Three Weeks Before Our Road Tip… We Found This! I Emergency DIY Land Rover Defender Bulkhead Repair

This week on @RusttoRoad-4x4, what started as a routine inspection quickly turned into an emergency repair. After removing the rubber mats and sound deadening from the passenger footwell of our 1989 Land Rover Defender 110 300TDI, we discovered extensive rust holes in both the lower and upper footwell of the bulkhead. With our overland road trip to the Pyrenees less than three weeks away, there was no time to waste. After assessing the damage, Nick cut away all the corroded steel using an angle grinder before fabricating new repair sections from scrap sheet steel salvaged from an old shelving unit. Using cardboard templates, Nick shaped the repair panels by hand before preparing to weld them into place. Things didn't quite go to plan when his ageing gasless MIG welder failed just as he was ready to start welding. With no replacement available, he had to improvise and complete the repair using an arc welder with 1.6mm electrodes—far from ideal for thin sheet steel but enough to save the Defender's bulkhead. In this episode you'll see: Inspecting the Defender for hidden rust Cutting out rotten bulkhead steel Making repair panels from scrap sheet metal DIY metal fabrication using simple tools Welding car body repairs with an arc welder Grinding and finishing the welds Applying seam sealer and red oxide primer Preparing the Defender for our upcoming Pyrenees expedition This isn't a professional restoration—it's a real-world repair carried out in our workshop to keep this 35-year-old Defender on the road and ready for adventure. If you're restoring a classic Land Rover, repairing Defender bulkhead rust, or simply enjoy watching practical workshop projects and overland vehicle builds, we hope this episode gives you plenty of ideas and inspiration. 🚙 Vehicle: 1989 Land Rover Defender 110 300TDI Our Pyrenees overland adventure is now just around the corner, so make sure you're subscribed to follow the next stage of the journey! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Instagram:   / rusttoroaduk   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Email. [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #LandRoverDefender #Defender300TDI #BulkheadRepair #RustRepair #ClassicLandRover #Welding #DIYRestoration #Overlanding #LandRover110 #DefenderBuild #RustToRoad #OffRoadAdventure