Roverama '70

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

 

The carpets in my Rover are damp. So this weekend I pointed a hose at it to see if I could pinpoint precicely where the water was entering. It didn't take long.

 

 

It gushes through the top of all four door seals. I can't decide whether this is down to tired door seals or maybe the doors should be slightly higher so that more than 1mm of the top frame comes into contact with the seal. Anyway, this must have been happening for years because look at the floor:

 

Floor by cdconelrad, on Flickr

 

With a sense of impending doom I unscrewed the sill covers only to find these recently replaced and very solid sills on both sides.

 

Sills by cdconelrad, on Flickr

 

At this point I was overcome with optimism, which lasted for as long as it took me to idly probe a small scabby bit at the rear of the driver's side sill.

 

Nevermind by cdconelrad, on Flickr

 

Mercifully the other side was nothing like as bad. A violent screwdriver probe frenzy only found two very small holes and I had to really work to make them.

 

The Other Side by cdconelrad, on Flickr

 

So that's where we are now. I know I don't have the skills to fix this myself, but I don't have the money to pay someone else to do it so it's either a crash course in non-bodge welding or a fun project car for someone with those skills. 

 

↓ Post words of encouragement in the space below.  Ã¢â€ â€œ

[Inspector Morose]

Yeah, I think you should ditch it as soon as possible, it looks a right old death trap. If you like I'd take it off your hands to save you the embarrassment of ever buying such a worthless pile of crap.

 

Honestly win win there chap! Bonus sill replacement already done and it looks like only a touch of the hot stick is needed on the obviously grotty bit. There are a lot worse ones about. Where about are you? Doors. I'm sure they are adjustable for height. The man of junk will be along in a second to definitely say yay a or nay.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

The fact no one ever needs to see the quality * of the welding under the sill covers, must make this the easiest non-dilemma ever. MTFU and buy a cheap mig WCPGW at least the dampness of the carpets means it'll be harder to set on fire .

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Those sill covers are why it got through an MOT last week - I went underneath it while it was on the ramp with a torch and it looked fine. 

 

But yes, MTFU is definitely the correct answer, and it's not worth binning the car over. I'm just on the wrong end of welding's steep learning curve and have been reading too many horror stories about the complexities of P6 sills and £1500 per side replacements. 

 

Looks like this is now a project thread where we can all enjoy watching me learn to weld, and accidentally setting a bunch of stuff on fire. I will dust off the Clark 90 I bought about four years ago and start practicing. 

 

FPB7: Manchester. 

[Bucketeer]

Would you be kind enough to make every possible schoolboy error during your welding education please?

That way, I can learn through someone elses mistakes.

And have a bit of a laugh at some calamitous aftermath photos.

[TagoraSX]

£1500 per side

[saucedoctor]

It's only one, but it's a start

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROVER-P6-GENUINE-NEW-OLD-STOCK-ROVER-LEFT-HAND-SIDE-OUTER-SILL-PART-NO-361522-/350968504113?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3ARover%7CPlat_Gen%3AP6&hash=item51b75a5f31

[Junkman]

We will fix it.

This is harmless compared with the horrors we usually encounter. Want to see what mine looked like four years ago? And probably do again now.
Actually, yours looks like an easy fix. When would you like to have it done?

 

Re. door adjustment - easiest thing in the world. Bring it here these days and I'll do it.

[Inspector Morose]

Ah, glad you're here junkman. Put me out of my misery, am I right that the hinges are on little screw threaded posts or is it another car I'm thinking of.

 

Manchester. If I had a way of getting up there I'd be up.

[Junkman]

Yes, you slacken them off at the bottom and wind them up at the top.

If you know them, what I just wrote will make sense.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

It might yet just be knackered rubbers, but I'm sure there should be more contact between the door frame and the seal. Presume I'll see you next Friday, are you back driving yet?

[Junkman]

Yes.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Excellent!

 

 

It's only one, but it's a start

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROVER-P6-GENUINE-NEW-OLD-STOCK-ROVER-LEFT-HAND-SIDE-OUTER-SILL-PART-NO-361522-/350968504113?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3ARover%7CPlat_Gen%3AP6&hash=item51b75a5f31

 

That's the screw on bit which did such an excellent job hiding the rot!

 

 

£1500 per side

 

Just the word of a stranger on the internet of course. But someone else claimed to have been quoted £1,100 per side so I can see it's possible. Of course mine doesn't need the whole inner and outer doing, it just needs the bit inside the car on both sides and that bit at the back. 

[Junkman]

I can quote you £3,500, if that's OK.

However, what I see in the pics is about 100 quid worth of damage among friends.

[Inspector Morose]

Junkman, it does. Piece of.....

[Junkman]

....toast.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I can quote you £3,500, if that's OK.

However, what I see in the pics is about 100 quid worth of damage among friends.

 

That sounds great, but you'll have to have a good look at it in the (what's left of the) metal. We'll talk on Friday. 

[dollywobbler]

I paid about £2000 to have both sides replaced back in 2004. It's a big old job, mainly due to the need to remove a lot of interior. Sounds like that little patch job needn't cost the earth though.

[dean36014]

I can remember doing full sill replacement of mine years ago, was most impressed that the inner sill wasn't bent correctly to meet the floor. solution was lots of hammering to put the shape into them. Yours looks remarkable solid! Love those cars, would love another one but can't justify two cars anymore.

[Junkman]

That sounds great, but you'll have to have a good look at it in the (what's left of the) metal. We'll talk on Friday. 

 

I've seen worse. Much worse.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I paid about £2000 to have both sides replaced back in 2004. It's a big old job, mainly due to the need to remove a lot of interior. Sounds like that little patch job needn't cost the earth though.

 

It's the inside I thought would be tricky - it's like this pretty much the whole length of both sides.

 

DSC01781 by cdconelrad, on Flickr

 

I'm presuming your £2k job was for an all singing all dancing replacement of both inner sills and the base unit part pictured above?

[dollywobbler]

Certainly was. Stupid me got overwhelmed by V8 goodness, and just sort of ignored the rather obvious rot between floor and sill. Got a whole lot worse once the strip-out started. I was staggered.

[Junkman]

I paid about £2000 to have both sides replaced back in 2004. It's a big old job, mainly due to the need to remove a lot of interior. Sounds like that little patch job needn't cost the earth though.

 

Eh?

The entire interior is removed within an hour, if you work leisurely.

[Junkman]

Mine was worse. A lot worse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plus, mine is possessed and yours isn't.

I should have pushed it through the back wall of the garage and into the river right there and then.

[Bren]

Have a go at welding it yourself.

 

What's the worst that can happen?

 

At least if it goes up in flames it will dry the carpets out.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Speaking of going up in flames, I was cruising along at about 50mph today when the cabin started to get a bit smokey. I got off the road as soon as I could and found that the engine had rejected its rocker gasket and sprayed oil all over the place. 

Loosened the rocker cover and poked it back in, only to see it squeeze itself out the other side (it's rubber). It's like the gasket is slightly larger than the cover.

[mat_the_cat]

Rubber gaskets/seals can sometimes swell after a period of time - makes them a nightmare to reuse! Which engine is yours? I know the V8 originally used cork rocker cover gaskets.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

It's the 4cyl, which also originally used cork but has a "much improved" rubber one. I don't know how old it is, but it needs replacement anyway. I just need to be convinced of the merits of the rubber one after this.

[mat_the_cat]

I've been using the (also much 'improved') rubber one on the V8 in the Disco, but only for 4 years so not really a long term test. Not that I've ever had a problem with cork gaskets previously, although I read that a number of people do with the RV8. I think if the sealing face is OK then it doesn't matter which you use, but rubber is obviously more tolerant of a poor surface. Never heard of one popping out before though!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Okay, forget rust and oil leaks for a while. It's T-Cut time!



It's really hard to show in photos what a dramatic difference this has made, it's amazing! It's not as dramatic as when people do it with red paint, but it's really lifted the appearance of the car.