Rear End Repairs

I’ve been super busy this week cracking on with the rear end restoration so haven’t got round to uploading any pictures this week until now. 

To aid in getting the surrounding panels fitting correctly I’ve fitted a set of new hinges to the old engine lid and got the gaps correct (I have a new lid to fit at some point but need to convert the hinges on that first):

The passenger corner panel needs a new bottom on it, and, as the flange which attaches to the rear hatch seal channel had started to rust out, I ended up cutting fairly high up:

The bottom of the D pillar is completely rusted out, but the rest of it looks to be solid:

The engine bay skirt needs major repair. Only the section which sits on the chassis legs needs repairing though:

With the skirt out of the way the top of the chassis leg also needs replacing:

The driver’s side is in an even worse state and will be getting a complete new corner:

The battery tray had been “repaired” in the past with a delightful plate of sheet metal straight over the rotten tray:

A good day was spent just carefully chopping rot out to get to this stage:

Finally starting to get some fresh metal in. The O/S chassis leg needed a new end making up and welding in:

Both chassis leg tops cut off, and the insides rust treated and then epoxied:

 Repairs made up for the tops of the chassis legs and welded in:

And finally the new inner valance welded in. 

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Rear end off the jig

Tonight saw the van come off the jig at the rear and onto axle stands. It still scares the life out of me moving the van on my own on and off the jig, as the legs settle as the weight is put onto them. All done now though to make access in and around the engine bay easier.

As per the bay restoration rules here’s the obligatory twat in the engine bay shot:

I chopped the rear outer valance off to take a look at the condition of the inner. Suffice to say we need a new one as ours has been badly patched in the past and is pretty rotten in places. 

The outer had been replaced at some point in the past, but not very well. All of the welds along the top edge had failed due to lack of penetration, and it even still had the klokkerholm sticker on it.

I’ve put what I think is my final order of body panels in with Schofield’s which should arrive this week, I think I’ve broken the back on the welding now and am into the final long slog. My trello board doesn’t look half as full as it did at the beginning of the year and I’m relatively confident I’ll have the welding done this year!

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Keeping up the momentum on the welding and got the N/S outer rear arch welded in and pretty much all dressed. Managed to get a neater finish than I did on the sliding door. Into the engine bay next to sort the rear corner, battery tray and engine skirt.

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Sliding door repair all welded in. Happy with the gaps and panel is relatively straight!

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Sliding door outer tacked in place and trial fitted. Happy with the door gaps so just need to weld it up!

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I’ve repaired the rear tub as much as I need before I fit the outer so gave it a coat of epoxy mastic. (the final fiddly bits will get welded in when the outer is on). I also gave the sliding door sections a coat as well as the cab floor.

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N/S Rear Inner Arch

Onto the Rear inner arch and tub sections. The N/S isn’t that bad with most of the lower lip still intact which makes a welcome change.

I started by getting the rear part of the tub repaired, using a Schofield’s panel and a small infill piece as the rust had extended past the height of the panel:

The rear of the lip had rusted out, by the looks of it from water getting through the rear bung hole which was missing its bung. Rust cut out:

Outer arch trial fitted and then a snug fitting repair for the inner made from a second outer panel:

Repair welded in and welds dressed from this side. I just need to dress the other side and trim the lip down a little.

Max also treated the cubby beneath the driver’s seat with some Deox Gel (amazing stuff for removing rust) and I coated it in some Hydrate 80 to seal the metal:

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