Defender corrosion question

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A

Andrew Cooke

Guest
I am in the process of acquiring a 1989 90 V8 CSW, the car is mechanically
excellent and looks great but I have noticed some pretty hefty corrosion on
the floor pan under the pedals (OK inside but visible from under the drivers
wheel arch). My question is, should I worry about this? It isn't really
structural and the chassis, crossmember and bulkead seem solid. The vendor
reckons a plate can be welded from the inside quite easily.

Advice appreciated (and be polite, the vendor reads this news group and is a
top bloke, it's just that I haven't really got a clue about this sort of
thing)


 
Well its only rust, it is not as if you were dealing with some monocoque
cock up.

You could probably stuff old newspapers under there and pass an MOT.

It is really the chassis that matters, If you want a temporary repair you
can rivit bits of tin can in, or use fibreglass matting or whatever, even
welding is not going to last forever.

It really is a question of what you want out of it and what you can either
do yourself or afford.

Having purchased a total rust bucket disguised with filler, I have found it
is better to know what you are dealing with rather to have it hidden, and
there is nothing out there that is not quietly rotting away in secret places


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes


"Andrew Cooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am in the process of acquiring a 1989 90 V8 CSW, the car is mechanically
> excellent and looks great but I have noticed some pretty hefty corrosion
on
> the floor pan under the pedals (OK inside but visible from under the
drivers
> wheel arch). My question is, should I worry about this? It isn't really
> structural and the chassis, crossmember and bulkead seem solid. The vendor
> reckons a plate can be welded from the inside quite easily.
>
> Advice appreciated (and be polite, the vendor reads this news group and is
a
> top bloke, it's just that I haven't really got a clue about this sort of
> thing)
>
>


 

"Larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well its only rust, it is not as if you were dealing with some monocoque
> cock up.
>
> You could probably stuff old newspapers under there and pass an MOT.

Worth bearing in mind, however, that corrosion rules for "prescribed areas"
still apply, i.e. within 300mm of steering column mounts, pedal box and
brake servo mounts, seat belt mounts etc etc, even though it is a separate
chassis.
Body to chassis mounts are only a fail if there is sufficient corrosion
affecting a number of mounting points to the extent that the body is no
longer secure on the chassis.
Badger.


 
Andrew Cooke wrote:
> I am in the process of acquiring a 1989 90 V8 CSW, the car is
> mechanically excellent and looks great but I have noticed some pretty
> hefty corrosion on the floor pan under the pedals (OK inside but
> visible from under the drivers wheel arch). My question is, should I
> worry about this? It isn't really structural and the chassis,
> crossmember and bulkead seem solid. The vendor reckons a plate can be
> welded from the inside quite easily.
> Advice appreciated (and be polite, the vendor reads this news group
> and is a top bloke, it's just that I haven't really got a clue about
> this sort of thing)

Sounds like the bottom of the bulkhead. if it's ****ed there, it WILL be ****ed everywhere else. Poke
about around the top near the winscreen hinge. It can be patched, but you are paying TOP money for it. It
must be 100% for the money. Got any pics mate?

Nige


Subaru WRX
Range Rover 4.6 HSE (The Tank!)
110 Hi Cap (Ben)

'"Opinions are like arseholes, everyones got one"


 

"Andrew Cooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I am in the process of acquiring a 1989 90 V8 CSW, the car is mechanically
>excellent and looks great but I have noticed some pretty hefty corrosion on
>the floor pan under the pedals (OK inside but visible from under the
>drivers wheel arch). My question is, should I worry about this? It isn't
>really structural and the chassis, crossmember and bulkead seem solid. The
>vendor reckons a plate can be welded from the inside quite easily.
>
> Advice appreciated (and be polite, the vendor reads this news group and is
> a top bloke, it's just that I haven't really got a clue about this sort of
> thing)
Funny you should say that I was at the autojumble/blizzard at Garstang on
sunday
and there is a guy doing replacement footwells ( I was looking at his Disco
inner wing bits) If you want his email I got his card which is somewhere in
the misc file.
Derek


 
Andrew Cooke wrote:

> My question is, should I worry about this?

Do you have anyone else around that can go look at it with you... I
wouldn't say that it is impossible that there is no more rot on the
vehicle, but a vehicle that age that is showing significant rot in one
place is likely to be hiding it in others too.

Bottom of doors? Can you peek behind the rear door trim to see if the
door is cracked? rear cappings OK? top hinge area on bulkhead inside
and out?

If the above are OK, and the rear crossmember (use magnet on rear
crossmember to detect filler) then rest assured, the problem is
probably spilled brake fluid that has cleaned the paint off and allowed
the rot in. But best thing to do is get a second opinion from someone
who knows 90s/110s in your area, they can confirm this.

Regards

William MacLeod

 
It can be all very deceptive until it comes to the crunch (literally) I had
a dumb iron that was rotting away and gave me more of a crush zone at the
front than I expected when some miscreant rammed it one night.

Mind you it was still drivable albeit difficult to steer and you can't say
that of many other vehicles.

Yes obviosly there are some vital bits of bulkhead you need, but you don't
really need a floor do you so long as you have somewhere to put your feet :)
trouble with fibre glass as a repair is it lasts longer than what it is
attached to. I only turned to it in desperation and poverty. But then I am
not driving any concours rivet counters car.


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes



"Badger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> Worth bearing in mind, however, that corrosion rules for "prescribed
areas"
> still apply, i.e. within 300mm of steering column mounts, pedal box and
> brake servo mounts, seat belt mounts etc etc, even though it is a separate
> chassis.
> Body to chassis mounts are only a fail if there is sufficient corrosion
> affecting a number of mounting points to the extent that the body is no
> longer secure on the chassis.
> Badger.
>
>


 
In message <[email protected]>
"Badger" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "Larry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Well its only rust, it is not as if you were dealing with some monocoque
> > cock up.
> >
> > You could probably stuff old newspapers under there and pass an MOT.
>
> Worth bearing in mind, however, that corrosion rules for "prescribed areas"
> still apply, i.e. within 300mm of steering column mounts, pedal box and
> brake servo mounts, seat belt mounts etc etc, even though it is a separate
> chassis.
> Body to chassis mounts are only a fail if there is sufficient corrosion
> affecting a number of mounting points to the extent that the body is no
> longer secure on the chassis.
> Badger.
>
>

At risk of starting an argument, Gary (our machanic) has just done his
MOT refresher, and apparently the wording is something along the lines
of "should failure occur then if the steering or brakes are compromised
then it's a fail" now. He actually asked the question "What about the
middle of a Defender crossmember being badly corroded, as in not there".
The reply was that it could pass an MOT - the fact that you could hitch
a 3.5 trailer up to it and cause a really good accident doesn't count.

Richard
--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
RISC-OS - Where have all the good guys gone?
Boycott the Yorkshire Dales - No Play, No Pay
 
Kind of like if it fails on the doors shutting securely, take the doors off
put them in the back and re MOT it :)

of course an MOT can only proceed on what is immediatly apparant, you are
not yet allowed to take a hammer to the cross members to see if they
disintegrate.



--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes



"beamendsltd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:faaacf164e%[email protected]...
> In message <[email protected]>
> "Badger" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> At risk of starting an argument, Gary (our machanic) has just done his
> MOT refresher, and apparently the wording is something along the lines
> of "should failure occur then if the steering or brakes are compromised
> then it's a fail" now. He actually asked the question "What about the
> middle of a Defender crossmember being badly corroded, as in not there".
> The reply was that it could pass an MOT - the fact that you could hitch
> a 3.5 trailer up to it and cause a really good accident doesn't count.
>
> Richard
> --
> www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
> RISC-OS - Where have all the good guys gone?
> Boycott the Yorkshire Dales - No Play, No Pay


 

"Andrew Cooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I am in the process of acquiring a 1989 90 V8 CSW, the car is mechanically
>excellent and looks great but I have noticed some pretty hefty corrosion on
>the floor pan under the pedals (OK inside but visible from under the
>drivers wheel arch). My question is, should I worry about this? It isn't
>really structural and the chassis, crossmember and bulkead seem solid. The
>vendor reckons a plate can be welded from the inside quite easily.
>
> Advice appreciated (and be polite, the vendor reads this news group and is
> a top bloke, it's just that I haven't really got a clue about this sort of
> thing)
>

http://www.lrproject.com/jlo/index.htm

Click on the footwells and doorpillars links for images of the likely
repairs that **MAY** be required.. at least it'll give you an idea.

If your still interested get a quote to have it all fixed by an independant,
should give you some bargaining power.

Lee



 

"Lee_D" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Andrew Cooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>I am in the process of acquiring a 1989 90 V8 CSW, the car is mechanically
>>excellent and looks great but I have noticed some pretty hefty corrosion
>>on the floor pan under the pedals (OK inside but visible from under the
>>drivers wheel arch). My question is, should I worry about this? It isn't
>>really structural and the chassis, crossmember and bulkead seem solid. The
>>vendor reckons a plate can be welded from the inside quite easily.
>>
>> Advice appreciated (and be polite, the vendor reads this news group and
>> is a top bloke, it's just that I haven't really got a clue about this
>> sort of thing)
>>
>
> http://www.lrproject.com/jlo/index.htm
>
> Click on the footwells and doorpillars links for images of the likely
> repairs that **MAY** be required.. at least it'll give you an idea.
>
> If your still interested get a quote to have it all fixed by an
> independant, should give you some bargaining power.
>
> Lee
>
>
Lee I was looking at the repair section for J Lo when you were doing the
bulkhead hinge was the repair piece stepped or did you butt weld it against
the bulkhead
Derek
( currently disco-usted at his progress viewing motors)


 
Derek <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny
about:
> Lee I was looking at the repair section for J Lo when you were doing
> the bulkhead hinge was the repair piece stepped or did you butt weld
> it against the bulkhead
> Derek
> ( currently disco-usted at his progress viewing motors)

Butt welded and ground flush. I can't remember but it was either JLO or
Percy, one of the two that had absouloutely no filler to make good the
repair (to the naked eye, I'm a bit fernickerty about the finish). All using
a gasless mig with the gassless wire (sounds obvious but it'll do both
gasless and gassed IYSWIM) The heavy stuff I use a Arc for but purely
because the Migs running out of steam on heavy chassis work. Lots and lots
of dressing with the grinder to get it just right before committing to the
weld stage, plenty of tack welds and away you go.

Lee
--
www.lrproject.com
Reaching the parts other Landrover restorers can't reach - JLo makes new
home in the USA.
Percy IIa - two Engines to the mile, awaits a new chassis.
Morph - He's "living the dream".


 
<<I was looking at the repair section for J Lo when you were doing the
bulkhead hinge was the repair piece stepped or did you butt weld it
against
the bulkhead >>

Why did the juxtaposition of 'J Lo' and 'butt welding' get me all of a
dither?!

GRAEME ALDOUS, Yorkshire

 
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