Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

smithie · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 16:59 Post subject: rust,bodywork touch up..

hi guys
been going right through the Deli of late,servicing,rust proofing etc and have really been impressed with how rust free mine is,now I'm gutted as I've found abit Shocked

.
its in a weird place to,well i think so anyway.
mine has a light bar on top of the roof just behind the sun roof over the cab,anyway i took it off as i was mucking around with the wiring to the lights and thats when i saw,found the offending blow!!!
its not very big(fifty pence sort of size max) and its at the blister sort of stage,but as we all know rust creeps and is always more then you first see so i want to nip this in the bud as soon as so i can sleep easy again at night and dream of my rust free Deli!!!.
i was going to get my trusty dremal out and carefully sand down the offending area to bare metal,then after that....i don't know what to do??? never done body work stuff so anyone with knowledge,tips,what to use and how to use so i can sort this problem out and get a good repair/finish i would be very grateful(luckly its not a high visable area,but I'm fussy and would like it to be as new as i can possibly make it) any guidance anyone???
all the best
smithie :D
p.s still wondering why its started to rust alittle there..weird!!

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Mystery Machine · Joined: 16 Mar 2004 Posts: 1837 Location: Bristol

Hi Smithie,

Not able to help you much with dealing with the rust (no experience of doing this job yet), but can give you a bit of an insight.

High roof Delica's (which I am assuming your is) suffer from rust on the roof. Both my high roof L300's have it (original Mud Monkey and the Mystery Machine)

It is actually caused from the INSIDE! Where the roof crossmembers are bonded to the roof skin, rust starts to form. Not too sure why....but it is common. One theory is the type of bonding used and another is condensation build up.

I haven't even thought about doing mine yet and it is in quite a few places on both roof's. I'll get around to it one day, but the Mystery Machine has been like it for 5+ years! It hasn't got much worse over this time so I've kinda ignored it for now, but will need to tackle it at some point.

I would certainly dremel out all the rust as far back as possible to clean fresh metal then treat it with rust treatment, fill it with body filler, rub back smooth/flush with the surrounding metalwork and paint over with LOTS of paint/laquer.

It's one job I might hand over to a bodywork specialist and get them to re-do the whole roof. I've got too many other things going on to think about this right now, but will certainly get to it one day.

Let us know how you get on - photos/info always handy for us high roof owners that haven't done it yet.... Wink

_________________
'93 L300 Mystery Machine (Now in the hands of a new owner)
'94 L300 Mud Monkey (Post Apolcalyptic Edition Twisted Evil

)

Mystery Machine · Joined: 16 Mar 2004 Posts: 1837 Location: Bristol

Here are some photos of the roof of my two - first two photos are of the Mystery Machine, 2nd two are the Mud Monkey

I know it doesn't help you, but hopefully makes you feel that you're not alone with this issue.... Wink

_________________
'93 L300 Mystery Machine (Now in the hands of a new owner)
'94 L300 Mud Monkey (Post Apolcalyptic Edition Twisted Evil

)

dave2400 · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 18:23 Post subject: re rusty body work

hi smithie you have two deferant problems first the rust is not on the serfice rust goes from the inside out so if you use your trusty dremal to take it back to good clean mettal you will finish up with a bleeping hole in your roof for shore 2nd you say it isa L300 so the chance of getting a good match to your paint will be nill.....i spent a while in a body shop in the 80s for a brake from trucking as her in doors sead she was fedup with me being away so mutch Rolling Eyes

dave

Boozy nights · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 19:27 Post subject:

Smithie,

If you feel it really is a problem try to get hold of some Car Plan Rust Control. I've been using it for yonks on various rust buckets i've had and it works a treat (so much so I bought 12 small tubs of it - long story). Just brush it on then after 20 mins rinse it off, i'ts also got Hydrochloric acid in it so wear gloves! Then as it's on the roof just paint a bit of waxoil on it, no one will see it and it will keep the weather out.

If you can't find any rust stuff i'll whack one in the post for you FOC.
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smithie · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 20:54 Post subject:

hi guys
call me selfish but it does make me feel better knowing its a common problem and I'm not alone :o .
and thanks for the help and insight.....of course its got me even more depressed now that i know that its caused by eating inside out Sad

so hi-roof Deli are really soft-tops :D . always wanted a convertable!
seems to me the only real cure to stop this is going to tackle from the inside out(thank god i have some spare dinitrol left over to rust proof).
so i surpose it will be a mother of a job striping all the headlining out etc to get in there and treating so it stops the rust continuing,once I've done that i can sort the roof outside out and be happy in the knowledge that it should be sorted...does that sound like a good plan?
I'm really curious to why that should happen,bonding,condensation as you say bruce,what about the sun roof, cyrstallites? could small amounts of water leak in from these areas? might have to get my sherlock holmes outfit and magnifying glass out and investigate further!
and there was me not wanting to drill in the roof and run spotlight cables Smile

,if i wait long enough it sounds like ill be spoilt for choice!
all the best
smithie

smithie · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 20:57 Post subject:

oh i forgot
thanks for your kind offer boozy nights,ill keep that in mind if i get stuck,many thanks once again
smithie

strangerover · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 22:38 Post subject:

i am getting my rust spot fixed soon...

had a quote of £250..

thats to cut out the rust from the inside and then weld in new metal and only have a thin skim of filler....

then spray up to suit.....

its not a small job.... had a "cheap" job done 2 years ago.... lasted untill this January.... now the bubble is starting again...
_________________
Regards
Mark

Lawe · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 23:06 Post subject:

dave2400 · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 23:33 Post subject: rusty body

strangerover · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 23:58 Post subject:

Lawe · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 0:17 Post subject:

Agree with that and for £250, not a bad price.

smithie · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:15 Post subject:

i realise the only real solution is cut it out and have new metal put in,but i Can't afford that at the moment,so if i can slow it down for abit ill be happy,give me time to try and find a expert that will actully do a decent job around these parts.
but the real problem is why its doing it in the first place,thats what needs to be found out and stopped otherwise there isn't much point getting that proper repair done is it?
i look at all that headlining,switches,lights etc and weep..it doesn't look like a five minute job Rolling Eyes

all the best
smithie

strangerover · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 15:32 Post subject:

The problem stems from condensation in the closed box section around the roof support bars....

Quite a lot of cars suffer this in one way or another....

I think its down to manufacturers cutting costs with very little internal rust protection or even paint !!!

A quick fix.....

leave it .... it does not get that bad that quick and the end cost of fixing it right will not change much...

if you have a 50p size ruct bubble on the outside then a piece the size of a £20 note will probably need cutting out...

in fact a cheap DIY bodge ma make the final repair even more expensive....

I'd say leave it alone or fix it right.... anything else just costs you more money...
_________________
Regards
Mark

smithie · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 16:23 Post subject:

hi strangerover
you make A lot of sense there + I'm not really in the mood for striping all that trim out justyet,could be a time to do it when the pc,dvd stuff goes in!
ill have to see how many sleepless nights i have over it :D i can swear i can hear that tin worm from my bedroom!
all the best
smithie

dave2400 · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 16:31 Post subject: re rusty body

you are right mark the only way is to cut and patch the condensation is only part of the problem the sheet of mettal only has to stand arond in stores for a bit befor used ore in damp conditions for the dreded rust bug to get a hold ore the panel to stand around ore finished car .. i used to subby for a large ferm delivering parts to ford from the midlands to dagingham baselden enfield heailwood and the transet factory at southampton the amount of panels i sore stact up out side and finished cars parked up with doors missing and no protection for the inside was criminal oddvisley i don't know if the same happens in jap land but you never know Rolling Eyes

dave

Mike Salt · Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 50 Location: Manchester

I've got 2 rust spots above the windscreen, a mechanic told me to rub some vaseline on and leave it.
Do you think he meant rub it on the van Wink

strangerover · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 20:55 Post subject:

the problem with these spots above the windscreen is that unlike "normal" rust spots they come from the inside and as such nothing you do on the outside will have much effect. You need to approach it from the inside first, so Vaseline will not do A lot.... on a rust spot vaseline would seal the metal away from Oxygen and so help slow down the rust.....
_________________
Regards
Mark

Mike Salt · Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 50 Location: Manchester

Is there any way I could get to them without removing the roof lining ?
Are these rust spots something I should be worried about, needing urgent attention ?
Mike

strangerover · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 22:09 Post subject:

the only way to get at them properly is to strip out the front roof lining and sunroof motor...

even then you can not see a lot as its still behind a blind box section (or at least mine is)

yes it will over time get worse, but the repair cost doing it now or in a year will be about the same....

so long as its not a hole I'd leave it alone.... don't touch it...
_________________
Regards
Mark