Rust

[hornmeister2000]

Hello! I'm new to this (joined on Saturday) and would appreciate some advice to keep my MG Maestro EFi on the road! I've spent a fortune over the past 5 years since I bought it for £1695 on bits and pieces but mainly rust. This is what I've had done so far:

Crash repairs (new bonnet, 2 front wings, new bumper), 1999: £800
Passenger door rust, 1999: £100
General rust (2nd hand boot, 3 2nd hand doors, 1 patched-up door, 1 near-side wheel arch weld), 2000: £450
General rust (off-side wheel arch, doors patched up), 2001: £350
General rust (3 new doors, 1 patched-up door, 1 wheel arch, spot of rust on corner of windscreen), 2002: £900
Valves (this was a shock and I think I was ripped off), 2002: £700

Anyway, in May, I was told my piston rings were very worn. It's still running, and if it passes the MOT on Friday it'll be having a reconditioned engine next week for £810. But now I've found a key scratch down the door, the near-side wing needs doing again, and there's more rust on the corner of the windscreen.

I have 2 questions. The first is: is the windscreen rust going to cause me a major problem? (A mechanic said it will). The wheel arch is OK, as I've had that done before, but I am concerned about the rust on the windscreen. The second question is, can anyone recommend a garage in London or North Kent to do quality rust work without charging the earth? I currently use a farmer in Bristol who does it (very well) as a hobby, but it's a long way, and his attention to detail is terrible. He once got me a 2nd-hand door which was sound, but the handle didn't work properly, and when he put a new door on last year I had to get it adjusted because it wasn't straight!

Anyway, any advice would be gratefully received. I don't really want to spend money on a new engine if the bodywork's going to let me down.

PS: Is it possible to replace the rear panel (rather than just the wheel arch)?

[Alan the Vanner]

Hi Hornmeister. I only joined on friday so I'm pretty new to this thing as well.
As for the old tinworm I reckon replacing the sills and rear wheel arches would be your best bet (This is what I am doing at the moment on my van as it happens). I've replaced most of the bolt-on parts for my van as it is a custom project rather than a restoration. Maybe we should have a database for new/used parts for sale or swap.
I have several car/van front panels and other trim bits. As soon as my Dad has taken all the parts for the new conservatory out of my lock-up, I'll list them and put them up on the forum.

[hornmeister2000]

The sills are OK, actually - had them done already a while ago, but the wheel arch definitely needs doing. There's some more rust on other parts of the rear panel as well, so I'm hoping to get a whole panel although I think this could prove expensive! It's a good idea to make a database of spare parts. When I replaced my doors last year I had terrible trouble locating new ones, although I got there in the end. An up-to-date database of where various parts could be obtained would be good

[Maria]

A database of spare parts is available to all Maestro and Montego club members. While we don't have much in the way of body panels in stock, we do get offers from time to time of spares. I would very much like club members who have stocks of parts to get in contact so that if anyone is in need in the future of a part we don't have ourselves, there's a better chance of knowing someone who DOES have it.

[TurboMG]

A recon engine for 810 pounds:eek: :eek: :eek: , that is way way over priced.

[hornmeister2000]

Really? Well it's not done yet - do you know anywhere cheaper you could recommend?

Originally posted by TurboMG
A recon engine for 810 pounds:eek: :eek: :eek: , that is way way over priced.

[Alan the Vanner]

I think the windscreen rust must be a common problem: My van has recieved a new windscreen and scuttle panel.

[e692wtt]

Sadly, rust in the windscreen aperture, along with the rear wheelarches, are the biggie rust spots. Luckily my Monty's windscreen aperture is perfect but one of the rear quarter window apertures is 'bleeding' rust and I am patching ever larger chunks of P40 at the rear of the n/s sill (once every 2 years...). Still gets an MoT every year though.

The windscreen needs removing to 'do' its aperture, so it's a big job!

The other other Rich.:)