SKODA FABIA Mk1 RUSTY SILLS Underbody Restoration PROJECT PART 5

[@tonymacdonald2870]

that didn't turn out bad. I've been waiting for Fabia content, but still watch all your Videos. My Fabia a 2007 beter take a good look underneath this summer.

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Thanks, it's just the first stage without painting the topcoat, which should finish it off nicely. Yes you are better not to leave it too long then you may just be able to do something before it getting bad :-)

[@danieldaniel-sy4pr]

Your episodes are more intetsting than Netflix 👊💪

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Thank you my friend, I'm very glad yo like them :-)

[@komoonkh]

Mine are crying too. It is gonna be bad, it is always rusted through

[@HatBoyHarvey]

You need to tackle it sooner rather than later :-)

[@cristian240486]

Greetings from Romania. I appreciate all of your work. I learned quite a few things from you. Keep it up! 🍻

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Thanks, will d :-)

[@Gazshadows]

Recently had the sills sorted on mine (had no time to do it myself 😢) but no cut and weld needed luckily the rust didnt make any holes when they cleaned it up and now looks damm sight better 👍 hope you get yours looking good!

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Great, you may have just stopped it getting really bad. Now your's are looking better it may be a good idea to treat it from inside with a wax oil or something like that :-)

[@martincox8250]

Great to see the Fab back Harvey. Great helpful video as most of these Fabs have corroded sills now due to age. Turned out well considering the holes it had in the sill. Thanks for posting. 😊

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Thanks. This was long time needed and I put off doing it for too long. Hope the video inspires folks to sort their fabias rusty bits :-)

[@dirtbagd89]

Good effort taking on this job! I got fed up with dealing with the rust on my Fabia and got rid of it. It was a great car though. Your videos were a great help when I had the car so thanks for taking the time to film and edit them. All the best.

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Thanks, same you got rid of your fabia, maybe a newer one would tempt you back in? :-)

[@zivnymichal]

Hello Harvey, this is typical area of all fabias. Main problem is using hand lifter. I did that yesterday 😅

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Definitely typical area on fabias. The hand lifter does take off some paint, but the seam is pretty thick there whereas the sill is not.

[@elitemaster8112]

just wanna say you have helped me alot with my skoda keep the good work up mate :D

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Thank you, always appreciate the support :-)

[@Deedumdee]

Good timing, I'm in the middle of doing exactly the same right now on my little red Mk1 Fabia, so it's good to see someone else also doing some ugly bodge panels and then slapping paint all over to hide the sins! If it's anything like mine then your rear corners will also be shot, and the surface all around the rear wheel wells behind the arch cover - nothing the MOT man will see but probably good to sort before it gets too bad. Oh, and if you want to make yourself feel better about the rust with some power tool retail therapy, my power finger file has been working wonders for cleaning the areas and prepping weld edges (and smoothing the crimes afterwards), and they're certainly more wieldy than an angle grinder.

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Great to hear that you're doing yours too. When I finally get the colour matched top coat on, it should look pretty good, I think, as most isn't seen. My rear isn't that bad actually and sorted those already. Thanks for the tip of the power file, I may just look into getting one.

[@Deedumdee]

@@HatBoyHarvey I'm hoping if I go along the whole outer sill with chassis black it'll look deliberate and save me having to make it look too pretty! Though last time I did some bodywork I got paint from some Northern Irish company on ebay, WLW Autoparts, and their Flamenco Red 9892 was a bang on match. Not sure how because I expected the car to have faded given its age, but means I have the option if I want to splash out on the extra twenty quid.

[@HatBoyHarvey]

​@@Deedumdee​@Deedumdee sounds like a plan! Hope it all goes well and you decide to go with the body colour as it will look much better than black. Lots of people do there sills in black and you can spot em a mile off - cheap skates :-/

[@paullandells4107]

That sill looks a lot better after your work. Since I don't do a lot of welding these day yet still have to pay British Oxygen a hire fee, I was thinking of replacing my CO2 MIG welder with a gasless MIG. However I've heard they produce a lot of spatter and don't do such a good job. Seeing you weld upside down with just goggles makes me think it's not such a problem, what do you think?

[@HatBoyHarvey]

They are what they are - a lesser MIG with inferior welds, but for car body repairs that you grind down anyway they seem fine by me. Obviously doing it with gas is much easier and gives a better weld so if you are still paying for gas tank hire, use it until the contract ends or weld as much as possible until then, or just buy your own tank on ebay - many do that and I would have done, but found this to be cheaper and OK for now :-)

[@tadeuszwojcik4748]

super 👍👍👍👍👍

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Super

[@julianroberts5407]

If any Fabia owners still have good solid sills, i suggest a thorough wax treatment in all the cavities, such as Dinitrol for lasting protection

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Yes, I would too :-)

[@vladimirkysela7485]

Citric acid + warm water in a combination with a utrasonic cleaner (buy some for cleaning of glasses, rings, jewelery) it is a best way to remove rust from small parts and prepare them to paint...

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Thanks for sharing that, I may just have a go with that :-)

[@joronyhanma]

My left fender started to rust bad i will totally replace it in next months i want to save my sill aswell from future corossion better early than late i will clean the rust like you apply rust converter apply direct to metal paint lastly i think i will use paint code spray what do you think btw appreciate you from Bulgaria 🤜🤛

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Yes, coded paint to finish off is best, but the skills need a bit more underneath and wax inside, I think IMHO :-)

[@donfarlane1082]

Hi,great video ,what setting did you use on the Hitbox welder to make these welds?

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Thanks, 160-180 Amps on the panels and seam

[@philipashton1443]

Could you use pot rivits instead of welding?

[@HatBoyHarvey]

NO, riveting is not allowed to repair structural car body panels and will fail an MOT if you do. You can't fill these areas with filler either. Both are deemed unsafe. :-)

[@dblackledge4393]

I was looking forward to someone doing a sill patch properly only to be greeted with this. That was a bit of a waste of welding and rust converter. Without cutting the rust its just going to carry on and be ten times worse.

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Sorry to disappoint, I agree, this is a patch job and will be OK for a while until as you say not removing all the rust will carry on eating it alive, but then I will replace the whole sill etc which is a much bigger job. I've done these before and they have lasted long enough to fight another day. Rust is never ending and unless you are prepared to strip the whole lot or even the shell out, cut all the rust out, acid dip and then galvanize, paint and wax oil at huge effort and cost then patching and protecting small areas as you go suits many. Obviously I could have done it better, but this sort of repair is within the ability of many. Obviously you have to keep an eye on it not to get out of hand and become structurally compromised, which it isn't. I'm happy that my Fabia will fight another day :-)

[@joronyhanma]

I forgot to put seam sealant around rubber grommet area behind arch liner i putted only underneath sill is that a problem 😅

[@HatBoyHarvey]

The sealant is to protect it from stones perforating through the paint mainly and the arch liner will do that anyway, so you'll be fine :-)

[@АлександрХрусталев-з7щ]

Белая густая штука это как антигравий?можно название банки?

[@HatBoyHarvey]

It is thick and flexible so to repel underbody rocks etc performing to the metal and causing it to rust again. Linkin description :-)

[@robhillman5957]

You have a methodical and tidy approach to the rust repair, however, I have to say the welding quality could and for safety's sake, should be better. I hope my comment does not cause offence as that is not the intention.

[@HatBoyHarvey]

I agree, but this is just a patch-up job over the sills existing structural integrity that spreads over the whole sill area. IMHO and experience, safety hasn't been compromised with my welds others will always argue differently. The best and most safest repair would be replacing the whole sill, which when you look, is only spot welded on with gaps between in the first place. I get your point and must try harder, thanks :-)

[@robhillman5957]

@@HatBoyHarvey Thanks for your reply, regardless of my previous comment, I would like to say it's always good to see someone taking the time to repair and preserve machinery and vehicles. Practical skills will always be needed, I wish my garage was as tidy as yours!! 😄 Good luck with your project.

[@SuperLuis233]

I have the same job waiting for me on the left side, greetings from Poland.

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Good luck if you are doing it yourself. Best it tackle sooner than later :-)

[@vladimirkysela7485]

Leave the rusty parts immersed in a solution of water and citric acid (1 teaspoon to 4 dcl of water). Warm water will speed up the reaction. You will be surprised the next day. Rust will be gone,.. PERFECT for bolts and nuts. Try this trick...

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Thanks for sharing that tip. I've seen videos on that, but never tried it, but will have a go if I can get hold of some citric acid :-)

[@vladimirkysela7485]

Hi at time 1:00 what a disgusting wheel suspension, You dont have a shop with paint in a can ?, spray paint ? Hammerite ? Grease for nuts and bolts, Rubber in a can or BODY 933, In the UK ? BUT enough hate. Thank you, the videos are very great.. I own IBIZA 2002 , which is 80 percent copy of Fabia from Spain,.. I wish you many beautiful videos..

[@HatBoyHarvey]

I agree, that strut, hub, spring needs attention. They look worse than they are. The spring is due to be re-newed to match the left side. The wishbones are very rusty, but I will replace or clean and lube all. Ibiza is nearly the same, yes. Thanks for watching :-)

[@michaelfraser5723]

you can weigh the rust bucket in,

[@HatBoyHarvey]

There is always that option, but then there would be less cabins about :-(

[@Morzsaszar]

You made it worst

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Worse not 'worst' ;-/

[@SuperLuis233]

Hello, I have an important question. Today I was driving to work and the car stalled and immediately turned off. It didn't want to start. After 10 minutes I managed to start it, but I had driven maybe 4 km and it choked and wouldn't start. The pump works, the starter doesn't want to start. There is a spark. Could it be a wiring harness? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWER.

[@HatBoyHarvey]

Could be the harness or poor connections, bad ground or coil packs starting to go. Your right in suspecting the fuel pump as the symptoms suggest it. The only way to really tell if it's that is replace it and see or diagnostics with live data when it occurs :-)

[@SuperLuis233]

@@HatBoyHarvey Thank you very much for the quick answer. I will let you know if it helped, best regards