1970 Peugeot 404 ute Restoration

[marty 404]

Hi
I bought this 404 ute in January this year .It due to other commitments [time and money ]it is going be a long process
From the history I know it was originally sold to Griffith in Vic then moved to Nambour area Qld and ended up in Brisbane.


Like most 404,s rust is the biggest problem while the cab is quite good for a 404 the tray floor and chassis rails are rusted out. My first job was to remove the tray sides without damaging them this involved drilling out hundreds of spot welds.

Next it was the chassis rails and front supports time to be removed. Followed by lots of sanding surface rust off with clean and strip disks and wire brushes then rust convertor followed by epoxy primer.


This week I picked up my new chassis rails and tray floor made by a local engineer to my drawings.


There is still a lot to do before I can start fitting the new steel to start with I don,t have a welder ,the rails have to be drilled and cut to shape ,I have to cut some braces out of a wreck and clean up the rear cross member .
Hopefully the tray will be back together before the end of the year.

 

[Dano]

That body looks like a good starting point. If you only do 1/2 the job that you did on your green 404, it will be a great project when its finished.

 

[Demannu]

You've been busy, Martin! Looks great!

 

[marty 404]

I have had another productive weekend ,I spent a rainy Saturday cutting and drilling the new steel for the tray.
On Sunday I cut up an old 404 ute donated for parts by a fellow frogger unfortunately rusted beyond repair to take to Sims metal. I still have the tray sides tailgate and base if anyone needs a 404 tray it is not a Peugeot tray but looks original I do not know its history.

 

[geodon]

Marty, you have a PM

 

[marty 404]

Hi I was able to cut and trial fit my new chassis rails and tray parts today they are held together with self drilling screws.

 

[marty 404]

I have spent some more time setting up the new tray and fitting the sides , with every thing in place the tailgate was checked and I set up a 5 metre long straight edge to make sure the tray is angled correctly.

 

[marty 404]

Opps I forgot the photo,s

 

[marty 404]

Real men move mountains
Classic Australian add from the 1960,s
The price list and options !, why would not buy one for $2250.00 or the milk truck for $2649.00

 

[marty 404]

Progress has been slow since october I have welded the tray floor in and today the tray sides were welded on and primed.
I have also taken the front clip and doors off luckily not surprise,s where found, next repair the tailgate then continue to strip the car then lift it onto a rotisserie I have been lent.
Marty

 

[Dano]

Looks good mate. The rotisserie will make it so much easier.
Keith will come out of storage in about another 3 months...

 

[marty 404]

Progress continues I have lifted the ute onto the worlds simplest rotisserie its a bit high but to rotate the ute I can only lower it 180mm with cutting and welding to much effort for a little gain !
With the help of fellow Froggers i have collected some hard to find bits thanks guys
The car is now completely stripped, today I cut the floors out only to find more rust ! is there any where these things don,t rust.
Next is to find a set of floor pans or someone who can replicate the parts cut out .
Marty

 

[Demannu]

Firewall and plenum chamber look good - that's a bonus. They really like to rust there.

That sure is a high rotisserie!!

 

[marty 404]

What to do ?
Now that the front of the floor side panels are cut out I can see surface rust extending back into the side chassis rails short of cutting the car apart this is pretty well inaccessible and must be a lurking problem on most 404,s
My plan is to wire brush and scrape clean what I can then with a rag on a stick splash rust convertor around ,wipe dry and prime what can be reached.
When the car is painted spray rust protector everywhere that can be accessed .
Is there a better way.
Will the rust convertor cause future problems.
What is the best rust proofing [I owned a 1974 falcon that a green grocer had filled with peanut oil this worked ]
Thanks Marty 404

 

[robmac]

I suggest you make sure that doors are fitted and closed (with suitable gaps) before you start welding in floors.

The chassis currently has zero structural integrity and something has to move. :wink2:

Deodorised fish oil is as good as any, followed with a copious dose of cavity wax. Some like to add diesel to the oil.

Just watch the inspection holes. Mr Plod uses a borescope sometimes to check out the rust. Body wax gunks up the camera and is a discouragement.

 

[forumnoreason]

I've been spraying rust proofer KBS Rustblast into difficult places on door insides, with a gun, goes everywhere. If you access to a gun and compressor?

 

[baldrick56]

What to do ?
Now that the front of the floor side panels are cut out I can see surface rust extending back into the side chassis rails short of cutting the car apart this is pretty well inaccessible and must be a lurking problem on most 404,s
My plan is to wire brush and scrape clean what I can then with a rag on a stick splash rust convertor around ,wipe dry and prime what can be reached.
When the car is painted spray rust protector everywhere that can be accessed .
Is there a better way.
Will the rust convertor cause future problems.
What is the best rust proofing [I owned a 1974 falcon that a green grocer had filled with peanut oil this worked ]
Thanks Marty 404
View attachment 94953

'Lanotec' is what I've been using to spray into the cavities of my Traction Avant - also did the 404 with it. Not cheap ($55 for 5 litres if I remember correctly). They sell it @Mitre10 though might have to be special order. Stinks of sheep too - probably popular in Kiwiland


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[marty 404]

Thanks I do like the lanolin based products as long as they don,t dibble out over white paint in the heat.
Good point Rob about fitting the doors.
Marty

 

[robmac]

Don't kid yourself, lanotec liquefies too.

But it does penetrate seams.

So do your outside finish first and seam seal the vehicle before doing the cavities.

404s rust in the sunlight or in dry storage. Imo rust is like cancer - incurable long term.

So anything in the way of rust protection is little more than buying time.

 

[marty 404]

I,am happy to buy time it,s lasted 37 years with bugger all rust proofing so everything has to help another 20 years will do me.
After all everything returns to earth eventually !
The rust proofing will have to be a regular event.