Posted by Paul on Sunday, September 30, 2001 at 10:37AM :
I am doing a complete restoration on my Wm-300. So far with the body off and frame stripped, I have found some insidious problems that might not have been found. I found copper brake lines, no nuts on the bottom studs of the engine mounts. However the most insidious that almost got me was the SEAM on the cab roof.
My PW was absolutely rust free, so I thought.
I sand blasted the cab and when scraping the media out of the roof seam crack, IT MOVED.
further checking showed it was loose on 3 spots. RUST.....I had no choice but to bend the seam up and open. I found 3 areas where the metal bent seam that forms the roof seam was completely rusted through. In one other area the cab roof under the seam ONLY was rusted through. You could not in any way see this from inside.
After seeing this, I felt it was prudent to totally remove the bent over portion of the roof seam, sand blast, weld in new steel where rusted and prime. If I had not found/done the repairs, the new paint job would have had rust coming though in the future. With the seam removed, I had options on how to close the 'V' gap. I opted to fill the 'V' crack with body filler and contour to the cab. I could have welded some 3/8" half round in the seam and it would have almost looked like the original.
The point of this post to to make you aware when your doing a complete restoration that this roof seam is a potiential area for serious rust. There was NO sealer under the bent seam. They depended on gravity to let any water run down to the door gutters.
I dont believe that there is any way to bend the seam up for inspection with out distorting it so bad, it could not be made to look good again. Based on what I have found, My other PW and my WC53, when restored, will have this seam opened for inspection when blasting the body.
Paul
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