1995 GMC Vandura G2500 - Rust Battle

As so many have said, bite by bite.

You are and have done so incredibly well.

Just take it a step at a time.

With the biggest regret that I'm actually typing this out, but I want to let you guys know I've finally decided after much battling on that I submit defeat. I decided to have a wee go and start on a contained section on the A pillar, however when I cut into for further inspection it quickly became clear the whole pillar would need replacing as it was ready to become holed with all the rust. I then decided I'd come back and look at the other side, to which that proved to be almost the same. So after finishing up and looking at the rest of the roof guttering, I made the hard decision to give in. Heartbroken doesn't quite cut it, but self preservation and also learning where to draw the line when safety becomes an issue makes it not worth continuing on with. She will be stripped of any more useful parts, the engine and gearbox will be removed this weekend and in the coming weeks will eventually meet her maker.

I want to thank you all so so much for the incredible feedback, the encouragement and of course for following this thread! This isn't going to put me off at attempting another future project, but for it to be one that meant everything to have finished one day, it just wasn't meant to be. There's only so many challenges one guy can overcome on his own, unfortunately this just wasn't one of them. Thank you all again!!

These are broken quite regularly, you should be able to get a section cut from another van.

I can think of someone local to me who has day vans for breaking regularly.

I had the same decision to make when I was about half way through my Cortina. The whole boot floor, rear chassis rails and spring hangers were rotten. The rails had been plated over with metal the same thickness as bean tins and covered in black cr4p.

It seemed a huge amount of work to under take and I didn’t know how to make them in the first place. I put a wanted add on a forum and managed to buy the back half of a car imported from Portugal and cut the bits I needed from that.

There is a way to do anything but if it’s not giving you the enjoyment then I totally understand your decision get rid

Sorry to read this,you've put some much work into it, BUT, "it's a wise man that knows his own limitations" ...

Upwards on onwards !

Cheers Westbay and Metalshapes!

Westbay, I totally agree it's important to know where your limits are. I'm a firm believer in pushing them, but with everything else going on right now moving house and being in a slight financial situation constantly chasing my tail for renting my separate garage and then keeping my house too, I've got to put my future first and be sensible. It will allow me to have a bit more breathing space and then for the time being I can focus on my 2 Fiesta's (The white one needing nothing, however I have a MK3 which may be next in line for a restoration thread!) until I can find myself a decent van within my level of workable

Metalshapes, thank you very kindly for that! I'm not overly upset about throwing away all this work, because as you said it has given me an incredibly vast amount of experience in battling against the rust. I had the opportunity to stop when I was doing the interior strip-out right at the start, but I didn't because I wanted to keep finding out what my capabilities were which proved to be a bit more than I thought! But I eventually met my match and despite constantly trying to find good metal, I called it a day, for my sake and my future's sake. I'd love to buy that van so bad! I had briefly looked at postage quotes and getting it brought over, however it equated to something ludicrous like 4,500 Pounds!! I'd happily have gone for it if I could have gotten postage within the 2,000 Pounds mark but my overly optimistic getting the better of me once more 

Massive amount of appreciation to all of you guys for chipping in some ideas for saving her, but my mind is made up, for the better and for an incredible possible restoration in the not too distant future 

For what it's worth I think you are making the right call.

Regardless of the sentiment involved, you're at the wrong time in your life to get swamped with the unforseen work.

Google "Sunk Cost Fallacy" and you'll see that it's actually a psycological trap we're kind of wired to fall into; the whole "I'm in too deep to stop" thing, that if you're honest with yourself, it's actually better to walk away.

I am a fine one to talk (as are most of us, to be fair), but I definitely agree with your decision here.

If you really want one of these vans once the rest of the stuff you have going on has calmed down, then buying a rust-free example from a dry state would be a way better course of action. Even one that needed a full mechanical going through.

IMHO, the biggest problems with conversions like this is the poor quality of the work done right at the time the thing was built. The way things get finished in unseen areas under the roof, bodykit and windows is a horror story just waiting to be uncovered. That 2015 picture shows that the rot had set in above the windscreen even then. In reality, when your mum decided to park it up was probably the last point at which any sensible restoration could have started.

Onwards and upwards. Don't lose sleep about it now the decision has been made.