It looks like I might have to do the body work around my windshield myself. Has anyone seen a good website that would help an amateur to do some of this work. In my case it is the windshield surround that is the problem so I would have to shape the metal to the requirement of the windshield and then get it welded into place. I have seen a couple of sites that are advertising a CD that seems to be useful but if anyone has bought one of these items and is happy with it I would like to hear from them.

This is from a fellow over on Turbo Bricks,this may or may not be what you are looking for, but it is very informative.

http://www.turbobricks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198069


Good Luck

Thank you dark. I have been reading through it for the last couple of days whenever I get the computer up and running. Quite an impressive bit of work and very well documented as well.

I have now seen a website that details a windshield repair done using the POR15 floor pan and trunk restoration kit.

http://por15canada.com/por15-store/complete-restoration-kits/por15-floor-pan-and-trunk-restoration-kit.html

Anybody had experience with this? Would be nice to not have to weld. Then I could leave the headliner in place. Kit is about two hundred dollars however.

Hi muskox37,

FYI.

POR 15
It's like a paint. It's thick when you give a first coat, it becomes very watery as it dries and then it gets hard within half day. When it's harden, you will get smooth surface so you don'y need to worry about brush marks. It will drip if you put too much. The fume is toxic so you want to work in open space. If that stuff gets onto you, it takes about 3-5 days to get it off. Also, I recommend you to wear a dust mask and protect your eye especially on windy day.


POR 15 putty
It's like working with clay. The hardest part is mixing, you need to mix well and do it when it's warm outside. I had no choice but to mix it when it was cold. It took really looooong time to harden.


POR 15 power mesh
I am going to use it this weekend. I will let you know how it goes.


I can't say much without looking at your rust spots. If you choose to use POR15 instead of welding... I would reinforce the underside roof with some sort of metal bar/sheet so that it forms strong with POR 15 putty. Maybe that metal bar idea is not a good if you ever get into a frontal crash. Something to think about. I think you still need to remove the headliner if you want to do it right. You can go search "redwood tree or redwood chair" guy at TB. He wrote very nice write up regarding welding the pinch weld area. I couldn't find it... Good luck.


I found so much rust spots like this on the pinch weld area.


Welding around the wiring harness... Not easy but I would wrap the wire with a welding blanket if I have to do it again so that I can weld longer and bigger.


Spot welded a metal sheet, used POR15 putty all around + painted POR15.


Welding is not too bad of job... I just don't like the sound of MIG weld machine, it's like butchering a pig.


This is what POR15 paint looks like when it's dry. That 2" long black gummy worm is butyl tape not POR15.

hi Swedish,

Thanks for the picture references and commentary. Much appreciated.

I will be interested in how the matting works out for you. I was hoping that someone who had used this product in the past would make a comment. It is its durability that is of some concern. The website for the product is full of testimonials but I would still like to hear from someone who did a repair, preferably a windshield repair, ten years ago without welding and that the repair is still holding.

I had some bodywork done on my 242 about eight years ago now by a professional body shop and the rust is coming back around the join between the door opening and the rocker panel [just aft of the door in a 2 door car]. I know that rust is difficult to control and I don't blame the shop [part of the repair is still holding] but I do want the repair to hold for at least eight to ten years.

Regardless, I value your input.

Hi muskox37,

You're welcome. I am too new at this to tell you if it will hold over a long period time but it seems like it's doing its job.

I will try to document the work I am planning to do this weekend. I am going to patch some holes with putty and some with power mesh fabric.

BTW, I do a power wash the inside of rocker panels every Spring and Fall. It looks like I am going to pull my carpets every Spring to inspect any rust.

I will post a new thread regarding my work within few days.

. . . and your car is a 240. Right? My main job will be with my 940 for the windshield but my 240 has a number of rust issues as well so the kit won't go to waste. . . and then there is my Citroen. . . despite being great cars they attract rust. . . and they are not as armoured against it as the Volvos.

When you say you power wash the inside of the rocker panels, are you getting in from the top or are you going up through the vent holes in the rockers? I dare say my rocker panels could use a flush like that as well. It has these black plastic covers but I have never removed them in the twenty odd years I have owned this car. I am planning to give over the next week to that car to change oil, etc. It is a 1982 GLT with a B23 engine and slightly overbored engine I have been led to understand. Been a good reliable set of wheels for us.

Hi muskox37,


My apology, I didn't know you have 940.



From the top/side and rocker guard holes. I bought a garden hose nozzle from HFT, it has different settings, I am using "Jet" setting. I do clean vacuum before power wash. Can I call this power wash? My apology for wrong usage of term...

http://www.harborfreight.com/six-pattern-trigger-spray-nozzle-92398.html



As you see POR15 treatment on my rocker panels, I have yet to paint them because I myself do have doubts about POR15. So far, I am very happy with the results. I suggest do a test on rusted surface before you work on your 940, 240 and Citroen.

Canada? You live too far from me to give you some samples...

Never done a windshield repair with POR-15. Some years ago I repaired a rocker panel on my 90 240DL with POR-15. It was still holding up many years later when I sold the car. If you are considering using it on your windshield, I'd recommend reinforcing it somehow unless the hole (holes?) is/are small.

Thanks jwalker. The kit I am planning to buy does include some matting material that is used to strengthen weakened metal areas. Although the link I am showing below is for a Pontiac the same principles should apply I would think. He did the entire repair with POR 15 and no welding. This is the course of action I would plan to follow. My windshield surround is nowhere near as damaged as this one.

http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/tech/0306pon_windshield_channel_repair/

http://www.turbobricks.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3906464


BYW, I meant to say tack weld not spot weld.

If I remember right our local body shop replaced the windshield in my 'new' ( '95) Chevy delivery van and fixed the rotted spots for something just north of $600.

Greg

That is a reasonable price. I am hearing over a thousand for mine but I should talk to the body man again and see what he would charge just for the rotted out spots [after the windshield and headliner had been removed].

I saw a website that looked promising but the CD being advertised is about seventy dollars and I am not sure if it would be useful for my purposes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGElSHzm0q8

I wondered if anybody had seen anything better with step by step pictures and instructions.

It would be much easier to cut out an entire surround at a junk yard and cut patches as you need them.

Working the shapes that you need would require advanced metal fabrication, not body work.

The body work would come after the welding.

I would cut the roof about 6" back from the wind shield, then remove the cowl and see where you can cut the bottom.

Save any blades you break, in case you need some short blades.

The junk yard may offer cutting for a modest price, especially cutting the roof.

If the windshield is not broken in the process, it may be useful as practice.