Rot/welding

[smokeandpoke]

Guys

so i undersealed 'most' of the car like last year.
i was under the car yesterday just poking about as you do...

i have holes in the strut towers which i know need to be addressed,
but on the back of the car above where the spare wheel would normally be, the boot pan is ok, but the bars etc and everything holding it all together it rotten right through.

i wanted to strip it out and jp4 it, but is it worth doing if its that rotten?


i dont really know a lot about welding, but is it possible to get the car back to 'brand new' or at least reasonably safe?
i hoped to do some trackdays etc and rust is lighter than paint but it is quite worrying when you can poke a finger through it..


just wondered what can be done?

[Jizanthapus]

I would probably find a new shell if I was you. If you can't weld yourself then you'll sink so much money into it paying someone to weld it, and you'll be forever chasing the rust.

I've been there with a rotten gti, and in the end I got rid and found a more solid example because I can't weld.

It might be worth taking some pictures and posting them on here though so we can see the extent - someone might even offer to help weld it up for you!

[Phaeton]

At least now you know where to look when you go to look at another one, I thought the one I bought was good but we've just found rot under the ECU when we took it off to remove the engine. There are plenty of cheap cars out there at silly low prices, I reckon another couple of years & they will climb again once they start to get rare.

[smokeandpoke]

This is what I was saying I'm not too sure as to the extent of the rust... Whoever had it before sprayed it black underneath (not underseal, paint) but a lot of it seems okay.
The drivers side is a bit rotten, usual place under ecu and strut towers bth sides.
Passenger side is largely okay from what I can see...

The thing it's hard to see just how bad it is without taking it all apart! Inside the car the whole cabin from and back is tidy and rust free, it's just underneath. No holes (that I've found) inside or out.


I know under ecu and rear arches are usual culprits, but where else would be worth looking? Will take some pictures for you guys to have a look to see whether it's salvageable or just scrapping. As you say it'll just become a pit once I start welding, but I might know someone to do it for me.

If I were to strip everything off (it has a new engine and gearbox coming soon anyway) surely it can't be that much work just to go along the seams for peace of mind and to cover up any holes, plate over the strut tower etc?

[ESD1711]

I'm having similar dilemmas with mine at the moment - mine needs a fair bit of welding.

Given that its not owe me much money and that i'm only really interested in getting it out on track, I made the call just to repair it. I'm lucky in that my best made is a dab hand with a welder though so I guess that helped with my decision.

Having recently stripped all my interior out, I got a decent idea of what needed done - dealt with the first area yesterday.

I guess everyones situation is different though and can understand why folk would think it better just to cut your losses. Problem you have is that you could go to the effort of getting as new shell and then end up facing the same issues with it a little bit further down the line.

Here's my first bit of repairwork - as you can see, it was a pretty substantial hole....!!

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u649/ESD1711/3F52F643-C6BF-4D50-93A6-A4C25E069959_zpsfgyfgbjz.jpg

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u649/ESD1711/8CC0193B-7AC4-4DC9-900D-D36272549651_zpspjwucla7.jpg

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u649/ESD1711/C105F359-8567-47FF-B07C-BB7ECABBB532_zpsqxxyquud.jpg

[VeiRoN]

Everything can be done,it's just rust,it's up to you to decide if spending your money is worth it or not.

[smokeandpoke]

fuck me, mines not as bad as that one ^^^


only holes the size of a fingernail in the strut towers and whatevers under the front, i'd like to go along all the seams etc just for peace of mind...
its just hard to see exactly how much needs doing between the shitty paint job underneath and my previous attempt at undersealing (why i did half a job i dont know)

as i say i should be stripping the car down to the shell at some point as its the only way im really going to be able to see what im dealing with...

so in short, it CAN be done


realistically, how much is reasonable to pay a welder? is it done hourly or per job sort of thing?

[VeiRoN]

They charge 35 plus VAT per hour plus materials.

[blackie_2k5]

dont let a bit welding put you off.. you WONT find a one on the road now that doesnt need welding somewhere or need it very soon