Rust! But wait.. theres more!

[martyn92]

Decided that its going to be the end for the car

[Matt]

Big f*ck off splatter of weld! Done

It's a spatter of weld. a spatter refers to something else....

I know. It was after Ruan sent that pic

[Piggy]

an that is bad. got it in all the bad places.

suppose we are guna start seeing the phase1s being full lost to rot soon

[martyn92]

Im trying to get to the rust under the arch but some of it is covered by a black plate, does anyone know if you can remove the plate and access the area?

Pretty sure the heater pipes have to be removed, pedals/ steering column and possibly servo/mc? looks like its has a sealant too.

[Toms306]

Yes its removable, 3 bolts inside, one outside iirc. And yeah some other stuff has to come off first. Including the heater box to get at the matrix pipes (only 2 bolts from outside iirc).

[Jonny81191]

Good to see you're not giving up!

And as Tom says, it'll come out easy enough, just take stuff off until it does

[karl1989]

Mines same at the front were it curves

[Toms306]

Proof you can remove it lol....

[martyn92]

Cheers guys

Tom you missed the engine mount off the estate. Only did half a job!

Dont worry Jonny its destined to go back to the ring next year!






Dont think the rust looks too bad actually.

Infact I think I like that big plate not being there. 1. warm feet from the turbo. 2. easier for turbo changing and 3. probably would sound quite awesome

[Toms306]

Cheeky bugger, you're not the first to mention the mount lol.

Back on topic....that's a pretty big hole! :o

[Jonny81191]

Tom look in the XUD hillclimber thread at the rust I repaired in the rear arch!

[Toms306]

Yeah I've seen plenty in the rear arch....but never at bulkhead lol!

[Jonny81191]

True, I'd guess at the drain hole that always fills with leaves had been blocked for a while.

[Toms306]

Mine have always been full of leaves and water tbh (had a knackered wiper motor on nearly every one!) but still not had that happen lol.

Might just be a phase 1 thing.

[Jonny81191]

Phase 1's are older. So have had longer to rot.

[Toms306]

True but they're not that much older

My estate had a massive rusty hole in the arch at just 12 years old.....but nothing at the front.

[Jonny81191]

Also consider that mild steel varies massively in quality, even when it's all from the same mill. So different panels on the same car can rust at different rates.

[mr_fish]

also depends whether the car has had a life near the seaside.

[Piggy]

So you still rebuilding this chassis then??

TBH, its the worst I have ever seen

[martyn92]

So you still rebuilding this chassis then??

TBH, its the worst I have ever seen

Yeah I want to, as its doesnt really cost much to cut out and weld new stuff in. However I think I would have to take the engine the engine out to get to weld other side of the chassis leg and I dont have a crane.
And, The rust has spread quite far down to where the subframe is reinforced and thats now the main issue I think. Its a little worrying!

Too far gone?

---

Im guessing that these two holes are the suspect and the hole in the side of the leg ?

[306Puggy]

I would scrap that TBH mate. Just pick up a new shell for a few quid and swap your stuff over, that's the best option. If the rust is that far up the chassis leg then the whole front end might break away in a shunt. Quite surprised to see this much rust, makes me want to go and check mine actually!

[puglove]

That shell is a scrapper if iv ever seen one, Thats got to be the worse iv seen to date on a 306,


Fair play for sorting it though, but weighing it up it is prob easier & cheaper to sort it rather swap everything to another shell

[samass]

Wow, that's, uh, significant! Fair play for having a go, but I think you'd be better off with a donor shell, the time you'd take fixing that rust, or the time to re shell... I know what I'd prefer. Especially when it's that far into the chassis leg like :/

[martyn92]

Its definitely looking like its time to be scrapped, I think I could fix most of it but not where it starts getting close to the subframe like that as the rust goes behind the reinforced bit.


My bet its those 2 holes at the top which let in water and it then just runs straight through and down to the rails and the hole in the side of the leg that lets water in too.
Maybe worth welding them up on the more modern 306's?