Rust doesn't get better under paint. It comes out, back to clean steel, and new metal goes in.
Repair or replace
- Cut out and let in. Rot in one patch is cut out and new steel welded in. The rest of the panel stays.
- A new panel. Where the rot has spread or the panel is thin all over, a new one goes on.
We'll show you what we find and which we'd do before any work starts.
Where rust hides
Sills, arches, door bottoms, floor pans and anywhere water sits behind trim. On campers, the front panel, cab floor and window seams too. On Land Rovers, the steel bulkhead and chassis rust while the alloy panels look fine.
Protecting the repair
New metal is primed and seam sealed, and box sections get cavity wax after paint, or the rust comes back from inside.
Before you buy a project
Send us photos of the sills, arches and floor before you buy. It's easier to price the rust before it's yours.
Questions people ask
Can rust be painted over?
No. Rust carries on under the paint and comes back through it. It has to be cut back to clean steel and new metal let in, or the panel replaced.
Should a rusty panel be repaired or replaced?
If the rot is in one patch, it can be cut out and a new piece welded in. If it has spread or the panel is thin all over, a new panel is the job that lasts.
Where do classic cars rust?
Sills, wheel arches, door bottoms, floor pans, boot floors and anywhere water sits behind trim. Campers add the front panel, cab floor and window seams, and Land Rovers the steel bulkhead and chassis.
