'C' pillar corrosion (?)

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:25 pm

I'm hoping someone would be kind enough to have a look at this (awful) photo which I'm told is of a rust-hole just above the sill inside the rear door of a Meteor. Is this the 'C' pillar? Is it a difficult /expensive repair?

Again apologies for the awful photo but it's what the seller sent me!

Thanks
Steve

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:10 pm

I take it that is around the area of the Parcel Shelf? If so has the Car got a sunroof?

Not that a sunroof matters I discovered a rust hole in the same place when I was replacing the carpet in the boot of my TZS. Heres where I say its not really a concern if its limited and you can treat it before it spreads and gets jumped on!

Its not actually structural as in the MOT man wont spot it and fail you unless its gone into the wheel arch. Rust eater, bit of fibre glass filler should be all thats required. Got to remeber these cars are around 20 years old now and the rust demon even creeps into the most looked after car. If thats all the problem is then it probably will last another 20 years.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:16 pm

What a photo! Completely obscure. BX'ing on LSD!

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:35 pm

The seller mentioned that the hole is through the wheel-arch.

I know I'm a bit demanding when it comes to rust - but I despise the stuff! No doubt it stems from a complete lack of understanding and my youthful experiences of BL rust-buckets.

Talking of LSD, driving along in an old Mini and watching the tarmac zip past beneath your feet is pretty trippy.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:37 pm

The car does have a sunroof - but it's a long way from where the rust hole is!

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:40 pm

Thats in the door shut area where the door step section meet the rear arch panel and a common rust area, it can be a relatively easy repair, you could bodge it with some filler or weld a plate over it as I did on my high miles 16TGS to get it through the MOT, it didnt look pretty but was solid.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:11 pm

Hmmm - the only thing I've ever been able to do with welding is make the lights go dim and make small holes considerably bigger!

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:28 pm

Roverman wrote:Thats in the door shut area where the door step section meet the rear arch panel and a common rust area, it can be a relatively easy repair, you could bodge it with some filler or weld a plate over it as I did on my high miles 16TGS to get it through the MOT, it didnt look pretty but was solid.

oh there

thats the bit where the plastic triangle thingies sit aye.

In that case a common BX rust area one that neither of the Kiwis BXs or vey rarely have I seen as a problem here due to the lack of salting of the roads.

Two options really

1, Weld - which initself may not be a cure as the weld could oxidise (rust) and affect another part.

2, Grind it down and slap in some fibreglass filler and lucky for you some Hammerite paint and paint the black door seals as well.

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:42 am

that photo made me laugh my arse off talk about stretching the capabilities of over familiar BXers! you need to be on LSD to understand it. I think i feel a competition coming on. Identifying parts of the BX from ridiculously blurred photos. its almost an art form.

right i'll get my other coat.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:02 pm

MOT-wise, don't forget that probably within 30cm the other side of the lower pillar there's a rear subframe mounting point. This is something an MOT tester should be aware of after a quick look under the car even if unfamiliar with a BX.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:00 pm

Indeed. Corrosion in this area needs to be properly repaired by welding, as filler or fiberglass should* fail an MOT test.

*Of course, a half-asleep MOT tester may well pass it.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:08 pm

kiwi wrote:Weld - which in itself may not be a cure as the weld could oxidise (rust) and affect another part.

Not if you cut out the rusted metal, seal the weld and coat both sides of the welded area with appropriate protection. The problem with a filler based repair is that most body fillers are hygroscopic (or at least used to be), so they tend to hold water next to the metal, and hence the repair will not last as long.

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:22 am

I have learned something myself now

Incidentally talking of rust! several years ago they went completly nuts on Rust in NZ! You only had to have a little bit of rust anywhere or a stone chip that had oxidised and wham you had to have a spot weld done to pass a WOF (MOT). A lot of cars vanished off the roads very quickly until they calmed down on what exactly is structural rust. They were so pedantic they actually used magnets to find the filler

Just imagine the look of a testers face when they passed a magnet over a few areas on a BX

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:02 pm

I was having a clearout at the weekend and Sunday found me selling things I didn't want at a car boot sale. A would-be mechanic, trying to impress his mate with his knowledge of cars, came out with the old chestnut "The bodywork on that's all plastic" .....

I informed him otherwise, and showed him the only bits that are.