Can I save my bulkhead

I will be replacing my chassis as that is shot but it would be nice to keep the bulkhead if possible (partly to retain originality, party to keep costs down). I do have a mechanic nearby who is a very good welder. I have seen various repair panels/sections on the usual sites, but:

1. Is it generally too far gone, or is it saveable?
2. The top section that the windscreen sits on is very rusty and I cannot see a repair section for this. Am i missing something, as it does seem to be integral to the bulkhead?

TBH.
Many on here have rescued their bulkheads from quite a state, they have all put in many hours doing so, and made great jobs, but they were doing it themselves so labor didn't come into the equation.
I take it you have looked at YRM for the panels they seem to do most.
I would price up the panels and then ask your mate how many hours work (then double the hours). More if you have to fettle in bits that are not available.
Even good welders hate rusty car bodywork.

So then price up a new galvy bulkhead/the time and piece of mind. I take it you are doing a galvy chassis?

I can understand the " I want to keep the originality" bit but there are limits.

There is no guarantee you will get all the rust out and it may pop up in a few years time, or always there in the back of your mind.

If you are doing all the other stuff as well then your going to blow any budget you have "guesstimated" anyway.

I guess you know what my suggestion would be .

Others here that have done it will be along soon I am sure.

I wish you luck and start a thread, many will chip in on the way and help give motivation to continue.

J

having seen some of the restored bulkheads on here(many i would have weighed in for scrap and i was a welder fabricator for 20yrs) yes

I managed to save mine and it looks like it was worse than yours. Also I’m clueless and just blundered in. The results are far from perfect but it lives again.

Hi,
I did my first welding on the bulkhead. I was about 70 at the time.
If you go down the welding route, make sure you have the bulkhead fitted on the chassis at all four mounting points. Then only remove one at a time to do your work before replacing. If you do it off the chassis then it may not fit when complete. As you have probably checked out there are many places that do replacement parts. I used YRM for parts. I found they were excellent quality.
Good luck cats

100% agree with @catman275 above. I thought I was being as careful and precise as I could possibly be and yet as I now come to reassemble things I'm finding that stuff has moved. I did use britpart panels though which was really stupid but I didn't know any better at the time.

I don't know if this will help but here's a link to when I did mine. One thing though, if something doesn't seem to fit well don't find ways to adapt things like I did. Really get to the bottom of what the problem is otherwise it just leads to so much hassle later. Guess how I know that? https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/steves-unexpected-series-3-rebuild.292955/page-29

had the same issue with door fitment so altered other things and found when i put hicap tub on the gap between it and cab bulkhead un even so then had to lift the tub at the front to get the spacing right
i should've tilted the main bulkhead forward a few degrees when i fit the wings as i was 1/2"high at the front mountings
if i ever take the wings off i'll realign everything but for now it all works

--ped-- said:

had the same issue with door fitment so altered other things and found when i put hicap tub on the gap between it and cab bulkhead un even so then had to lift the tub at the front to get the spacing right
i should've tilted the main bulkhead forward a few degrees when i fit the wings as i was 1/2"high at the front mountings
if i ever take the wings off i'll realign everything but for now it all works
View attachment 297125

Click to expand...

Good looking truck that.

mine was absolutely shot but welding in new pillars and footwells got it safe enough to drive, the welding practice was not unenjoyable and this year i felt confident enough to weld my van up for its mot rather than paying somebody,

--ped-- said:

had the same issue with door fitment so altered other things and found when i put hicap tub on the gap between it and cab bulkhead un even so then had to lift the tub at the front to get the spacing right
i should've tilted the main bulkhead forward a few degrees when i fit the wings as i was 1/2"high at the front mountings
if i ever take the wings off i'll realign everything but for now it all works
View attachment 297125

Click to expand...

I like that a lot.

I am at the point where i am looking at whether i rebuild my existing bulkhead inc galvanising or buy new. It not imminent but i am looking at costs for either option before buying any parts etc.
Google has found several places that sell them so i am not looking at who and where, mainly looking to get input from those that bought them already whether the thought the quality and fit were good, or not.
I need a six pot bulkhead for a 78 S3, galvanised.

I decided to get my bulkhead from Richards. For a few reasons: they are about to start producing pressed bulkheads for S3, which are competitively priced. As i have sourced my chassis from Richards, i reckon the bulkhead should fit well on this. They also have an excellent reputation for quality. I am not in a hurry to get the bulkhead (i have 1000 things to do first before i need it), i believe they become available sometime early next year.

I saw these a while ago ...

Richards are very good too (others are available)