I think they're called "rails" anyway... Not sure of the true technical name. They are the part of the body that runs under the doors from one wheel-well to the other on the same side...

Anyway, mine are rusting out and bubbling up the paint from underneath. I really want to tackle fixing these and halting the rust here when the weather gets dry again. I've been toying with the idea of fixing them up with bondo and body work, then painting them with some kind of protective coating substance (truck-bed liner?) or covering them with some kind of protective film type stuff that would stick on. I'm musing aloud here. Perhaps I'm crazy.

Does anybody have some tips on fixing this problematic rust area? Where does the water work it's way in? I thought that my first cheapy paint-job would seal them up and stop the rust at least for a couple of years, but no such luck. One guy I bumped into suggested that I drill out a hole in each of them and inject a bunch of a substance called "Waxoil" to halt the rust. Any other ideas you fine folks out there have?

VV

As was stated earlier, the best solution is to cut out the old and weld in the new. Even then you have to be careful. New panels have poor primer on them and need to be treated inside and out, and then you need weld-through primer, etc., etc.

Given that the rust seems confined and that you are a poor student, here is what I would do:

--Get access to the panel from inside the car and clean out all the crap the best you can. Scrape, wash with a hose, anything you can do to clean the gunk out.

--On the outside sand the rusted areas until the rust is gone. They will be larger than your bubbling paint--sometimes a lot larger.

--Treat the inside with POR products. Look at the POR web site for details. If your holes are very large you will need to use some fiberglass to cover them. Best is to put soak it in POR then put it on the inside. (If you need to do this send me a note and I will drop some in the mail to you.)

WARNING: Wear gloves. If you get any POR on your skin it is there until your skin cells slough off.

On the outside again, cover the holes and smooth it out using a good body filler. Don't by the cheap stuff at a chain car place. You can get good fiberglass fillers at an auto paint supply store, or online through a number of vendors. The old cheap bondo absorbs water and creates more rust.

Once you have applied filler and smoothed it out you can prime and paint. Rattle can paint isn't that great, but given your situation it will hold for while.

As others have said, be sure not to plug up the drain holes!

Good luck.

The filler that you will want to use is called "Marglas" or "Kitty Hair". If the rust holes are really big (1" or bigger), use the "Kitty Hair" as it has longer strands of fiberglass in it that will make it easier to span the holes with the filler. If your looking at a panel that is just perforated with a bunch of tiny holes, use the "Marglas". Its a bit finer and will be easier to work with. Before you begin filling the holes (large or small), tap the metal around the holes in a bit so that the filler can be feathered into the solid surrounding metal. If you don't "countersink" the holes, the filler will only have a very small surface area to "grip" onto. Once you have the holes completely filled (Not even a pinhole should be left or moisture will seep in) it is OK to use regular "Bondo" type fillers for your final surfacing. Regular fillers are much easier to sand and make smooth than the fiberglass fillers. If you do a really good job of smoothing out the fiberglass filler and just have minor low spots or divots left, you might try using a 2 part polyester glazing putty instead of regular filler. Polyester glaze sands incredible easy and is generally very inexspensive.
These fillers are basically chopped up fiberglass suspended in resin. As mentioned, these fiberglass fillers don't absorb water like "bondo" type fillers do.

Provided that you treat or remove as much rust as possible, this type of repair can last quite a while. I've seen some last for many years before showing signs of trouble. The key is in killing the existing rust and using a water proof filler.

All right, we're talking about rocker panels here. If you have visible rust all along the panel you are pretty much in for replacing the whole panel. If it's just at the ends near the wheel wells, you may be able to get away with patches. If you are planning to keep the car, anti-rust paint and bondo are not going to do the trick. Problem is that if you see rust on the outside, there is bound to be a whole lot more of it on the inside. There are also strategically placed structural bits inside the rockers, and if they are rusted through, they should be repaired as well. Moisture finds its way into there in many different ways, from leaking window frames or openings in the doorposts to plain old condensation. Often a major culprit is the fact that the drain slots built into the lip that protrudes downward from the rocker panel get plugged up - sometimes, ironically, with anti-rust goop. If you pull the carpeting away on the inside, you'll see a series of access holes with plastic plugs in them. Pry them out, so you can look inside the rockers and get a better idea of what's going on. I know of people in Holland who swear by Waxoil. The name pretty well says what it is. I've yet to come across it on this side of the pond, but I'm sure the same stuff is available under a bunch of different trade names. I believe it's only effective, however, when used over sound metal with, maybe, a little surface rust. Some folks mix it with engine oil and/or diesel fuel to make it flow better into all the nooks and crannies. POR15 and ZeroRust are good rust treatment products, but when you are dealing with structural metal or sheet metal that shows, welding in new stuff is really the only way to go. There are some reasonably priced Italian-made MIG welders on the market that are perfectly suitable for amateur use, and welding can be fun once you get the hang of it. There is a web-site you might find interesting. I don't have the URL on hand at the moment, but if you Google for Huib Wassink, you'll get to it. I wish I could be more encouraging and point you to an effective, cheap solution, but there just ain't no such thing :-(
Bob S.

Hi Guys,

I've been browsing through all the commentary about rocker panels while stripping my new/old 122 Wagon. I am going to need new fender sills and rockers, but haven't been able to find/source new Inner Rocker Panels yet. I am hoping I don't have to to to Swedish companies (time, and probably cost too..) so, if there is someone out there who knows where to find them in N.A. or that they CAN'T be found here in N.A. (I am in Canada actually), then I would like to hear from you. I know they can be made, but I am not going to be doing that part of the work, so would like to have a simple fix, so I can be picky about other things, like (what else) rust-protection.

Speaking of rust-protection, my bodyshop guy is saying he would like to spray the undercarriage/inside fenders etc... with undercoating similar to that used for box-liners, and insists they are new and improved these days; meaning it won't chip or peel-off. Is he correct??? What about that POR 15 stuff, once it is on, it sounds like it WON'T come-off, but should that be used selectively (assuming metal-prep is possible) so that if and when bolts etc need to come off, or panels need to be removed the POR 15 doesn't make that impossible?? For that matter, the undercoating (if it really works) would have the same drawback, wouldn't it...? I have spare time right now, and could do a lot of that work on individual peices.

AND, finally, I am thinking that the original vinyl should go - are there any pre-made ...um... seat-covers (?)for the old Volvo's? Bodyshop Paul says there may be something out there as an alternative to having it all re-done from scratch.

THANKS!!!

Jim (Calgary)

Thanks Sil,

My "rockers" are such that there are little portions of bubbling on both ends near the wheel-wells. I'll have to pull up the carpeting, pull out those access plugs and take a look if I can at what I'm dealing with inside. My temptation is to try to patch it up with either bondo or metal bits for the time being. I'm just a poor student right now, so I'll have to wait until I'm rich for a full strip-down and ground-up restoration.

How difficult is it by the way to buy and have brand new rockers welding in? Expensive?

VV

They are available, but they are expensive and, if you have to have the work done, you are really talking big bucks.Therefore, considering your current situation, I whole-heartedly endorse "Chakra" 's recommendation. That way you can keep the car from totally falling apart on you before you graduate. Meanwhile, consider this: if you plan to do the work yourself, major in English. You will never be able to afford having the work done, but you will be able to read instructions and learn everything you need to do this job (and a whole lot of others) yourself. Become a doctor or a lawyer, and you'll be able to have a total, up-from-bare-metal-restoration done by someone else. You wouldn't have as much fun, though ;-)
Bob S.

Ahhh, true enough. Here's the dilemma that I've thought over before however. If I became a doctor, would I get a porsche 911 (or older!) for $25K, or would I acquire 15-odd volvo classics projects for my yard...(for aprox. the same price) ;-)

VV

Now that's funny (and true)!

Maybe they are "sills"....

There are some round plastic plugs inside the car between the floor and
the bottom of the door opening that open into this area so you don't have
to drill holes to get in there. I would not bondo. I'd form some metal
to fit and replace the rusted-out portions. Then paint or undercoat the
inside.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!