944 rusty sills dilema
Discussion
I bought a 944 2.7 a while ago fairly cheaply with a view of taking my time fixing all the bits that needed doing. I estimated that there was around £2k of stuff needing doing to it including belts and water pump (which I was fine with as I'd set aside a budget for that and it would have meant peace of mind). However I have now discovered its got rusty sills.
My dilemma is do I carry on and get these fixed as well or sell it on as a project/spares (loosing around £1K in the process).
I'd love to keep it but the rust repairs themselves are likely to eat-up my entire budget.
My dilemma is do I carry on and get these fixed as well or sell it on as a project/spares (loosing around £1K in the process).
I'd love to keep it but the rust repairs themselves are likely to eat-up my entire budget.
Unless you have a significant emotional attachment, or plan to keep the car forever, the only sensible thing is to scrap it (or break for spares yourself - the 2.7 head is worth something..)
new sills both sides will cost you £1500+, and the rust may also have spread into the suspension mounts.
new sills both sides will cost you £1500+, and the rust may also have spread into the suspension mounts.
It rather depends how bad bad is.
If it will spectacularly fail its MOT each year then yes either break it or bite the bullet and fix it. However a good bodyshop maybe able to patch it up, plaster it in cavity wax and keep you on the road for a year or two more allowing you to restock the kitty before doing it properly.
Its worth a professional opinion.
If it will spectacularly fail its MOT each year then yes either break it or bite the bullet and fix it. However a good bodyshop maybe able to patch it up, plaster it in cavity wax and keep you on the road for a year or two more allowing you to restock the kitty before doing it properly.
Its worth a professional opinion.
I'm in the process of replacing 2 full sills and part of the floor pan on my mate's 944. It's been a pile of work but not too bad once you get into it.
There was nothing left of the inners and big holes in the outers. The floor pan outer edges are also gone completely.
Parts wise, about £350 for the metal.
Once it's done it should be good for a good number of years with the right protection applied.
There was nothing left of the inners and big holes in the outers. The floor pan outer edges are also gone completely.
Parts wise, about £350 for the metal.
Once it's done it should be good for a good number of years with the right protection applied.
DKL said:
It rather depends how bad bad is.
If it will spectacularly fail its MOT each year then yes either break it or bite the bullet and fix it. However a good bodyshop maybe able to patch it up, plaster it in cavity wax and keep you on the road for a year or two more allowing you to restock the kitty before doing it properly.
Its worth a professional opinion.
Very good point. Will take a look around my local area and see what the costs are. If it will spectacularly fail its MOT each year then yes either break it or bite the bullet and fix it. However a good bodyshop maybe able to patch it up, plaster it in cavity wax and keep you on the road for a year or two more allowing you to restock the kitty before doing it properly.
Its worth a professional opinion.
OlberJ said:
I'm in the process of replacing 2 full sills and part of the floor pan on my mate's 944. It's been a pile of work but not too bad once you get into it.
There was nothing left of the inners and big holes in the outers. The floor pan outer edges are also gone completely.
Parts wise, about £350 for the metal.
Once it's done it should be good for a good number of years with the right protection applied.
If I had somewhere I could take it apart and do the work myself I would love to have a go, sadly the single garage with no power I currently have means its a bit of a non-starter. There was nothing left of the inners and big holes in the outers. The floor pan outer edges are also gone completely.
Parts wise, about £350 for the metal.
Once it's done it should be good for a good number of years with the right protection applied.
For a while now 944's have been teetering on the edge classic metal, trouble is they built them too well and there's too many hanging around, seriously though you have to judge the car as a whole, if it's only the sills that need work and the rest of the car is ok save it, if it needs a clutch etc and the whole car is tired and neglected you'll spend thousands getting it straight.
Without some pic its hard to say, just be carefull not to be suckered into thinking all sill repairs will cost a fortune on a 944 - just because you saw it on the net, or a specialist told you so! It might just need local repairs.
What did the mot man say about it?
Find a couple of garages who are used to welding old cars (its surprising how many places dont want to get involved in welding these days so wont quote or quote silly prices).
On my last 944 S the previous owner sold it to me as his mot garage told him it needed £1800 repairs for the mot (mostly welding). When I got it back and up on a ramp it didnt look bad at all, and my local garage repaired both sides for £400, the first quote of £1800 from the mot garage was nonsense.
What did the mot man say about it?
Find a couple of garages who are used to welding old cars (its surprising how many places dont want to get involved in welding these days so wont quote or quote silly prices).
On my last 944 S the previous owner sold it to me as his mot garage told him it needed £1800 repairs for the mot (mostly welding). When I got it back and up on a ramp it didnt look bad at all, and my local garage repaired both sides for £400, the first quote of £1800 from the mot garage was nonsense.
Mine's going in to a local classic restorer next month for sills, wing bottoms, and most of it repainted. It's just a fact of life with 944s now, they are all at that age. Personally I'd rather know it's been done right, but the better option is always to buy one where someone else has spent the cash.
As said, what else might rear it's head? Clutch, head gasket, brakes and fuel line, that sort of thing. You've done the right thing to set the money aside, and if you go ahead and repair it I'd not patch it up myself. Get it fixed properly, treat it every year and forget about it. They certainly can cost over a grand a side if left to get bad.
Replacement sills are NLA at the moment, but a skilled restorer will have no problems with a 944.
As said, what else might rear it's head? Clutch, head gasket, brakes and fuel line, that sort of thing. You've done the right thing to set the money aside, and if you go ahead and repair it I'd not patch it up myself. Get it fixed properly, treat it every year and forget about it. They certainly can cost over a grand a side if left to get bad.
Replacement sills are NLA at the moment, but a skilled restorer will have no problems with a 944.
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