Suggestion on how to repair this seat belt anchor

[RaceDiagnostics]

Got a couple of hours in today, what a pain to get the carpet out of the way, front and rear seats out and the sill kick plate with hidden bolts under the Jag logo.

And of course double skinned on the inside just for extra fun.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Got an hour on the car this morning.

Drilled out the spot welds.

Levered the seat platform back.

Ready to start cutting out.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

This afternoon I used an angle grinder, reciprocating saw and dremel to cut out the rot, access was tricky and I still need to tidy up the edges. I will need to take a few days off work this week to make better progress.

 

[Shedendman]

I wouldn't have bothered drilling the spot welds out just cut it as one then
your going to find it a tad hard to get that bit you've levered up back down flat again as snoop said you could always added another plate over the top
While your there i'd cut the bit out to the left too

 

[evobilly666]

The seat box doesn't show signs of too much corrosion so I think that was a good step. He can tap it back down a bit at a time and tackle it as he goes , and then puddle weld the spots so to be fair, imo, a good move. I'd definitely look at the bit to the left as you say, but keeping original steel on a seat box if it shows no corrosion has to be a good thing.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

What, that horrible scabby bit? Yea, I need to do something with that too.

 

[marlinspike]

Black and Decker power files are great for removing rust and paint in hard to reach areas like that. The blue zirconia belts can be bought on eBay and work out about 80p each. It's probably the best thing I have bought to help my car resto.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Yes, the powerfile is a great tool. I got 5 mins on it last night and gave the scabs a quick once over. After cleaning up and inspecting from below which was clean and rot free, I have to assume that it was caused by rusty water leaking into the foot well from the hole in the pic below. However I have no idea how water gets in there.

This Jag was a fabulous aesthetic design but is truly a sh1t piece of engineering design with lots of poor quality parts, there are water traps and design flaws all over it. It was a big mistake buying it and I would advise anyone against buying one. I think I must be 250hours into this one, just to keep it ticking over.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Ok I cleaned up the hole this morning and am a bit stuck. The top edge shown below is too thin to weld to due to the rust damage so should I overlap the top edge to weld a bit further into the good metal?

From the inside.

 

[Swift&Bold]

If the metal is too thin to weld due to rust damage then unfortunately IMO, you'll have to take out that metal too and replace with new.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Easier said than done as there is no way to get tools in there to get it out, how would you get that section out?

 

[Burdekin]

Can you cut the tabs and flanges off and fully butt weld in some 2mm sheet metal.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

I just checked with the various tools I have and non of them will fit in there, I don't want to start cutting off the flange as that is part of the outer sill.

The only way I can think of is to try to chisel it out which is sure to make a right mess, I'm away for another think.

 

[Burdekin]

I just checked with the various tools I have and non of them will fit in there, I don't want to start cutting off the flange as that is part of the outer sill.

The only way I can think of is to try to chisel it out which is sure to make a right mess, I'm away for another think.

It's only there for ease of manufacture to spot weld together.

Can you get in with a pair of snips and a 1mm cutting disc?

 

[Swift&Bold]

Easier said than done as there is no way to get tools in there to get it out, how would you get that section out?

Can you not drill the spot welds out to give you access?

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Its done, I chiseled it off fairly easily in the end, pics later as I need to go get a new power file, mine has just died.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Here you go.

I will weld a seam on both the inside and out side along the top section.

Handy old tools.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

It looks like the original floor steel is 1mm, and I've got 18 and 20 gauge available, which would be best to use? I will use 2mm for the oversized washer.

 

[Burdekin]

Just make a repair out of the 18 gauge, plug weld it to the sill as it was spot welded originally and butt weld the remainder where you cut out. Hammer the bit you turned over with a dolly underneath and plug weld it back in position and if you want fully weld it round the edge.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Saw your post to late and went ahead and made the patch out of 22 gauge, weld through primer is drying on it just now.

It was a bit time consuming getting the shape and size close.