Sill Repair on Hilux Surf

[ian price]

Hope this qualifies as a "project" The old Truck failed it's MOT for the first time in 14 years, (on rust), not a lot but the rear sills are dam awkward to get at, I did the rear control arm bracket with my acient SIP stick welder as it was 3mm metal, not pretty at all but it did it ok, lots of weld then grind then weld again etc,
Sills are a different matter, got most of the rot cut out the off/side sill and mocked up new metal ready for MIG welding, At first I was going to get a mobile welder to do it but after some thought, I had an idea that they would probably charge several hundred quid to do it and the money would be better spent on a decent MIG welder and I could then do it myself and have the welder to use for possible other projects,
I ended up buying a Parweld 181c and 20lt Argon mix gas, now that ready to go I can start fabbing up the metal,

 

[mr migwire]

tidy job that.

 

[Lazurus]

Money well spent methinks.......

 

[123hotchef]

good job

 

[Rig Pig]

I'll be re bumpering a Surf in a couple of weeks, good old trucks.

 

[MattF]

Good to see your still keeping the old girl going Ian. Finally let mine go last year.

 

[galooph]

I've got to do the same on my project Surf. I managed to track down some brand new control arm brackets, so I'll get those replaced when I get the body off the chassis. Need to do the sills and the rear arches before that, though!

 

[ian price]

Thanks guys, yes they are great old trucks, this is the longest I've owned and driven one vehicle, 14 years now, never saw rust coming, most of it is behind the wheel arch extensions so not too visible, wish I had the space, the youth and the cash to take the body off, I did a body and sus lift shortly after I got the truck (2" each) to fit 33"'s, don't think I could tackle it now though, Arthritis and I need a knee replacement opp but it'll have to hurt a bl00dy site more than it does before I go for that, Do you miss the surf Matt?, many a time I think I should get rid and buy a "sensible" car, but you don't know if you gonna get a load of trouble, so better the devil you know!.

 

[dobbslc]

Good to see your still keeping the old girl going Ian. Finally let mine go last year.

Where's the unlike button?^^^
Sounds like there's a few Surf lovers on the forum I didn't know about!
Here's mine.

 

[Rig Pig]

Where's the unlike button?^^^
Sounds like there's a few Surf lovers on the forum I didn't know about!
Here's mine.
View attachment 172314

Oooh lucky, a later one without the rusty bumpers!

 

[MattF]

Absolutely do miss it Ian. Not had any other vehicle which compares to the Surf. Beautiful vehicles.

 

[Cobbler]

My boy had a Surf for some years, loved it. Only changed it because the way it was registered he couldn’t go into London & Heathrow & he flys regularly for work. Changed it for a Landcruiser, always said the Surf was the better of the 2.

 

[MattF]

There's definitely something about them. Mine lugged no end of gear whilst I had her too, and never broke a sweat. All my machinery, bar the big Pollard, was brought here in that Surf.

 

[dobbslc]

yep they can take a load.....

 

[ian price]

Here's mine, the pics several years old so it's not so clean but not a lot has changed (there's a danger of this becoming a Surf forum!! we'll get kicked out).

 

[dobbslc]

Nice Surf but does it fit in the garage in the picture?

 

[Olderisbetter]

I had one i lent to a mate when his Mitsubishi L200 blew a head gasket again and i never got it back, He was amazed how good it was and gave me what i paid for it.

 

[MattF]

Nice Surf but does it fit in the garage in the picture?

Only just, if I recall correctly.

 

[ian price]

Your right Matt, had to dump the up and over door and make some wood ones that open out and it just clears to roof, I can even jack it up if I get it in the right position so the light bar goes up between the joists.
those are nice looking 3rd gen!, it must be nice to be rich, wish mine had the lift up rear door like those, bl00dy tailgate is annoying at time, when your trying to get summat that's just behind the rear seats, I have to use a stick to get at it, Often thought I'd like to re-design that gate so it opened out sideways as opposed to dropping down, I think it would be possible if some form of re-enforcement could be added inside the n/s pillar, and some good strong hinges made, also alter the cabling to the gate, Jess (on the hilux forums has a spare gate but now I'm off the road for a spell I'm trying to get my son to take me to meet up halfway at the Devils Punch bowl hotel as soon as his work load eases off, prepping a spare gate as opposed to faffing about with the one that on would be good, (not to mention the big dent in mine after backing into a lamp post it pushed the spare wheel carrier into the panel

 

[ian price]

Got some metal welded on, it aint pretty and the guy that said welding under a veh as opposed to the bench is a whole other world is dead right, anyway it's well stuck on there and got most of the seams welded together, going to clean it up a bit tomorrow with a sanding disk ready for some Shultz, maybe a little filler where it's gonna show, (like I say the arches cover most of what you see there thank god), some welds just inside the arch I had to do with no helmet, bl00dy impossible to see what your doing with it on so I just lined up the torch then looked away to tack weld, all went well till a hot bit went down my top, the smell of burning body hair is not nice
Forgot to say, I drilled holes along the bottom of the outer panel and welded through them to the panel behind where there were originally spot welds (saw that done on a vid) and the big hole you see under the outer panel is so I can spray underseal or waxol in there, going to cut several all along the sill.