I believe someone on the list said that welding those seams destroyed
the Van's chassis"flexibility" or something along those lines.  Maybe
the original author of that theory would re-surface and jog my memory a
little bette.  I've always wodered by a flexible urethane mix in there
wouldn't serve all purposes....

DM&FS

rOn 11/19/2012 11:17 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> I don't like that idea so much myself.
> What you will find I think, is that 'the insideous' problem is the rust
> that is down in those seams.
>
> you can read about this all over the internet I'm sure ...but those
> seems are a 'flange joint' that are about 1/2 inch wide or deep.
> any rust that is still trapped in there can surface later.
>
> as for changing panels someday ..I'd say they have to be cut out anyway
> ..so not much of a factor there in my mind.
>
> I suggest get at the other side....if westy, those or well known for
> water getting to the inside behind the kitchen stuff, by leaks at the
> service door/ports there.
>
> if not a Westy ..easy to get at the inner side, and see what you have
> there. And you can see how 'deep' these 'flange seams' are.
> I'm kinda nutty about dealing with corrosion. Love to do it.
> The Main Trick will be getting rid of ALL rust and corrosion first ..
> until there is just clean bare metal left.
>
> Once I have that ...I like two-part epoxy .......the kind from an
> automotive paint supply company ..
> that stuff is so strong, I call it 'space ship glue'.    Any clean dry
> metal joined by that stuff in a dry warmish environment witll just never
> come apart.  I would do that over welding for sure.  No heat damage as
> with welding etc.
>
> Your biggert challenge will be to get all the rust out ..
> rather than just covering over rust.
> Left in there ....it'll find its way to the surface again someday for
> sure.
>
> but look it up online.
> There's dozens ..here's but one.
> http://www.vanagonauts.com/Idiot-s-guide-to-seam-rust-repair180.htm
>
> the Idiot's guide ...sounds good !
>
> scott
> turbovans
>
>
>
> On 11/19/2012 7:32 PM, Liberte, Joel wrote:
>> Nothing unusual about having it and I'm figuring out the best way of
>> dealing with it before we start dumping massive amounts of salt on
>> the roads around here.
>>
>> It was suggested to me that after cleaning the seams of rust to weld
>> them together to prevent it from happening again.  Other than the
>> obvious thought of the additional difficulty of removing any panel in
>> the future if needed and some additional body work to smooth them out
>> before repainting, are there any other items that would suggest
>> welding the seams is a really bad idea?
>>
>> Joel
>>