Bulkhead repairs question from a newbie welder

jgreenwell · Mar 25, 2015

Done some chassis repairs on my 110 200tdi and they have come out well. Quite pleased. Next repair is the bulkhead, footwells on both sides.

Footwells are quite rotten, both on the floor section itself and the outer sides just inside the wings. For a reasonably inexperienced welder would it be better for me to put new bottom brackets and door pillars on at the same time so I am welding against decent metal? I haven't fully checked out the pillars but pealing back the carpet and looking inside the cavity they look pretty scabby.

Cheers

jamesmartin · Mar 25, 2015

i would

mistericeman · Mar 25, 2015

Scabby ....pahhh

Ill give you scabby .....

Most of this is down to the P/O using cardboard and silicone to "repair" rust ....FFS repair it properly,WHEN it's an easy job

Then ran out of Argoshield .....

I reckon the bottom bolt AND a door hinge bolt should be enough whstle

top drive · Mar 25, 2015

Ah previous owner repairs.

Mines used a newspaper in 1995! And a later stage expanding foam to fix my bulkhead.

mistericeman · Mar 25, 2015

I should say I've already battled the passenger side ...

The inner strengthener behind the top cure of the pillar was like lace AND after removing a suspicious lump of filler there was a big hole in the usual spot on the bulkhead corner
No pictures sadly as I was busy avoiding snow and hail showers Grrrrrrr

None of it is rocket science BUT plenty of careful removal of metal after lots of measuring ....

Plan for far worse rust than you expect and be fairly proficient welding ;-)

jgreenwell · Mar 25, 2015

Thanks for your reply and the time it must have taken, very much appreciated.

Looking at those images I think I'll just go ahead with new brackets etc too. May as well, as you say plan for the worst. At least I will know it will all be decent metal.

I'll take some pics and put a post up when done.
Cheers

The Gribbin · Mar 25, 2015

mistericeman said:
I should say I've already battled the passenger side ...

The inner strengthener behind the top cure of the pillar was like lace AND after removing a suspicious lump of filler there was a big hole in the usual spot on the bulkhead corner
No pictures sadly as I was busy avoiding snow and hail showers Grrrrrrr

None of it is rocket science BUT plenty of careful removal of metal after lots of measuring ....

Plan for far worse rust than you expect and be fairly proficient welding ;-)

Wow... respect to your determination... I am inspired...many a lesser person would have opted for a new bulkhead.

Excellent post with piccies too.

raise:

mistericeman · Mar 25, 2015

Thing IS ....once you get into it ...it's really not that difficult ...

I started with a a couple of small holes in the footwells BUT knew I'd find more as i dug deeper .
I'm not intending doing it again soon SO chopped out as much as I could

Footwells with ribs from Les Crombie on Ebay ....and pillars/feet from SP made things a lot easier .

It WOULD be a heap easier with the bulkhead off the vehicle BUT very feasible ON .

Careful unstitching and drilling of spotwelds and going slowly make things a heap easier as you get your head around just how a bulkhead is actually put together originally .

Almost bulkhead archeology lol....

On the bright side ....at least it keeps as much of the original series as possible

greyhair · Mar 27, 2015

Bloody hell, that's what you call scabby

top drive · Mar 27, 2015

after cutting the rot out the passengers side i was left looking at that ........

[/IMG]

end result (with only a thin skin of filler in the corners to smooth it off

) Im firmly in the novice welder camp.

greyhair · Mar 27, 2015

I wish I had tried to weld my original one, but the wifes uncle offered to do it for me as he is a welder by trade
Although he made a right pigs arse of it, so I sold it on and purchased a tdci adapted bulkhead

mistericeman · Mar 27, 2015

greyhair said:
I wish I had tried to weld my original one, but the wifes uncle offered to do it for me as he is a welder by trade
Although he made a right pigs arse of it, so I sold it on and purchased a tdci adapted bulkhead

Thing is....
I'm a VERY inexperienced hobby welder BUT I Realised at an early stage that you have to think along the lines of HOW the bulkhead was assembled,
to be able to take it apart efficiently AND be able to weld it back together.
BUT none of it is rocket science......

Thankfully lol

Bulkhead repairs question from a newbie welder

jgreenwell

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jamesmartin

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mistericeman

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top drive

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jgreenwell

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The Gribbin

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