Rust advice

[hornmeister2000]

Having taken my MG to the local rust garage, I've got a few questions which were raised by the garage guy. Basically, although I've spent a fair bit over the years, it is rapidly turning into a rust-bucket! I've just put a new engine in and am rather attached to the car so there's no question of me not getting the work done, but here's the shopping list:

- Rust on corner of screed: screen will be removed and rust treated
- Rear wheel arch split: the result of a poorly-welded arch 4 years ago. Having a new one put on
- Rust on the edge of boot surround: not really a problem getting this done
- Sills rusting bubbling up all over the place: and here lies my question...

I'm told that the proble with sills on the Maestro is that the vertical pillar between the front and rear doors is hollow and attached to the sill (and contains the seatbelt). This collects moisture and there's no-where for it to get out. The garage guy said he can grind back the sills but it will only be a temporary solution. He said it's possible to get sections to weld in but that doesn't solve the long-term issue of the moisture. Is it possible to get a complete sill for the Maestro? Presumably if it is, then I can wait for the current ones to rust through properly (and delay the expense) then replace the complete sills and fill the verticle pillar with waxoyl at the same time, hopefully eliminating the problem in future.

Any ideas? If anyone's got experience of this I'd be interested to hear. Also, do you think removing the screen and treating the rust will stop that problem?

Any help gratefully received...

Neil

[SimonR]

Hi,

I've got similar problems with F153 at the moment. The rear arches are making it look like a right rust bucket.

I'm not entirely sure whether or not it's the vertical pillar that's the source of the water, I'm wondering if it's the rear window seal that's leaking as well/instead.

What I'm going to do is get the arches repaired and then use the hole for the door catch (just to the front of the rear arch) to squirt a whole load of waxoyl in. I'm also going to remove the entire interia and use the various holes that Rover provided in the bodywork to spray waxoyl in, before fitting the sound deadening kit I've bought.

You can get hold of complete Maestro sills, I know because I have a pair of them ready to go on F153 - so while they're being fitted, I'll get those vertical pillars waxoyled.

There was a bloke in Nene Park, Peterborough, this summer who said he was able to obtain them at about £20 each. I have his number somewhere if you want it.

HTH

Simon R

[MGTurbo]

Don't know what the problem is with the sill, as the seatbelt mounting is on the inner sill, and this usually does not get affected by rot. The outer sill is fairly easy to replace, we have done quite a few ourselves. When the sills are off, rust protection is easy.

Gareth

[topgear]

the subject of rust is a very interesting one with out cars.. and that may be the reason why theres a picture of a maestro on the front of bodyfiller tins! :rage: lol.

At the moment my sills have gone too, just where the welds are at the back. Id love to replace them, or weld them up... but its down to time at the moment.. Ive got a huge hole, but im just gonna have to fill it with the old body filler i think.

I agree with all of you, the best chance you have to to spray antirust stuff, whatever you can lay your hands on, in each gold you can find in the maestro.. and the rust wont get in quite so easily.

If you pack grease behind the whellarches, this will also give you added protection! Thats been tried and tested that one!

:)

[Alan the Vanner]

I have recently completed fitting new sills on my van. They were car sills though.
Anyway, for small rust problems, has anyone tried Jenolite? I have been using it all over the small corrosion areas. It's pretty good stuff! Well, it's MOD approved.

[topgear]

Jenolite is GREAT! :-) Got to be careful though, its very acidic.. if you drop some on the driveway, it'll burn a hole in the concrete! and your skin too! :-)

[hornmeister2000]

>and that may be the reason why theres a picture of a maestro on the >front of bodyfiller tins

I noticed that in Halfords last week!

[Alan the Vanner]

Originally posted by hornmeister2000
>and that may be the reason why theres a picture of a maestro on the >front of bodyfiller tins

I noticed that in Halfords last week!

I take it you were only in Halfwits for a browse.:laugh:

[hornmeister2000]

Err... no comment!

[D87 SMW]

Sorry about this, guys... but even GGT has rust... :o :o :o :banghead: :(

[hornmeister2000]

Originally posted by F170 GGT
Soory about this, guys... but even GGT has rust... :o :o :o :banghead: :(

Where is that? Is it a 3-door Maestro (do they exist?) and that's where the rear door would be? Can't work out where it is on the car...

[D87 SMW]

Originally posted by hornmeister2000
Where is that? Is it a 3-door Maestro (do they exist?) and that's where the rear door would be? Can't work out where it is on the car...

:laugh: I would LOVE a 3 door Maestro! (hmmmmmmmmm.....)

Seriously, that is the bottom of the rear door. It just looks like a three door as it is sooo shiny and the gap doesn't show up as much. :toothy:

So much for that reporter who said you could fit a VHS down the panel gaps! :eek: :laugh: :) :D

[hornmeister2000]

Originally posted by F170 GGT
:laugh: I would LOVE a 3 door Maestro! (hmmmmmmmmm.....)

Seriously, that is the bottom of the rear door. It just looks like a three door as it is sooo shiny and the gap doesn't show up as much. :toothy:

So much for that reporter who said you could fit a VHS down the panel gaps! :eek: :laugh: :) :D

I got new doors for mine last year (from Rover) and they're bigger than the originals. Good, in that it looks a bit neater, but bad in that I have to open the front door before the back door otherwise the trim hits the door. Trim is now beginning to look rather tatty due to me forgetting!

[D87 SMW]

Originally posted by hornmeister2000
I got new doors for mine last year (from Rover) and they're bigger than the originals.

That sounds wierd... :eek:

I wonder what a 3 door Maesty would look like... ;) :D :cool:

[Bertybassett]

Hi folks,


I've drilled a little hole in the end of the sill inside the wheel arch which allows access for Waxoyl to be sprayed in then a gromit and be popped in to seal the hole.

[John S]

Originally posted by F170 GGT
That sounds wierd... :eek:

I wonder what a 3 door Maesty would look like... ;) :D :cool:

There ya go....ride quality would be a bit poor with that short wheelbase though!

[E_T_V]

Hey a shortie maestro, that would be very nice.. Well we've got a monty limo so what not a shortie maestro?

[D87 SMW]

......or a Maestro Limo... ;) :D :cool: :laugh:

[D87 SMW]

......or a short Montego......;) :D :cool: :laugh:

[E_T_V]

The shortie monty looks great.. A shortie turbo monty.. now that would shift!

[D87 SMW]

What would be the best option to cure this little bit of rust? :eek: :( :o

[Beaker]

Depends what is lurking behind it, where the dirt normally collects.

Sanding down, then grey zinc primer normally does the job for in the short time.

Sorting the problem out fully normally requires cutting all the rust out fully.

Don't think new wheel arches are that much too buy, but then its the cost of getting one welded in and sprayed up.


But then what do I know, I am still yet to attempt the rust on George.

Lindz

[MGTurbo]

If the inner arch is still sound, the best thing to do as a short term solution would be to linish off the affected area with a 60 grit disc on the angle grinder, back to bare metal. Then treat with jenolite and rub in using a wire brush. Do this many time's, the more you do it, the more the metal will appear cleaner. Once this has been done, find an anti rust primer that doesn't react with other paints (most zinc-based paints react unless you use an isolator) If deep pitting remains, a light coat of filler will do the trick. Then prime/base/topcoat as normal.

Gareth

[John S]

My car's going to the local sprayshop tomorrow (so much for taking things easy then!). I'm having the bootlid filled and blended in until I get a new one or a skin. I am having the drivers door sorted out (possibly being MIG welded) even though extremely small. I'll be able to take off those nasty alloy wheel lookalike wheeltrims as well.:) I know the guy at the sprayshop too (which makes things a little easier).