Today I went to my coupe to sort out some little bits of rust, which turned into holes and a lot of rust very quickly, I really don't know if she is saveable everything in the rear quarter panels just turned to dust when i tapped the metal with a screwdriver, both B pillars are rotten through, both rear arches have rusted through, the front drivers footwell is all rotten and holes under the seat mounts on the passenger side, i just don't think ill be able to save it, oh and the front suspension turrets are looking a bit rusty too. subframes are gone, pretty much everything apart from the rear stone disk cover thingys have got some degree of rust it feels like


I guess I've got two options, I sell parts from it, sell the LE seats, LE door cards and LE door handles and buy a different coupe depending on how much i get from parts and the LE stuff i have, or do i carry on finding all these holes and weld them up etc

Oh dear, that's sad.

There are better skilled people out there to advise you.

However, you did say that it was to be a long term project and that you were going to learn skills.

As well as your dad and uncle. Talk to as many folk on the website as possible.

Best wishes

Paul

No doubt my uncle will say "nothing a bit of welding cant fix" as he spends most of his time at work welding their vans back together apparently lol.

My dad will probably be more to the get rid of the car side, he used to have a Tipo Sedici, or how he calls it the not pretty Coupe, when i was a baby and he said it was a never ending battle against the rust especially in the rear arches

I've got my MiTo in to see Barry at FAST on Monday so i can ask him about it too

Realities of an old car I'm afraid. I fear you may find another example and it has just as much rust, but perhaps hidden under waxoil.

Ultimately I think it depends what you want out of the car. If it's a project for learning then keep pushing at a pace that suits your time and pocket. Ultimately it won't be worth any less in a year's time. If you want a running driving car to modify then possibly 5K, plus a slush fund to keep on top of jobs

That is quite true, the 20v looked alright underneath but i took off some of the underseal and it was rotten.

I guess the hard bit would be finding Coupes with the bits of metal I need, I already have the lower half of the passenger side B pillar from the 20v donor, however I don't have a floor that's any good in either of my donor cars and I don't have good arches on any of the donors etc so will need to find/fabricate these parts, I'm guessing ill just need various thicknesses of mild steel to make up floors, inside rear quartepanels etc?

It's all do able and a great learning curve. I'm 58 and I tell every person working for or with me that "every day is a school day" I'm sure your uncle would love to pass on his skills to the next generation

There's no avoiding that many parts will need fabricating, but get yourself some 1.2mm mild steel sheet and some lumps of wood, metal, old junk that you can shape the steel over and you'll be there in no time.

You may find the MK1 Bravo still has panels available. They won't be direct fit but if for example you need the corrugated section of the floor it might close enough to take a cut and create a repair section

Yeah, I'll get some stuff and get to work once my exams are done.

And I don't think I've seen a MK1 Bravo since my mam had one when I was a baby lol, I'll have a look about on the Internet at coupes and similar cars that are being broken for bits.

Not sure you'll find one in a breakers yard, but you can still buy some panels. There were loads of them on the road late 90s early 2000s. There was also the Brava and Marea that were very similar, but a different rear body style.

Hello Jamjam

I've just picked my two sons up from school and told them about your dilemma.

They both said that you should try and stick with it, because blue coupes don't seem to be common.

So, by the time that you'll finish it, they'll be able to drive !

Paul L

How did you get on at Barry's

I mentioned it and he said it would be expensive especiallyif i got aomeone else to do it, and probably quite difficult but probably worth it due to how little 16vts there is.

I think my coupe may have had it I'm afraid, there is just so much rust, there is like a 2 inch gap between the arches and the boot floor from the rust, practically everything from the B pillars, including the B pillars, is covered in rust and it is a CAT C write off which i found out today

I think the best way to go is to sell parts from it, sell my LE interior and other new unused Coupe parts and save up a little bit and get a coupe that doesn't require so much welding

That's a shame Jamjam12, you've put in a lot of effort Occasionally this sad conclusion is inevitable but hopefully you will indirectly contribute to saving other coupés.