Time for TLC

[Gannet]

The ravages of a salty winter here in Devon are taking their toll and look to be eating my Bongo from the inside. Its time to bite the bullet and put her in for a bit of TLC.

To say I'm nervous is an understatement! I need to get rust addressed on front offside wing and wheel arches sorted. Is this the slippery slope? I've found a good local bodyshop but this is his first Bongo. I'm worried that once he gets going it might be difficult to find rust free metal.

I've devoured all the threads on the forum but see that there is a conflicting view on using SWB or LWB Transit arches. Which are the best? Is this easy/cheaper than getting him to fabricate new? Is it normal that the offside arches rust out quicker than th near side? I have a large blister on offside but only two pin pricks on nearside. I am thinking that it will be a false economy to do one at once (assuming I dont fit Transit arches). Initial quote is near 1000 for full job!

To reduce price I did say I could remove internal trim and rear bumper but need time to do this properly. Anyone got any easy instructions for these jobs?

Appreciate any views/help

[haydn callow]

The nearside of a vehicle normally rusts before the offside as it spends more time towards the gutter side of the road wher all the water/salt/mud collects.

I got some Bongo wheelarches cut from a rustfree Bongo that was being broken....

Check the chassie for rust before you start spending on the body.

Do you have 2 x Starter battries under the bonnet and a switch inside with a engine symbol on it.???

If so ...your Bongo is from the cold/wet nortrh of Japan and they do tend to rust much quicker than those from the Hot South.

[321Away]

The sizes of the blisters are very misleading as the rear arches rust from the inside out, so if you have bubbles showing through its going to get worse, I've dissected several bongo arches and can only think that the problem is caused by internal condensation from panel skin proximity, around the lip of the arch is a type of bonding tape which seems to hold the water/condensation in place, allowing it to attack the arch, cutting out the arch is the only real solution and make sure that the bodyshop waxoyl/underseal inside the new panels to fill these vulnerable areas to prevent it happening again.
The quote seems approximately right if it includes all paint and welding work.

Julian

[haydn callow]

To reduce price I did say I could remove internal trim and rear bumper but need time to do this properly. Anyone got any easy instructions for these jobs

I did exactly this when I got my 1st Bongo done......allow about 4 hours if you havent done it before......Bumper is a easy 4 bolt (if I remember right) job and the interior is just a case of working out how to remove the panels from the inside....(careful levering)...unplug wireing etc....Strightforward