Graham Bell

It rather depends on how bad the corrosion is. If you're lucky (or catch it quick enough) the moisture will have got under the paint rusting the metal underneath, but it will only be surface rust with no real detriment to the metal. If that's the case you can strip the paint and surface rust off the affected areas (emery flap wheel in drill works well). If the metal looks OK with no holes or deep pitting then you can treat any residual surface rust with a rust stabiliser and then paint. I'd recommend using etch primer. If you do find any holes or deep pits that are about to become holes (or do become holes when you poke them with a screwdriver) then it's a welding job. You can't tell just how bad things really are until you get the paint off, and it you're lucky it might not be as bad as it looks. I recently repaired the rear wheel arch on a Range Rover that was bubbling up so badly I was fully expecting to end up with a hole, but the metal was actually totally solid. Hopefully you'll find the same and only need a paint repair.

Thanks for the replies chaps. Removed the clutch start switch (what a **** of a job!) and switch seems to be working fine. Made up a link lead anyway and still won't start. Will give the battery connections a check. Other than that I'm thinking maybe sticking starter solenoid - though if that was the problem I can't see why it wouldn't start yesterday but then it would.

Thanks for the reply. Car started fine first thing this morning and again when I came home for dinner, but won't start again now. I suppose it's possible to make a link lead to bypass the switch and see if that makes any difference.

Have now rigged up the starter relay to a battery charger and meter and found that seems to be working OK. Then refitted the relay and thought I'd give it a try for the hell of it and it started fine. So... will have to see what it does tomorrow.

Just parked car up at dinnertime, and when I came to start it up again it wouldn't. Just not turning over at all, though all other electrical circuits seem fine and it's showing 12V on battery. Have checked starter signal fuse and that's OK. Pressed plunger on clutch pedal postion switch in by hand, made no difference. Tried spanner on crank pulley and engine turns fine, so not that either. It's like the starter isn't getting any power at all. Could be starter relay so I'll see if I can check that next, but wondered of anyone else has any ideas. Car has always started straight away before so long as the battery is charged (there is a parasitic drain I can't find that runs it down if stood long enough - which it hasn't been lately) so this came out of the blue. No fault code reader, so can't check anything there, but there weren't any check engine lights or anything like that showing when I drove it home. Any suggestions gratefully received.