Any Advice, Part 2!

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Dave: 'First thoughts are does your welder know of any replacement sills that have a similar curve to the rear valance section? The rest looks (from what i can see in the pics) like it could be folded easily over a piece of angle iron and i would think your cheaper guy could manage that. If not, i'm sure a friendly local engineering shop could do it fairly cheaply.' [I couldn't quote after first starting writing.]

Ok, maybe we have a learning opportunity here?!

The two lengths that need replacing have uniform curves along their length. For several years i've been working with wood and think I could plane to shape the curves needed in wood, and then shape sheet metal to those curves. (I've watched videos of people tapping it to shape around a wooden former online, what could go wrong?!) If we make up the two sections, full width, I could ask my friend to attach them. I'm assuming that to join to the existing, clean metal we'd create a recessed indent along that line so there's overlap? I can check this.

I'm writing this from a totally naive perspective, but think we could do it. Tell me if it's a bad idea?! If it's not, it'd be a really good thing to learn for the lad.

Bob/ Stephen - the top section's no longer available at Brookhouse, but ours shows no sign of decay from what we can see. They have another that can apparently be adapted tho, if we need it.

Worst case scenario, it's off to the classic car repair shop, but I'd like us to try sorting in so far as we can first.

Thanks all!

Originally Posted by Othen

Wonderful Chris, that is exactly the right attitude: use your woodworking skills, then have a go at sheet metalwork to make up the sections and get a chap with a MIG or spot welder to attach them. You may need to buy yourself some panel beating hammers and a dolly (cheap), but I’d see no reason why your idea wouldn’t work perfectly well.

Well done Chris - you will get this issue solved - you and your boy will be better for it.

Alan

Thanks Alan - you've just saved me a lot of typing!

Chris, if you make up a "buck" that fits the outside of that valance panel (with the bumper mounts removed first) you should be able to make it a near perfect fit (except for the present rust, i'm sure you can work round it and read between the lines for the shape/dims etc) then all you need to know is the thickness of the metal. Probably 0.9mm or 1.2mm, once you know get a sheet of Zintec (Zinc covered mild steel that can be easily welded and is fairly well protected against rusting) then clap and bash to get the right shape, leave a "margin" for errors that can be cut off if not needed, also you mention an indent, either use a joggler/edge-setter to create this or if your welder can do good butt-welds a flush join is achievable.
If using a joggler, make sure the lip is downwards so it doesn't serve as a water trap and rot the weld from the inside out.

[Othen]

Just as Dave says Chris,

This link to a little metal patch I did on the RB might give you confidence:

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showp...postcount=1647

… the area you need to repair is a bit bigger, but in principle it is the same - easier in some ways because it won’t show afterwards. You could probably even do the welding yourself if you know someone you could borrow a MIG machine from. I remember teaching myself to weld (arc weld - much more difficult) when I had a MG about 40 years ago (and couldn’t afford to pay a chap to do it for me).

Your plan is really sound. Get yourself some metal and have a go, a joddler is really good for creating lapped seams (stronger, and easier than butted seams).

You and your boy will look back on this as an opportunity.

Good fortune,

Alan

[Chris152]

Thanks for the replies and encouragement, fellas! Whether it works or not, it'll be fun trying. And as you say Alan, this won't be on view so as long as what we make fits, it'll be better than what's there (/not there) at the moment.

I need to check with the bloke doing the welding to make sure he's on board, but in the meantime I just did the two profiles using one of those profiling tools, drawings attached.
The one marked inside should be straight forward - a right-angle flange, then turning 90 degrees around a 30mm tube.
The outside profile is more complex as it has both concave and convex profiles, so I guess that'll involve two separate wooden formers, the 90 degree convex first, then the shallower concave (treated as a convex going the other way). I've added a dotted 'horizontal' line, as there's a further curve here but I'm thinking that'll either not matter (keep it flat) or it'll be taken up by the clamps while welding.
The metal registers 1.1mm thickness, but I'm guessing maybe 1mm without the paint? A 1000mm x 300mm sheet will be fine for the internal piece (allowing excess for leverage); the external piece needs to be about 1300mm long, so will need some shopping around. And I'll be needing an angle iron for clamping (I have steel bars from sash clamps I can use, too).

Let me know if my thinking's wrong anywhere?! Thanks.

[Stephen Edwin]

Hello Chris.

I cannot yet visualise your extent of corrosion. It sounds as if you have a less serious issue than some instances. I hope so.

What did you find by the way when you removed the latch plate for the tailgate lock and removed the metal trim beneath the latch plate covering the slam panel.

This thread dates from when I had the estate rear end rust problem. https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showt...ar+rust&page=2 ... there are some interesting posts and photographs.

I hope that helps.

Stephen

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[Chris152]

Thanks for directing us to that thread, Stephen. It's interesting that John H's repair seems to have taken little account of the original profiles both inside and out, which is where ours is rusted too - yet the repair looks good. Maybe I've been too hung up in my mind on recreating the original form, which will make it more tricky than necessary?
The actual slam panel on ours shows no sign of rust on the visible surfaces, hopefully it'll stay that way!

[Stephen Edwin]

Hello Chris

The actual slam panel surviving as a causeway betwixt or between areas of corrosion.
And leaving enough sound metal to weld to!
Might be a happenstance miracle!

And it sounds as if the Layer Cake of Metal including the floor pan has survived! Good!



Stephen.

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[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Thanks for directing us to that thread, Stephen.

You are welcome.

Top tip. I do try to remember to search the forum for existing knowledge &c.
... otherwise ... good currently very active members might reinvent the wheel or repeat the mistakes of the past.



I hope that helps.

Stephen

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[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Thanks for directing us to that thread, Stephen. It's interesting that John H's repair seems to have taken little account of the original profiles both inside and out, which is where ours is rusted too - yet the repair looks good. Maybe I've been too hung up in my mind on recreating the original form, which will make it more tricky than necessary?
The actual slam panel on ours shows no sign of rust on the visible surfaces, hopefully it'll stay that way!

The one thing not considered by not making it with the exta curves etc Chris is the panel won't be as strong. They aren't just there to give an interesting shape or make it look pretty, they do serve a function.

Your chosing to make a buck and form the sheet metal as near to original as possible will make it as strong as possible.

[Stephen Edwin]

Sadly Dave as you will know better than me.

The crumple zone and strength &c is compromised whatever repair is made.

Unless e.g. returned to Volvo for a rebuild?

Hey ho.

Stephen

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[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

Sadly Dave as you will know better than me.

The crumple zone and strength &c is compromised whatever repair is made.

Unless e.g. returned to Volvo for a rebuild?

Hey ho.

Stephen

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Yes, you're totally correct there Stephen, the crumple zone and strength will be compromised by any repair but by making the repair as near identical to original, the strength will be as close as possible to original, especially bearing in mind the original is only spot welded and i suspect the welder guy will seam weld it.

Like most things in life, a compromise but i favour Chris' approach and think it would give the best compromise of cost Vs strengfth/originality.