Windscreen Rust Repair panels available ? (L Wagon)

Esubie · Post by **Esubie** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 8:04 am

Hi Guys,

Looks like this windscreen/A pillar (etc) rust is a common problem, so am wondering if there is a rust repair panel available from anywhere. (Or maybe someones got some good ones they chopped out of a car that I could buy.)

Found an old thread where Celtic Warrior Steve did some for the previous (?) model but nothing for the L Wagon.

Thanks.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 5:42 pm

Quick question...have you taken the glass out yet?

If you haven't and you've got rusty corners, be prepared for a shock if/when you do take the glass out. See my old thread, page 3 for the nasty pics

I ended up scrapping this car.

showthread.php?t=22399&highlight=series ... een&page=3

As for repair panels available, none that I'm aware of. When I was searching for older gen repair panels I came across this site, they have repair panels for lots of cars, but they're in Russia

http://www.akadia-ats.com/

Esubie · Post by **Esubie** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 6:43 pm

Glass not removed seeing as it's my road car.
Your link just confirms what I'm worried about.
Can't send it away on a truck like you did 'til I can afford to buy another car, which isn't now.
Not in a position to put metalwork in myself and don't want to have to pay panel shop to start from scratch, thus why I'm after patch panels.

Esubie · Post by **Esubie** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:05 am

A pillar (etc) rust.
Doesn't look like there are any 'new' ones.
Has anyone got some good ones they chopped out of a car please ?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:37 pm

get onto FrOGS parts he is parting one

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 4:59 pm

Mine are rusted too
maybe I can cut them out anyway and you can get some copied
Gympie boys turned out some nice work for an MY maybe they could be approached.......

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:11 pm

Got some pics? It's one of those nasty areas that you either deal with as soon as you find rust forming - or you leave it and go find a better body without rust in that area... Or move up to a newer subi.

Cheers

Bennie

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:15 pm

And when it's an L series if you can see rust in the bottom corners there's likely rust all the way along the bottom under the glass

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:22 pm

Silverbullet wrote:And when it's an L series if you can see rust in the bottom corners there's likely rust all the way along the bottom under the glass

Not necessarily. Ruby Scoo had rust in the both bottom corners - It was fixable. I think that's the difference - if it's there and you let it go then yes it will be irreparable before too long.

Cheers

Bennie

Esubie · Post by **Esubie** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:03 am

FROG wrote:Mine are rusted too
maybe I can cut them out anyway and you can get some copied
Gympie boys turned out some nice work for an MY maybe they could be approached.......

That might help get things rolling at a workshop so my road car is in the shop for the least length of time. Also getting a metal fabricator to do a copy might be cheaper than a panel beater ?

Esubie · Post by **Esubie** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:07 am

El_Freddo wrote:Got some pics? It's one of those nasty areas that you either deal with as soon as you find rust forming - or you leave it and go find a better body without rust in that area... Or move up to a newer subi.

Cheers

Bennie

It's at a Rego fail level now to give some idea. Would like to get a different car but don't have the dollars. Will see about a photo.

Esubie · Post by **Esubie** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:48 pm

Have located a retired? panelbeater nearby so will be off to get his opinion sometime.

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:31 am

If the section that supports the screen is rusted, then yes this can potentially be repaired as per the pics from Gympie with a fabricated right angle. Not cheap if you are paying someone though

IF it is any more than that, then Sims Metal is your best bet as the A pillar is critical to the structure of the body...so cutting and shutting and entirely new piece will be beyond the value of the car. I doubt you would find a panel beater willing to do the work (and stand by it). And at ~$80-100/hr there would at least 8 hours in it.

Panel beater, fabricator, cheaper? Those words should not be in the same sentence!

Suggest you buy another L with a good body (as little as $300) and transplant your drivetrain.

My L rusted out from the chassis rails up - the body was starting to flex - binned it quick smart.

Esubie · Post by **Esubie** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:17 pm

Thanks for the $ figures ^^ Sven. Useful.
I'm not in a position to swap the drivetrain to another body myself so paying for that might add up to about the same cost ?
Such a drama since the rest of it goes great, it's been in the family since new, and is on 430thou Kms and still going strong.
Don't really want to spend any great amount of money on it since I think something like an early Holden Rodeo 4wd would suit me better; but I can't afford one of those either.

Esubie · Post by **Esubie** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:56 pm

Windscreen removed and the rust is less than expected !
Ya-hoo.
Mostly just a little 'chewed' by the rust bug.
No welding needed. Little bit of filler to smooth out the chewed effect. A little bit of paint and the windscreen is back in.

NOW... the trim surrounding the screen. Mine's shot. Does it come by the metre on a reel at Repco, is it a Subaru part number, or not available at all ?
( I hope it's the first one).

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:20 pm

Good news!

I purchased OME Subaru windscreen trim (at trade) when travelling along the same path - it was not too bad, but that was sometime ago now.

Alternative is to leave it black, and smooth off the sixaflex. I have seen the windscreen guys do it - think it is a black art making it look good though.

tambox · Post by **tambox** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:42 pm

The windscreen installers can fit a black rubber for about $20 with no trim required, I think its off a Commodore, or something like that. Saves worrying about trim and the fact the hard plastic trim can rub through the paint and help the rust to start, again.
Plus you can blast water down between it and the pillars to flush out any dirt, this reduces the rust problem as well.
Its bigger, but looks neat, mine have had it for years.

stork955 · Post by **stork955** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:26 pm

G'day. Treat the rust with some rust converter before you fill and repaint, otherwise it will be back before you know it.

Cheers,

Stork

Esubie · Post by **Esubie** » Thu Apr 11, 2013 9:50 am

Thanks for the comments guys.

This is all being done for me as a favour in 'the bush' so there is no 'windsceen installer' or 'black arts'. I just hand it over and let him get on with it, then lend a hand when asked. At least I got some Sickaflex and not Silastic.

It must really be a 'black art' smoothing that very Sticky-flex. Is there a common solvent to help ?
At the moment there is a gap that the trim used to cover. So from what Sven and Tambox say there is no requirement legal or otherwise for trim ?
I could just paint the gap black. As Sven and Tambox say leaving the gap helps flush stuff out which would otherwise keep damp trapped inside. So far this sounds like the best idea yet.

So no source for 'real' trim or something off a reel at Repco ? I'll ask next time I'm there. Somewhere like Clarks Rubber might have something but there isn't one here.

It took me all afternoon in Bega to find the 'flex and the right paint had to be discovered and then made for me.

EDIT: oh....... that didn't last very long. Screen cracked overnight. Lower right corner dissected. Insurance will cover it so now looks like there will be an 'installer' involved.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Thu Apr 11, 2013 5:37 pm

That's annoying, did you drive it before the sealant was properly set? I think I read somewhere the body can twist and crack it if the goo hasn't gone off yet. Be aware with a windscreen installer, if the rust is/was bad enough that there isn't enough to glue the glass too, he won't install it. Something about being in an accident and the glass flying out then him being responsible.