I want to cry...

PobodY

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
I took my R in for it's MOT today.

The good news is that it passed the emissions for a non-cat car (as expected).
Now for the bad news... The rust monster has been munching on it:

  • Nearside front CV joint gaiter split (I can fix this one easily enough).
  • Nearside front brake pipe excessively corroded.
  • Offside front brake pipe ditto.
  • Nearside rear ditto
  • Offside rear ditto.
  • Offside front brake hose inadequately repaired with unsuitable fixing (I think it's cable-tied to the strut, but I never noticed anything odd).
  • Front exhaust mount missing (my fault; I took that bolt out the other day and didn't put it back in - I didn't realise that was a fail).
  • Offside front steering system excessively rough (I don't understand that one... something about a "top strut").
  • Both the box sections before the ARB mounts are corroded. - I argued that this isn't structural and shouldn't be a fail... and he said that the ARB is mounted to it, so it's structural.
  • Offside rear (wheel arch) seat belt anchorage excessively corroded outer and inner (it says "wheel arch" but I can only see "floor pan" I suppose it's on the corner with the wheel arch... but yes, the rear arch is rusting).
  • Nearside front (inner arch) suspension spring mounting area is excessively corroded.
  • Offside floor body has excessive corrosion... (oh that's probably the bit I'm thinking of and the arch is a different matter).
  • Nearside rear tyre is below legal requirements - Well I know that; I asked for two new tyres before the MOT, but the chap said I'd better to change them afterwards and get a bit more use out of them.
I got an advisory for:

  • Nearside front brake hose deteriorated.
  • Offside front brake hose ditto.

So... any ideas on how I can fix that lot?
Cutting the rust out and getting new panels welded in is beyond me... and changing brake lines is probably pushing it too.

You can see why I'm just about ready to cry.
 
M

Makaveli_se7en

Member
Although harsh, the way it is at the moment decent shells seem to be going for less than it would cost you to have the welding done. So you might be better off re-shelling (and waxoyl it as you put it together to avoid a repeat)
 
PobodY

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
I think I'm going to need to find some cheap body shop who can sort the rusty bits out... then I'll need to sort the brakes... the CV joint gaiter, the exhaust mount, and the advisories are the least of my problems.

I just think I've got f*ck-all chance of getting that done in 10 days for the re-test.... and the road-tax will run out anyway (because I'd forgotten about the MOT).

Didn't fail on exhaust noise either... than and emissions were the only two things I was really worried about.

I think my wife is going to kill me.
 
PobodY

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
What price are people asking for sound shells? I guess I could get it resprayed in Ivory and put my original compliance plate back on...
I don't know if I'm ready to embark on reshelling a car at the moment.
 
G

guider

New Member
im sure i have seen shells for £500 on this site. i think bob was selling one cheap. also what about that fully restored white one by that chap from redline
 
J

JasonR

New Member
I know how you feel mate your not alone lol mine failed last week too

1) drivers seat cannot be secured in the upright position
2)exhaust noise is clearly in exess of that emitted by a similar vehical
3)rear fog switch insecure
4)headlight aim too low
5)front registration plate delaminated
6)offside front chassis suspenshion comonent mounting precribed area is exessively corroded
7)nearside rear inner wing suspension component mounting prescribed area is exessively corroded same on the other side
rear tyre is incorrect size 215 not 205 which the other 3 are
9)corroded brake line on both front breaks

Advisorys
1)parking break is just about good enough
2)front number plate cracked
3)rear number plate cracked
4)coolant leak
5)oil leak
6)slight movemont in o/s front suspension strut
7)n/s o/s front top suspension mountings of diffrent size
n/s rear tyre slightly perished

only just got all the work done on saturday now it has mot.
I thought about getting a new shell but my mate at work has a mate that is a welder he did it all for £150.
good luck with getting it all sorted.
 
fubar andy

fubar andy

Moderator & N/W Rep
Staff member
PobodY said:
I think I'm going to need to find some cheap body shop who can sort the rusty bits out
Click to expand...
Seriously George, cheap normally means crap when it comes to body work.

If it’s a cheap fix to sort out before you re-shell then go for it, but otherwise I'd shell out for good decent honest work. ;-)

Overall it does sound like the pearly doors to Bob's rest home maybe calling. :sad:

Have a ring around and see what people can offer, but like I said cheap means cheap.

On a lighter note, I noticed your letter to Banzi has been printed :thumb:
 
P

pulsarboby

Guest
reshell it george;-)
as said ive got a good one with very long mot and even has tax on it if you want it and il leave the car virtually intact

will be a damned site cheaper than trying to sort that mess out thats for sure.

the problem is that once the rust gremlins get in there and even if its welded up you will find that the areas that have been welded will also start to rust on the outside of the weld and youll have the same prob all over again the following year.
so in a nutshell its now only fit for scrap
 
PobodY

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
Yeah... I might see if I can get it re-tested by someone else. If they say the same things then it's settled.

The thing that's bugging me is that none of these things were advisories on last year's MOT; that was something like near side front tire excessively worn; nearside front balljoint has excessive play; emissions test failed; no mention of excessive rust, no mention of corrosion to brake pipes. So I'm surprised that in the space of a year it's gone from fine to f*cked.

My concern is whether I can actually afford to reshell it at the moment; I'm seriously thinking about just SORN'ing the R and buying a bomb for now.
 
campbellju

campbellju

Moderators
Staff member
Is all we are saying is new brake pipes and a bit of rust?

Strip your rear seat belts off and ARB that's two of the problems solved!

How excessive is the rust? Clean up the areas of crud and take some photos. Is it surface rust or can you push your finger through?

Get some part worns...... and swap MOT station! Did you use the same guy last year?
 
M

Makaveli_se7en

Member
Sounds like delaying the inevitable to me, once the rot sets in, its only a matter of time. It certainly won't get any better. Best to try and start again and learn from you mistakes: Mr waxoyl and Mr Underseal are you friends.

Maybe if you got it through its ticket you could ebay/pistonheads it and get another with tidier bodywork but might end up being easier and cheaper to re-shell.
 
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PobodY

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
campbellju said:
Is all we are saying is new brake pipes and a bit of rust?

Strip your rear seat belts off and ARB that's two of the problems solved!

How excessive is the rust? Clean up the areas of crud and take some photos. Is it surface rust or can you push your finger through?

Get some part worns...... and swap MOT station! Did you use the same guy last year?
Click to expand...
I can poke my finger through the wheel arch, but I knew about that, and it's less of a problem.
I'm pretty sure that the stuff on the floor-pan is surface rust, it doesn't look to me like it goes through.
That box section where the ARB attached is knackered, but I've never worried about it because I thought it wasn't structural, and the damage was caused by people jacking the car on it when that's not what it's for.
I've never noticed any rust inside the front arch, so I'll need to look more closely. I suspect it's the panel join where the wheel was rubbing against the arch at one point.

I'm surprised about the brake lines; admittedly I haven't been over them, and I may not know what I'm looking for... but they looked ok when I had the engine out recently, and the only reason you could see the surface on them is that I degreased the engine bay at the time.

I'm going to see if I can get a second opinion, but failing that I'll have to SORN the car and look at reshelling.
 
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