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Thread: Rust repair in the West Midlands

  1. #1
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    Rust repair in the West Midlands

    I picked up my first s14 around 2 weeks ago now - Absolutely in love with it. I've managed to fix every problem I've found with the car on my driveway but I draw the line at welding - I'd rather have it done properly.

    I've just taken it down to a local restoration garage and the guy serving me was brilliant but vague as can be - I get the idea he was quoting me around 10k for sills, arches & some engine bay cleanup.
    From what I've heard from friends, I should be expecting to pay nowhere near that for what I need to do to pass an MOT - We have had it over a pit and gone over it with a fine-tooth screwdriver trying to poke holes - Apparently, for a Silvia, it's "pretty damn good" and doesn't need much work done as we thought.
    Have you guys got any recommendations for places I can take it in within the West Midlands that won't try and get my trousers down and won't take forever?

    Thanks for the help in advance

  2. #2
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    Repairs that pass an MOT and repairs that last are 2 very different things. Unfortunately, poking something with a screwdriver and it not going through doesn't guarantee that it's good metal that can be welded to. The resto place was giving you a worst case scenario price with everything done properly I would bet.
    Say there is 2 weeks (10 days) worth of labour to fix the rust at £300 a day, that's £3k just in man hours. Then you can add metal, welding consumables and rust preventative measures. If you want it painted, add probably the same amount of labour again and add filler, primer, paint and clearcoat as well as consumables.
    If this process is done properly then you can pretty much guarantee that it'll be solid for another 20 years. MOT style repairs will probably last a few years before needing to be done again!
    Speaking from experience as I've been doing a 2004 Jag XKR that came it for new arches and a full respray! The rust repairs just spiralled into replacing floor sections, rear subframe drop, underseal hiding bad repairs and lots of snapped bolts.
    A good place won't under-quote a job then keep adding to it as time goes on until its double the original quote, they will give you worst case pricing as they don't want to start it, find loads more issues then have a dead car taking up space in their workshop because the client can't afford the new bill.

    Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Member alanjuggler's Avatar
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    as per Mike.

    my golden rule of rust repair, it's always at least 3 times worse than you expect.

    just cutting and plating can be cheap, if you're just after getting an MOT, pick up a welder and a hobbyweld bottle of gas.

    if the guy is offering to drill spot welds, replace entire panels, rather than do patchwork quilt welds and repair it properly, £10k isn't bad at all, turned around with no hassle.
    white '94 s13 200sx scrapped - mapped to 1.45bar. OS giken box, garrett GT2876R, 950cc injectors, ORC twin plate, nistune. 349bhp/325lbft @ 1.3bar CA18DET
    white '96 s13 180sx - type g with more kouki bits - RB25DET, GTR steel twin turbo conversion, RB26 crank & rods. 2.6L VVT twin turbo, SR20 OSG box, OSG STR twin plate clutch, Z32 ECU w/ nistune.

    current status: 180 a bit broken but to be repaired.

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    It also doesn't matter what you can poke with a screwdriver, you've no idea what's behind it. Don't listen to your friends, unless they're also car restoration workers themselves.

    There's no way to say if the number is excessive or not as none of us are experts and none of us have seen your car. But Mike has IMO nailed it.

  5. #5
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    try a place called 'Sumpscuffers' who are up in derby. they are well versed in welding up old S-chassis.

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