The dreaded bonnet hinge rust...

I've finally started the prep work on my LX. I'm starting at the engine bay. I had the usual bit of rust behind the bonnet hinges, but yesterday I ground it out to find that the cancer is much worse than I first thought. Looks like the whole mount area needs replacing.

I guess I've got 3 options and I'm trying to decide what to do...

1. Cut it out and weld in fresh metal, make my own plate for behind it.
2. Find a LX at the wreckers without rust there and weld the whole lot in as one peice.
3. Cut it out and weld in fresh metal, but re-use the original reinforcing brackets.

What do you guys reckon?

Going by the pics ive got of my hatch project it had the rusty inner section repaired and the support bracket done, have a look at my photobucket site if you want pics

It looks as though my rust is a bit worse. I think I have to actually cut out the mounting holes which is what makes it tricky...


Here's what I'm thinking...

- Make up a temporary oversize plate for the inside of the engine bay and tack weld it to the inside.
- From the inner guard side, drill through the bolt holes to mark the position on the temporary plate so that I have the exact position of the bolt holes.
- grind off the spot welds and remove the bracket on the inner guard.
- carefully cut out the rusted area leaving the temporary plate on the other side.
- plate the area with fresh metal from the inner guard side. Drill the new holes using the template that's tacked welded in the engine bay. Then remove the temporary plate.
- Weld some good factory brackets to new area. Then seal the inner guard side all up with POR15. The only other option here is to make my own mount brackets and weld the factory nuts to it, but it sounds like un-nessesary work.


Does this sound like the way to go?