[ROVERNET - UK] Re: Sill Repair

[smanwell]

Chris,

I had the sills repaired on my 2000TC a few years ago.  As others have 
said, the sill cover can be unscrewed from the structural sill and this 
cover can be repaired or replaced.  On my car the horizontal bottom 
panel of the structural sill was the main part that we replaced.  This 
panel is basically flat, so I don't think it is worthwhile to go to the 
expense of ordering repair panels -- we didn't .   If it is only this 
lower panel that needs repairing, there should be no need to brace the 
door openings to keep the body aligned.  P6's have very rigid base units 
-- the doors almost always still close nicely even on very rusty parts 
cars here in the Northeast. 

The vertical inner and outer sill sections are unlikely to be 
extensively rotted out, and local repairs to these panels can also be 
repaired with flat sheet and limited fabrication.  Sill repairs don't 
have to look beautiful as long as they are structurally sound since they 
covered in rubberized undercoat, then they are cosmetically finished off 
with the painted outer sill cover.  You may not need to brace the body 
even for repairs to these vertical sections -- do the doors close well now?

The D-post (the front of the rear wheel arch exposed when the back door 
is open) is a more elaborate shape that would be worthwhile to repair 
with a JRW or similar panel if this area has significant rust.

Other than the D-post, I would say that inner sill panel repairs involve 
very straightforward welding (flat panels and welds that won't be 
visible) -- except for the fact that you would be welding overhead under 
the car.

Don't forget to inject a liberal dose of cavity wax or Waxoil or 
Dinitrol into the sill box section after doing these repairs so that the 
rust won't take hold again.

Steve Manwell
editor, Rover Saloon Touring Club of America

Christopher Smith wrote:

>
> Folks
> I am about to embark on repairing both the sills on my 3500s, and I am 
> looking for the best way to go about it. Does any one in the Bay Area 
> know a good ... and cheap ... place to get welding done near San 
> Francisco USA? Is it worth ordering the replacement bits from JR 
> Wadhams? Including shipping, I think, it is around $600 for both 
> sills. I was also thinking of doing it myself. I have never welded 
> before, so I would need to buy the equipment and take a class. Is this 
> a job that a beginner can do? If I need to replace each entire sill do 
> I need to rig up something to keep the car body aligned? Any tips and 
> advice would be greatly appreciated. Of course my wife and I just had 
> our first child so I am probably crazy to consider doing this myself.
>
> Chris
>
>
>>
>> Roger,
>> On each of my Rover 2000 restorations,I climbed
>> underneath the car after supporting it on 4
>> Jackstands. I proceeded to scrap off loose original
>> undercoating.  In order to get the pressure (upside
>> down and backwards) I ended up using a 1/2 inch or a 1
>> inch wood chisel.  As I was scraping I noticed veins
>> of rust running under most of the undercoating.  I
>> decided that I should remove it all.  When all the
>> undercoating was removed, I saw a variety of
>> conditions. I saw large expanses of unmarked paint
>> primed finish to a large network of rust from fine
>> veins to serious patches.
>>
>> I used a rust inhibitor called "Extend". It contains
>> phosphoric acid which changes the iron oxide to iron
>> disulphide (which doesn't rust). However, other people
>> have tried "POR 15" to great effect and I would love
>> to try the stuff but I can't find it out here.
>> http://www.por15.com/Default.asp?
>>
>> Anyway, I painted on the rust inhibitor firt.  Then I
>> painted on black Hammerite rust resiting enamel paint
>> to protect the Extend.
>> http://www.hammerite-diy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/HAMUK/Home/Jsp/Home_Page.jsp 
>>
>>
>> I finished with a spray-on black rubberized
>> undercoating similar to waht has been mentioned
>> already.
>>
>> This process holds up well.  It lasted for about 10
>> years before rust returned in the sill area.  The rest
>> of the underbody is in great condition.
>>
>> I cut out the returned rust with an angle grinder and
>> welded in the same metal thickness but in stainless
>> steel I bought as scrap from a scrap dealer.  The
>> sills were welded by me using stainless 10 years ago
>> and are still in mint condition.  I expect the
>> dissimilar metal problem caught up with me after 10
>> years. The rust was in the 4 sill corners just beyond
>> the stainless sills.  Now the stainless extends
>> further.
>>
>> If you can catch the rust before it starts, that's the
>> best plan.  However, I found that Rover sill rust
>> seems to start from the inside out so by the time you
>> see it on the surface, it has a serious hold behind.
>>
>> Eric
>>
>>
>> =====
>> Webmaster & Magazine Editor:
>> The Rover Car Club of Canada -  www.roverclub.ca
>>
>>
>