Fairway taxi.Welding inner wheel arches and floor.

My taxi had badly rusted inner wheel arches. Really only visible with the rear wheels off and the interior trim and seats removed from the back. I've already welded up much of the bodywork,links to more photographs etc are on this page.

 

 This was the hole in the drivers side inner wheel arch,the area just in front of the wheel where the seat bottom rests was also rotten. These holes were made just by pressing the rust bubbles with a finger.

Using a thin cutting disc in an angle grinder the rot was cut out and cuts made to get back to sound metal.Using a depressed centre disc in the angle grinder the hole edges were cleaned up. A piece of card was pressed down onto the hole to make a pattern for a plate,cut approx 1/4 inch larger all round to sit under the hole.

The metal plate was curved and some cuts made to get the sharper bends,these cuts were then welded back together when the shape was finalised when the repair plate fitted accurately in place.The raised section or flange replaces the original which had started to rust badly and enabled the plate to fit accurately and strengthen the section it is welded to. 

The plate was welded in place and the welds partially ground down.The area is concealed so it seemed pointless to spend time making an invisible repair. Some seam sealer was used to stop any water access between the new section and the original panels.The plate is thicker than the original metal it replaces would have been and the arches are now considerably stronger than they were and probably stronger than when new.Supposedly the MOT (test for fitness) on these vehicles is very strict. I have seen enough of these vehicles (even ones in service) with extensive corrosion that I believe this is a myth.