Replace Rusty Gutters
Despite being in an open shed for 25 years, the roof was in good condition after being cleaned. However the driver's side gutter was badly corroded towards the back.
October 2003:
As found - 25 years in an open-sided shed on the edge of a wood in a remote valley.
December 2006:
The offside rain gutter had corroded away to nothing over the back door. They are held in place, trapped between the outer roof and the wood frame, by raised head screws. Removing the screws allows the gutter to be replaced.
The gutter is held in by ½" no 6 screws which pass through the roof pressing, the gutter itself and the steel of the door surround, and fix into the wooden roof framework. Interestingly enough, the holes in the "new" gutter were nowhere near the holes in the "old" gutter - suggesting that the fitter was left to drill the holes wherever he felt fit!
A kind ATDC member from the north of Scotland took one off his spare car and mailed it to me in a piece of drainpipe!
Being quite rusty, the remains of the old gutter were removed quite easily by prising it out: the problem was getting the screws out afterwards! They are raised head screws so nothing to get a purchase on.
I centre popped and drilled 2mm down the screw initially then opened up to 4mm to clear the shank. Most gave up at this point and let me pull them out with pliers, but I had to use a 6mm drill to remove the heads on the other two and punch the remains back into the wood.
Each end of the gutter had been welded to the surrounding steelwork. The front steelwork was OK but the rear had corroded into a hole! The hole was filled with fibreglass and, as the weld was not structural, and the gutter was firmly held by the screws, the final bond was made with Araldite.
After removing the remains of the gutter and tidying up what remained of the roof pressing!
The old wood underneath was quite good and held new, slightly longer, screws well.
And the new gutter in position, before painting. It is held in by new raised head 25mm (1") and 32mm (1¼") 6's from Vintage Supplies Ltd (see Parts Suppliers) and seated in with black Seelastik - hopefully to keep out rain for the next 70 years!
Bad weather - cold and damp - prevented final cleaning up and painting of the gutter which will have to wait now until the spring.
April 2007:
an incredibly dry April resulted in the gutter and roof panel being painted with the POR-15 treatment (see also body exterior). Much less touchy to use than conventional paint, though Instructions for Use (as befits a "different" product) are different.
It sets very hard as it is a resin-type paint - note that it sets rather than dries! Very expensive but very good - I got mine from Holden, though there are other suppliers.