Chequerplate (again)

The rear door of my TD5 is bubbling up (you know what I mean) and I was wondering if anybody has fitted chequerplate to cover the entire door (well, as far up as the window anyway).

Any comments or advice please? What about refitting spare wheel mounts afterwards - any snags? (I have Searched the forum but couldn't find what I was looking for.)

Ta!

op2:

Put it on bloody straight!! The prev owner put mine on wonkey and has done a shocking job, so it looks a right mess! Does my head in but too many things to do first!

I've seen one exactly how you're saying and it looked dreadful.

Just saying.

shedchief said:

The rear door of my TD5 is bubbling up (you know what I mean) and I was wondering if anybody has fitted chequerplate to cover the entire door (well, as far up as the window anyway).

Any comments or advice please? What about refitting spare wheel mounts afterwards - any snags? (I have Searched the forum but couldn't find what I was looking for.)

Ta!

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I got one I took off my S3 station wagon....cos it looked bloody awfull. Jus my humble opinion ya understand yours for a tenner?
Tony

tonyfg said:

I got one I took off my S3 station wagon....cos it looked bloody awfull. Jus my humble opinion ya understand yours for a tenner?
Tony

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No snags, it's easy. Take off the door card, rear wiper and unbolt yer wheel mount. Personally, I made a 3mm plate for the inside and a 4mm one for the outside. The inner one was a little more difficult to cut to shape. Next, I bolted the outside one into place and drilled out the holes to match the rear wiper and the wheel mount. Then, I removed the chequered plate. Using welding molegrips, I clamped the inside panel into place and drilled through it to match the top two bolt holes I made in the door for the outside plate. Finally, I applied a very thick coat of underseal to the entire door (inside and out) where the plate was gonna go and re-fitted the outside plate, the wheel mount, wiper motor and the inside plate. I finished off by drilling out the rest of the holes from the outside one at a time and put nice stainless steel allen bolts through the whole thing, sandwiching the original door between the two chequered plates. My door is now rock solid, heavy, but stong. Oh, and I replaced the hinges while I was at it.

Clanforbes: thanks for your helpful post! That's what I was looking for - the voice of experience.

As for the appearance of chequerplate on my rear door, it's a personal thing I know. It's MY Landy and if I like it then that's all that matters, eh?

(Er, I meant if I and the missus like it ..... )

Anyway, it'll probably be tidier than the bubbling skin cancer that is there at the mo as well as being stronger.

Happy days!

i like it.. better than holes into the back! but just do a good job. mine is bad, been cut with an angle grinder!?

Good point, Karlos. I'm thinking of getting one of the pre-shaped panels, eg. LAND ROVER DEFENDER 90 110 REAR DOOR CHEQUER PLATE KIT- on eBay (end time 17-May-11 08:52:47 BST) for about 40 quid plus P&P.

They also do panels for the inside.

(No connection with the seller, BTW)

i will be buying one of those soon enough! 40 quid seems like a bargin after going to bnq!

shedchief said:

Clanforbes: thanks for your helpful post! That's what I was looking for - the voice of experience.

As for the appearance of chequerplate on my rear door, it's a personal thing I know. It's MY Landy and if I like it then that's all that matters, eh?

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You are very welcome.

I agree, chequered plate is a matter of taste as much as a matter of practicality.

When I got my Landy, there was some light damage along one side which I hid by made my own chequered plates. I did buy the bonnet & wingtop kit as well as the sill kit ready made, but I am lucky enough to be able to "salvage" some off-cuts from work, which I made my side panels and rear door panels out of. Though I cut them with a plasma cutter which makes the job a lot easier.

Pictures here:

Clanforbes' TheBus Gallery

The back door isn't in the pictures because I haven't finished it yet. I will eventually be making small panels for the two sections at the sides of the door.

Nice workshop, Clanforbes! I eckon that The Bus is an example of chequerplate put to good use.

[Mr Google informs me that I can't afford to get my own plasma cutter (have you seen the current prices?:screaming_bug_eye_f) but maybe that's something to work towards, perhaps to share the costs with a buddy or two?]

Why not rub the bubbles out and touch it up?........ no going back once plated... and it tarnishes and makes it look like a very early Defender thats past its best. I am not a fan of back door plating my 2d worth!

shedchief said:

Nice workshop, Clanforbes! I eckon that The Bus is an example of chequerplate put to good use.

[Mr Google informs me that I can't afford to get my own plasma cutter (have you seen the current prices?:screaming_bug_eye_f) but maybe that's something to work towards, perhaps to share the costs with a buddy or two?]

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No, they aint too cheap. After buying my welder, I so wanted a plasma cutter to avoid driving my neighbours nuts with noise. I was torn between the cheaper gas bottle ones and the much more expensive one with the built in compressor, but, being a fool (easily parted form my cash) I went for the dear one, cost almost a grand, but it's a fantastic tool, but I can save most of the cost by being in the fortunate position where I can "salvage" scrap from work, mostly food grade stainless steel off-cuts from the skip.

MrJC said:

Why not rub the bubbles out and touch it up?........ no going back once plated... and it tarnishes and makes it look like a very early Defender thats past its best. I am not a fan of back door plating my 2d worth!

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Yes, it's true, unless you give it a damn good coat of clear varnish before it goes on the road the chequered plate does tarnish and become dull and grey. But, there tends to be many opinions on the subject of chequered plate.

1. Landies aint meant to look too shiney so the tarnish doesn't matter.
2. There is a certain aesthetic appeal to the chequered plate (which hides a multitude of sins.)
3. It looks awful.
4. It's expensive.

As I tend to agree with the first two and the fact that I happen to believe it boils down to personal taste, freedom of choice and capabilities at doing your own body repairs. I'll stick with the chequered plate thanks. Maybe someone should do a poll on chequered plate popularity. I reckon it would be about 60% in favour of it.

Do what the others have said in terms of plating the inside of the door for a wheel holder and just fit it correctly.
Rub the door down, propper preb and spray, sorted.
I got chequ plate on bonnet and wings in black powder on a slate grey 90, i prefer black chequ over silver but always still like a non chequed landy.

I chequer plated the inside and outside of my 90's back door to cover up some bad rot. I took the spare wheel off completely and used the 3 prong mount to fix the spare to the bulkhead behind the drivers seat. I had to use a jig saw to cut out the piece around the rear wiper mount but apart from that all straight forward with rivets. Also put lots of silicon on there to stop any vibration.

wishes i had never put any chequer plate on mine.

Was it just me who thought he meant the outside? Now I realise you meant the inside, the inside of my door is stainless. Looks ok to me.

khaos said:

Was it just me who thought he meant the outside?

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Nope! Feel better now??