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[Diamond Black Geezer]

I know how long that takes... and also how satisfying it is when you've done it. Looking good, and keep going, is all I can say!! 

[Tick Tock]

The front inner wing area after an awful lot of cleaning, wire brushing and peeling off the old underseal. Thinking everything looks alright until you start investigating further, with surface corrosion creeping along under the factory applied underseal.


New discs and pads all around - I'd fitted a complete Mintex set to the other car (ebay bargain CD) a couple of years ago and for £100 including pads didn't seem like a bad price. The inner hub area of the discs have been painted with caliper paint, to prevent unsightly surface rust after a period in use.
 

[Nick W]

Every one I've seen recently has had crusty chassis rails above the rear wishbone mounts. That includes mine.
This area is much more likely to kill the cars due to rust than the rear wheelarches most people worry about.

[Tick Tock]

Every one I've seen recently has had crusty chassis rails above the rear wishbone mounts. That includes mine.
This area is much more likely to kill the cars due to rust than the rear wheelarches most people worry about.

So true 

I've discovered areas of the car which I didn't even know existed, and sure enough there are signs in the most obscure of underbody areas, lurking and slowly rotting your car away without you knowing about it.

[VXL V6]

Been going through this exact process with my project car. The rust creeping behind the factory applied underseal is unbelievable and requires brutal investigation.

Yours is looking great 

[Tick Tock]

Thanks 

Just found this picture - not the best, but shows the travel of rot underneath the sealant. Before this large patch of underseal was removed it all looked so perfect, except for a small rusty blemish around the clip hole which secures the plastic mudflap (for want of a better word).

[Tick Tock]

So after the front wheelarches and suspension / brakes refurbishment, the area under the windscreen and scuttle drains were next up for inspection and cleaning.


This area under the bottom windscreen trim had definitely seen better days. The trim is easy to pull off and reveals the lower edge of the glass and more access to the structural area onto which the screen is bonded. I'm not sure if there's anything between the glass and the body (such as an additional bit of trim?) but have heard tales about windscreen fitters not wanting to fit new screens due to the corrosion around the aperture onto which the glass is bonded.


I guess I'll only find that out if the screen needs replacing at some point, but have addressed the corrosion problems to hopefully stop it spreading any further and keep it under control. There's a couple of nasty holes there now which weren't present when it left the factory, so will be keeping an eye on it. The area has been cleaned back as much as is possible and treated, finishing off with a coat of Dinitrol. The rubber trim was thoroughly cleaned and sealed to the windscreen to prevent water collecting on the affected metal area below the screen. Finally the underside area has been coated with silicone grease to expel any further moisture. Once the rot is in there, the only way to get rid of it is to cut it out, so I'm hoping the cleaning and protecting will give a few more years of use out of the car. 

[Tick Tock]

All the work I've done to the car this year is to preserve it a bit longer - moving on to the scuttle drains - nearside.


It's a long way down there to the bottom and I can't get my arm past the pollen filter housing, so a small brush attached to a long stick was required.


After cleaning out with various potions and elbow grease, the bottom of the drain can be seen. The drain hole is in the grommet, but rainwater will form a big pool if the car is parked facing uphill. After a period of time rot will form on the edge nearest the bulkhead, with excess water finding its way through the inner wing area to freedom.

[Ever Ready]

Nice and thorough is the best way, keep up the good work

[Tick Tock]

The offside drain has a few twists and turns, which is an ideal place to trap debris and moisture.


Again awkward to get into to clean but after a good scrub up and treatment, it should allow the water to drain away better.