Practically Classics Forum

Some photos of the rangies rusty arch. As you can see it does seem very localised and the rest of the floor looks fine. Plan is to get this side fixed over the weekend.

That arch is exactly like mine were. A repair panel is available and cheap. No sunroof makes fixing the bottom of the C pillar simpler as the drain exits down there normally.
How far up the C has the rust got behind the vinyl?

The floor normally looks good from the inside, if you poke the end of the sill from the outside how solid is it? i found a 50p sized hole that ended up in some serious body reconstruction.

I haven't managed to make any holes in the sill at the rear yet (despite tring quite hard!). I am in 2 minds as to wheather to open the sills up to paint / inspect/repair the inside or not, I may enlarge the drain hole and have look inside with the endescope and decide what to do from there.

The rust in the pillar goes up a couple of inches, it had just reached the bottom fixing for the rear seat latch.

I have invested in 2 x 1 metre sheet of steel, hopefully enough to fix the Rangie!

A couple of more pictures (taken on phone so not so good) after extensive prodding including removal of all the scale I still can't make any holes in the rear of the sill !
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The front of the sill looks worse and there is a small hole at the base of the A pillar but I haven't prodded this too hard, plan is to replace the front 18 inches or so and repair the base of the a pillar and front foot well all in one go.

and this is the base of the c pilar with the rusty section of arch cut out, suprisingly the metal only a couple of inches from all that rot even has the undamaged original black paint under the underseal.

A very familiar view. For mine rot in the sills (ignoring the ends and body mounts) was concentrated around the drain holes and in the seam where the panels meet at the bottom. Looking inside them is really easy if you have a cheapo ebay endoscope. If you pop out one of the plastic "things" that secure the carpet retainer you get a 7mm square hole which mine just squeezes through.

Tomorrow I start on the rangie, butin the meantime I have been driving it around a bit more, the only issue I have found is it. Idles very low (well below 500rpm), the warm up mechanical by pass must be ok because it is fine when cold, looks, like a simple fiddle with by pass screw is all that is required. I am a little worried how long parts will be available for and the reliability of the flapper system, but being a non cat vehicle my fall back is always a pair of SUs, so it was never going to be a major issue.

Fingers crossed you can get yours done in less than 2 years as by the time mine is back on the road it will have been about that long!

I no w have one corner of the rangie rust free!

Firstly with the wing off and underseal removed.
Then the rust cut out.

There was a small area of rust around the rear of the inner sill so I had to cut the outer sill away to get to it.
Then welded the inner sill and replaced the flange on the rear of the inner sill.

I have developed a thing where by when I see a rangy I shake with fear of what lurks, I do hope yours is as rust free as it appears to be as it will be one of the nicer ones to do.

My lad fetched one home a fortnight ago, a 1993 200TDI that he said only needed a couple of patches, he's in deeper than Cameron in a Pig with it now

It does look though like you may have found one of the better ones if that is all you can find so hope all goes well, they are a nice truck