holes in the floor?!?!?

Good work on the underside. I know how long it takes to scrape the original gunk off - you've put some hours in to that for sure!

Thanks Andy - I will certainly be glad to see the daylight again when I have finished the underside!!

As you may have seen in the pics above I have now started work on the floor inside.  Firstly removed the rear carpet..

Then removed the front carpet and underfelt/sound absorbing material.  Much of the soundproofing pad broke up on removing.  

Quite a bit of the "bitumen" sound proofing that is attached to the floor had lifted and in the troughs in the floor-plan there was evidence of water having been there.  I therefore removed the sound proofing to reveal the metal floor to check what I had…..

I knew from underneath the floor that the car had clearly been lifted on a jack/axle stands in the wrong places over the years causing quite a bit of distortion to the floor plan - especially the "ribs" that are pressed into the floor.  Someone had assumed they were suitable for lifting the car - they are not!  I spent some time therefore with a selection of metal dollies and various diameters of wood to try and knock it all back into shape.  Still not perfect but 100% better than it was.