Rusted and cracked b pillar.

[mirafiori76]

I must agree too. I think it will be not just the pillar. That's why i suggested 4 or 5 mmm sheet metal. To bring back the stiffnes.
On the other hand i must say that i never saw a B-pillar that was so bad as this one seems to be. Wonder why this part is so rusted. And how about the lower part?

[mirafioriman]

Just use metal that is at least as thick as the original and you will be fine. Another thing to consider is that if you use metal that is much thicker than the original then welding two different thicknesses can become difficult.

You can never really tell how bad things are until you get in there. Things are often worse than expected

[curt]

I used to see damage in this area quite a lot - usual problem was when the inertia reel seat belts didnt retract properly. The metal tang of the seat belt used to drop  to the sill and people would slam the doors on them taking nicks and gouges from that area - and then off course - in came the tin worm !!

[131DHOC]

I have inspected the rear side of the pillar, taking off all the ancillaries and plastics, and the response is that there is only rust in the low end of the pillar, rust just stops abruptly and the rest of the pillar is fine. The sill is good in that place, no rust, inner steel pillar panel too, so I think it's just a factory fault of that part and this is why I would repair it without changing parts, it's too little and localized to change parts.

[124AC]

The base of the pillar sits down onto the sill and is spot welded.  From the damage I would say water has run down inside the pillar and collected in the bottom.  It rusts around the spot welds, and the pillar eventually cracks and rusts away.
Damage like this should be repaired in layers to make sure it is strong, and lasts longer than 5 minutes!
Try holding the rear door by one end and you will see just how much load this pillar has to support!

To repair:

Strip the area and remove the rear door.
Make sure the inner pillar face is sound, or repair it.
Cut away the bottom 2" of the outer pillar.
Grind the remains off the sill and remove all rust.
Repair the sill!  If the outer is this rusty, the sill will be holed.
Make a repair for the lower pillar in 20 swg or 22 swg steel.
Seam weld to pillar and plug weld to sill.

If you can't do it, or get it done, I 'm in Wiltshire and have 25+ years experience with Fiat/Lancia/Alfa repairs.

[131DHOC]

Thank you for your answer, I'm in Italy and I'm looking for a good repair shop, and I need to know if it can be repaired without a spare central pillar, but with a new outer sill only (which is easy to find and cheap).
Regards

[124AC]

This damage can be repaired by cutting out the rot and shaping sheet metal to replce those areas.
It's not a difficult repair, but take the time to do it properly if you intend to keep the car.

Good luck!

[131 Lover]

Hi!
Hope its only that part that is rotten, here where i live they put salt out in the winter that eats all cars and if its rusted o hole in some place  almost all of it is as bad but not yet hole!
Please Keep us uppdated and show the result,

Regards Alf

[131DHOC]

just waiting for leaving the car to a body shop and have an ultimate sentence. I'll keep you updated.