Forums Forums Enthusiast Forums A - Z Autowirral I appear to have a bit of rust

Every year I like to get the grinder and mig welder out and cut back a few panels. I have owned a few Vauxhalls, and anyone with a Vauxhall knows the rear arches 'go' with a passion.
If we look at any Vauxhall arch, you will see that between the outer and inner skin at the arch, where the two skins join together ... well, supposed to join together. I've yet to see one that actually has a join and not a 1mm gap. This then fills with mud and stuff, and then gradually fills with salt and other corrosive materials off the road. They also did something of sheer genius. Those cars equipped with a sunroof, they are not waterproof, they leak, but they're designed that way. The rain drips in, and collects in a panel. It is they ran down a pipe. The pipe then runs to the back of the car, and empties itself ... you guessed it, into the rear arch. And there's only one way to go from there. It's orange, it loves bare metal, it's rust!

Since I've had the GSi, I've had a small bit of bubbling on the arch. This didn't bother me, as my black Astra, had terrible bubbling, and it wasn't that bad when I investigated.
I set to work with a steel wool tool on a drill, and ...







The only part of the arch that survived was the back part. There is also excessive rust on the inside, and the whole thing will have to be angle grinded out and replaced. Basically, it got to a stage where you tap it with a hammer and -chunks- of brown and orange metal fell out. There is also some around the petrol filler. Basically, if you've got an Astra, you will at some point get this.


More horrifying pics on their way!!

ps. I've outlined it in case you can't see it.

Is that all the rust out now or is there some stillin there?make sure u lead load the new arch u fit to prevent rust for longer.

What is the black rubber "door" behind the bumper.
I noticed shrek has one too

No, I need to get my little angle grinder on it. Basically, go around an inch outside the line I drew. Unfortunately, next door has a new kid, and I can only do it when he's out (they're bloody loud things).
There's a company that sell whole arches for about 12 quid, so it's not going to cost much. I just find it despicable that someone with no knowledge of fixing it has just slapped loads of filler on and it's just got worse, hidden behind the filler.
It'll be covered in lead and about an inch of waxoyl. Not doing this again and again!

I don't know what that black thing is for to be honest. It's some sort of vent. Or maybe it's to let water in? I just welded a piece of metal over it on the black one.

Cut back the paint on the other side, and it was nowhere near as bad as the other side. phew! Still a whopping great big hole that I pushed through with my finger.
note to self, never buy another ungalvanized car again.

stationmeik fancy doing my arches

Thats a lot of rot

Good to see its getting sorted and your not just leaving it to get worse Much respect for doing it yourself too

metal worm is a common thing on us older cars. rewardin when sorted tho. gud luk m8y.

Does anyone know where I can get bits of metal from. I only need a few strips, nothing excessive. I don't need a new arch, having looked it's not as bad as it looks. Basically, I've removed all the surface rust, which most of it was, and all the incurable parts have been cut out.
All the parts that commonly go are still fine, which surprised me, even the inside of the sills are like new. phew!

I'll have to decline the offer Daz, I've put it off for a whole year, it's something I totally do not like doing at all!!!

Oh, I need a MIG Welder if anyone knows where to hire them cheap!

any idea what the costa re for fixing rear archs. thne again might sell it.

Put a picture up. The thing with arches, you've either got clean ones, or they're totally rusted, there's no in between.
I think about 200 quid for both, depends were you go. I'm going to fix one, get the other side done professionally, and then spray them myself.

Heh, no rust on my arches lucky me

Shrek was bubblin on 1 side and had a thumb sized bit of rust on the other side. I was quoted 200 for the pair to be proffesh fixed,shame it died a few days later lol

It has to be sorted as soon as it appears, and it all has to be cut out. Some people like to cut a little bit out and then either weld a new panel over the old one (so the rust continues to spread), or cut a bit away and fill the whole lot with P38 filler. I did this about five years ago and it lasted 1 month!!

I've cut the whole stinking lot out with the angle grinder, forgot to use ear protection though, totally deaf now!! Also cut straight through my finger. And I ground back all the tiny bits of advanced stone chip rust, and waxoyled them. Anyway, have ordered two new arches.
So tempted to get some wide arches and weld those in...

my rear arches are totally gone, so will need cutting out and replacing. was just thinking about flared arches, but who sells them i have seen them but cant find them now??

Why is it the vauxhalls seem to go so rusty?

Is the paint thinner or something, i used to own an 18 year old VW which had no rust on at all, but my GF's Astra is rusting like no-ones business and it is years newer