Hi, this is rust on my Triumph, but I'm sure you vee dubbers will know the answer! I was given the car 6 years ago (the previous owner had blown the head gasket) and it's been sitting in my garage ever since. I got it running last weekend.

Basically I want to know if this rust is so bad that the car will fail ACT rego. If so, what's the easiest way to cover it up? I don't want to make the car 'good', just pass the test so I can use it as a daily driver.

This is the worst bit: under the real wheel arch. The holes go all the way through. Patchable?


This is the sill under the passenger door. The holes go all the way through, but I reckon I could bog and spray it, but will the inspectors care if I don't?


This is not so bad. It's next to the tail light, in the corner bit. It hasn't gone through yet. Do I have to do anything to this?

in nsw. that would fail as you have holes caused by the rust. they can not poke a hole thru rust bubbles. but once you visibly have a hole present, then your done for.

Even more so than for a Beetle, the Triumph's structural integrity relies on the soundness of the monocoque body structure.

A good inspector (i.e. one who's thinking about the safety of folk such as you and me) should fail the sill rust (directly affects the soundness of the monocoque) and ignore the rust near the taillight (he/she's not an aesthetics inspector, but a safety inspector).

hth

Would definetly fail in QLD:jesus

Its a Triumph, who cares, take it to the tip!

Explain to him about the rat look....

Thanks for the replies guys. What's the best way to patch the rust under the wheel arch?

in order of preference, 1 is cut and weld, 2 is fibreglass matt and glass it or reienforced glass bog hehe

If it is a daily driver, just get a tin of fibre reinforced filler, slap it in, sand it ultra smooth and spraycan a bit of colour as close as you can find.
Should pass. If you can see the other side of the repair, brush a bit of tar on it.

I did this for a friend nearly four years ago on a Datto 120Y, and it hasn't come back yet?

also it wouldnt be that hard to put a little bit of rust converter to stop it on its tracks...tar and bog it....and ur set....

Would this "tar, bog, paint" method when used on the sill area shown, pass a blue slip inspection?

[Edited on 9-3-2004 by ash logan]