TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Jan 08, 2003 6:41 pm

How hard of a repair is rust around the side windows and underneath windshield? Are there repair panels I can buy to fix this? I found a 13 window deluxe for sale, and am trying to figure out if it is too rusty to mess with. Most rust is around windows and rockers.

Thanks

Wed Jan 08, 2003 6:49 pm

for your side window repairs you can find some crappy doors which are rusted out on the bottom for next to free or free then you can cut out the top of the window frame which is always perfect then flip it over to use for your lower lips. windshield are will be a bit tougher to deal with, i would perfer to build the area myself but im sure some O.G. material can be found with little effort.

jeff

Wed Jan 08, 2003 7:20 pm

Check out this site below. Click on parts and you will see windsheild repair sections. I don't know how well they fit though.

www.metwiz.com

Mike

Thu Jan 09, 2003 7:43 pm

Ninja...I just replaced the lower section of my passenger side windshield, which was more or less completely gone, with huge 3-4 inch holes up around the corners...I spent weeks and weeks trying to figure out how I was gonna do it, looking for quality repros, donor pieces, etc. The going price for used lower sections seemed to be in the $75 range.

I ended up making and sectioning in my own, and it turned out much better than I would have expected...you honestly can't really tell that I replaced it.

(1)First I carefully cut all the way across the inner tangent line of the outer bend of the Z section, using an air tool called a 'pizza' cutter, and cleaned up the lower area.

(2)Then I bent up an L section to match the dimensions of stock, and notched it so that I could bend it up to match the corners (and fill in the V notches when I welded it in). By only using an L, I was able to match the tight radius on the inner seal flange (with a press brake) where it would've been much hard to match the larger outer radius, and much harder to form the corners had it been a Z. I made up one for each side of the window, and had the two pieces meet in the middle of the lower frame with a slight gap in order to weld to the interior angle of the upper nose area.

(3)Next I clamped them in and formed them so they matched with everything. I had previously drilled a bunch of holes and notches of which to weld through. The key here is to take your time and really get things smooth and lined up. Any waviness or mismatch in material thickness will possibly cause the seal to have a small gap in it and thus leak.

(4)Finally I welded all the way across the front on the radius, and everywhere I thought was required. Then ground down the welds to match the factory stamping.

It was a lot of work, but actually came out really nice. Another hint is to only do one at a time so that you can compare the stampings while you do your finish work.

Hope this helps...Benfalia

Fri Jan 10, 2003 2:01 pm

I am contemplating tackling this job myself or possibly patching it together. Mine is going to be a resto-custom and driven regulary. With little exception, mine lower windshield areas are bumpy, rusty and have a few small spots missing. I think with new rubber, most if not all problem areas will be concealed. My question...what if I blast to clean metal, metal etch the area in question and fill pits/small voids with epoxy putty or non-plastic filler like waterproof All-Metal prior to spraying with valspar VP-50 epoxy sealer/primer. Do you think this keep rust at bay and from bubbling up paint down the road? I know it is structurely still very strong...just not pretty.

Thanks for input.
Doug

Fri Jan 10, 2003 2:52 pm

Doug...

If you don't decide to cut out all of the rotten areas completely, I would suggest that you at least have them media blasted, which should remove any more obscure rotten areas...or clean it down to bare metal with a braided wire wheel which will tear out the rotten stuff as well. I did actually use a little bit of 'All-Metal' on my drivers side to fill some pitting and very small pin holes. I will be watching it very closely though, and be putting POR-15 on the underside as well as the inner bend line where the water would pool up.

The thing you really have to be concerned about is that if there is any way any water can get through this surface, it's going straight down to the majority of your electrical system. A buddy of mine keeps putting silicon in there and everything else, but it keeps leaking and he has fried (5) stereos in the past two years...no lie.

My bus will be the same as yours - driven on a regular basis, long trips, etc. Plus, I am putting safari windows in it, so am being as careful as I can in this area. I don't have to tell you that this lower surface is the perfect definition of a water trap...