Bought this pickup locally last night, owned a Skoda badged one a few years back. This one needs a decent amount of welding, but I'm not sure if this is beyond my skill level. I do have a decent amount of MIG experience although my only car bodywork experience is fitting a few patches to a friends XR2i, which I did with my ARC welder and got it through an MOT.

 

Went to it tonight with a wire brush and toffee hammer to see how much rot is there, not awful but not great.

 

I feel confident I can undertake this work, but am I punching above my weight? You know, seeing as I've never really made any complicated body parts, just a few small patches. I know I probably need a MIG, but I don't own or have access to one. I could probably use my ARC welder again right? I've used it a lot in the past so I know my way around it.

 

Was thinking of stripping the sills off, totally rebuilding the whole lot using a hatchback sill as they are still available on ebay and fit with some fettling. But I might just patch them up, what you think?

 

Also a new front passenger wing is needed, I think once its off the inner wing is also going to need some work.

 

I might have to sell this on to someone with more experience than I, but don't really want to.

 

I tried to upload pics directly, but didn't work but please click link to check out the rot. Loads of detailed pics.

 

http://s1298.photobucket.com/user/swede_days/slideshow/

Edited 4 March, 201511 yr by goodchoice

Anyone with a MIG in bristol? I have workshop space

 

Happy to pay someone to do the welding, I can do all of the prep work, might need help with making the new repair patches/panels.

 

Will pay or can fix your motorbike for you, got all the tools to do USD fork seals. Got blind bearing pullers for single cylinder motor rebuilds amongst other oddities.

I would say buy yourself a baby mig, a sheet one 1mm steel and start rescuing another one of these fantastic pickups.

it can all be done learn as you go I did it is hard at times   . one bit of advice cut the rot out then cut at least 50 mm more to get to the best metal you can find you can not weld rust and will just blow holes in thin metal.save this truck and turn heads wherever you go lots of people on here will help you clive

Having had a real good look over the truck again, I feel pretty confident I could make a decent job of it. Going to cut back at the sills some more and see whether to replace or patch up. Keeping an eye out for a used MIG welder, but in the mean time, I'm going to cut out all the bad metal and fabricate the necessary patches.

 

Struggling to get it to select reverse at the moment, the gear stick feels very vague when selecting, hope a selector shaft rebuild will cure this.

Edited 5 March, 201511 yr by goodchoice

hi when i have time i am going to put a thread on DIY gear lever overall at no cost give me a day or 2 clive

Got this a few days ago locally, needs a new passenger wing, headlight/indicator, some new wheels would be nice too. Anyone got any of these parts?

 

Edited 31 March, 201511 yr by goodchoice

Pattern wings are cheap on ebay and not a bad fit.

Already check ebay, but looking into other options, just seeing if my lucks in and find with a coloured matched one. Thanks though.

Well if your only in bristol and learn how to weld the sills I might be paying you to fix mine

I'm definitely going to attempt it and feel pretty confident about it all. Just raising funds to get all the parts I need for the rebuild and will be on course to try it out at end of month.

Edited 1 April, 201511 yr by goodchoice

I've got some new wings for the car. I just need a headlight now but I think I've got that sorted too.

Would be very interested if you manage to do this/find someone. We are in bristol and have the fun pickup too although it's currently SORN after an MOT failure that would cost too much to do in one go. Ours also needs a fair amount of welding so please do update if you get it done

Ok, I will let you know how it goes and I can show you my truck when it is finished. I seen a fun in central bristol a few weeks ago, had the original 13" fun wheels. I wonder if that one was yours? Not seen another around and spotted it in same place a few times.

Edited 10 April, 201511 yr by goodchoice

..............

Edited 16 April, 201511 yr by goodchoice