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Panda (Classic) Making the panda mighty again

Introduction

We've had 'The Mighty Panda' for nearly 4 years, it's been a workhorse during a long house renovation, moving materials, livestock and timber around but we've known that the sills were very rusty for most of that time. Anyway having removed the carpet yesterday the extent was far worse than expected..

I've started this thread to show the damage and repair as well as ask lots of questions of you far more knowledgeable folk. Here are a couple of pics (I hope..!)
It's not all good news though..



Can you weld. If not time to by a welder and teach yourself. Do you have to do the revision test. If so how has that hole been missed it’s been there for quite a while. Any help needed iam sure there’s plenty who could give advice. So get on with the repair and SAVE the panda !!,
 
Can you weld. If not time to by a welder and teach yourself. Do you have to do the revision test. If so how has that hole been missed it’s been there for quite a while. Any help needed iam sure there’s plenty who could give advice. So get on with the repair and SAVE the panda !!,

Thankfully I do have a MIG welder and a good sized workshop.

Yes we do have a 2 yearly MoT equivalent, which its passed. The next one is due in Feb so that's my deadline for making a proper job of the repairs.
 
Wow. You have loads of rust and not much car. Don’t think that all that has happen in the last 2 years. It’s major tin worm there. Well just there you have floor pan to wheel arch to structural member fail. Best to get the mighty panda on its side to ease the repairs. You need to make to 2 angles say 40x40 bend them to the wheel arch inner profile one in one out then weld either side of the arch. Down to the chassis leg to check the spring hanger box. Inner wheel arches. Inner sill to floor pan rear cross member to floor check out panda1408 & kolza for there sill repairs also Similar repairs to magentas story 4x4 rebuild
for tips
 
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After a break for festivities and biblical bad weather Ive managed to cut the repair sections out of the scrap panda over the last few days. It's nice to have them off the donor car and ready to start the rejuvenation of the 4x4.
 
Best of luck with it don’t forget to support the side of the panda with steel bars or angles to prevent movement whilst cut out the rot [emoji209][emoji1360][emoji636][emoji1009][emoji375]
 
Despite it being below freezing and thick snow outside I've managed some progress on the panda. Carefully removing rusty metal to find something decent to weld to....
 

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Managed a few more hours on the panda today, unpicked the repair section separating the outer sill from the inner structure. Next stage is to make the inner structure the same size as the rusted out area and start putting it back together.

Sounds easy when you say it quickly...
 

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