"TAG" - 1983 Campaign restoration blog

Same issue on the passenger floor - removal of bitumen, knock floor back into shape - but already a few nasties were beginning to appear……note the red rings.

Having cleaned up the drivers side the rot was revealed.  The sill had been damaged underneath by yet more poor jacking and this had let water into the sill.  Water had also been getting in via the rotten sunroof drains which meant that any water entering the front of the car ended up at the lowest point…… by the drivers right foot / passengers left foot.  

Cut out the worst of the trouble - rust treated - etch primed and ready for a repair panel.

I also found that water had sat in the floor channel just behind the the cross member the front of the driver's seat rests on.

Passenger side was very similar with the inner sill/floor join having rotted for a few inches.

There was also a hole in the very corner as well.

New sections made and etch primed ready for fitment.

Welded into place.  On the drivers side I first inserted a plate from the inner sill down through where the sill and floorplan should join - and out the bottom.  I welded this to the remaining flange under the sill to put some strength back into the area. After that I welded a new "L" section from the inner sill to the floor.  I will do the underside in a similar way when I lift the front of the car.

Welded in section behind front seat cross member.

Passenger side repaired.

On the driver's side floor where I have had to beat the floorplan back into shape the metal was a bit "thin" in a few areas and previous corrosion had led to some minor holes - if I shone a light from underneath it was like looking at the stars…..all the pinpricks of light.  

All treated and new panels ready to weld in.

On the passenger side again - now keep up at the back! - the floor has rotted through where the floor plan meets the "foot rest" panel, and this rot has carried down in to the piece under the floor.  

Again I have cut out the worst - rust treated etc and made a new panel to weld in.  I will seam weld this into place and also plug weld it the existing metal underneath - once I get underneath this section of the car I will tackle that area.

… and an area to the right nearer the centre console also had gone - as this was a straight line I could seam weld it up.

I have also stonechipped the underside as far I have treated so far - and also the rear wheel arches.  I used UPOL Gravigard and was most impressed.

http://www.u-pol.com/us/en/product/premium-aerosols/aerosols/premium-aerosols/guard10-gravi-gard-stone-chip-protector

Now ready for a waft of primer and then silver - finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You will note a few areas - like bolts & brackets etc that I masked off as I did not want them stone-chipped.

I have taken the front exhaust downpipe off to enable access to the "tunnel" which needs cleaning up.  

Here is a post regarding the heat shields/bracket.

https://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=technical%2Ffuel-systems-and_3%2Ffront-downpipe-bracket_2

I cleaned up the floor - removing all the bitumen sound proofing/PVC from the front floor in both drivers/passenger areas.  The rear floor is in excellent condition so I dug around a bit to check all was sound and have decided to leave the bitumen/PVC intact.

I then cleaned up the "footrest" panels which revealed some rot where the floor meets these panels on both sides.  Some of this was due to bad jacking of the car in the past.  I think someone has lifted the car on the floor - crushing the thin metal leading to splits.  

I cut out the worst, rust treated it and welded in new metal.

I popped the back axle/suspension uprights on temporarily to spin the car round so I can tackle the front underside/floor.

Having jacked up/axle standed the front I could attack the front ends of the sills.  I have repaired the inside but due to the lack of height I had to wait until the front was in the air for enough access.  

Again due to poor jacking the sill flange had been crushed for about a foot in length - leading to some rust in the surrounding metal.  Cut out the bad bits, rust treated, new metal formed and then welded in.  My amateur welding may not be pretty but seems to be strong.

And then the same on the other side.  Access for the welding was very tight and awkward…>!  Nice to see a lip on the sill flange now running the entire length of the car on both sides.  You will notice on the 4th photo the nice hole left by the mudflap………>!!!!