Hello all, kinda silly and a bit of a mystery to me but i know someone out there has a simple answer. I was drilling out the lower rear driverside rocker panel with a hole saw on my 04 e350 extended van for an ac port plug when i noticed something unusual. When i popped out the hole saw cutout, I noticed this sticker. Keep in mind, this is from the inside of the hollow sealed rocker panel.

 

I don't think inner panels of white vans are painted red. Looks like the rocker panel was repaired last year with a section of Toyota hood. Can you take a picture of the rest of the emissions label?

Sixto
93 E150 Chateau 5.8 190K miles

 

It was from a 2014 Toyota something.

Show us a pic of where you cut it from.

 

I cant take any further pics of the label because its on the inside of the panel. I gave ithe panel a pretty inspection and i dont believe any sheet metal was replaced. I suppose i could be wrong if it was done by a top notch body guy/gal.

 

So you found part of a sticker from a 2014 Toyota inside a 2004 Ford, and you believe that is the original sheet metal? Could I interest you in a nice bridge I have for sale in Brooklyn?

 

I suppose one could have their opinions on here without being insulting...
Anyway, i did say it was kinda silly at first but it was an interesting find. I did also state that i could be wrong about sheet metal work.. just never seen that before...

 

I'd say rust repair; looks like paint flaking behind the bumper. If I could see the van I could "feel" if bodywork had been done. Overspray in the wheel well or on the underbody? Signs of welding? Pass a magnet over some of the metal and see if it's loaded with bondo? Feel the lip around the rear wheel well for signs of filler or grafted metal.

I guess it's interesting but it's clearly not something that Ford did in 2004. Do you have a Carfax on the van to see if it's been in a wreck? Although I'd be more suspicious of rust repairs in that area.

The bottom edge of my '02 van is covered with polyurethane chip-resistant paint. Is your van covered with that stuff all the way around?

I wouldn't take Mark's comment as any kind of an insult. It's obvious that your van is a hack job done by someone...and that would not be the Ford plant where it was built.

George

 

Funny i don't see any over spray or any signs of replacement at all. There was some rust in that peeling spot that i sanded and primed when i changed the rear bumper. Thats why it looks the way it does. It does have that 'polyurethane chip-resistant' that you mentioned and its perfectly consistent throughout the lower ends of the rocker panels. I have a 42 page carfax lol.. The previous owner had it serviced only by the local ford dealer and the carfax reflects that consistently. However most people dont deal with Ford for their body work.. Doesnt look like a hack job, so anyones guess..

Was only insulted by Marks comment because someone from Florida is trying to sell the Brooklyn Bridge to a New Yorker.

 

There are a few bridges here in Florida I can offer for a great price....

 

Thing about carfax is, it only shows 'reported' things. It could have been taken to a body work for service and never reported. It could have been done DIY and it definitely wouldn't get reported.

 

Wanna bet that slug was simply left over from another job previously performed with the hole saw making the current opening for the shore power connector?

I've forgotten to remove those slugs from hole saws many a time only to discover them when the saw was to be used again.

I'd remove the connector and insert a bore scope or inspection camera inside that cavity--see what else was left behind.

One way to almost be certain if body work was performed is removing that sides tail light assembly---typically body shops don't remove those unless its absolutely necessary. In the event it was removed before paint there very well might be evidence of over spray or maybe the pig tail leads for the lamp sockets will show paint evidence.

As for Mr Kovolsky's excess bridges in his current inventory----I hear Obama's looking to rebuild our national infrastructure...........sales opportunity?

 

An inspection or dentist mirror should tell enough of the story.

Sixto
93 E150 Chateau 5.8 190K miles

 

Why can't you accept that it's a miracle? Most of the American public believes in miracles; get with the program!!

 

As a home improvement contractor, i generally don't drill through sheet metal so while it seems like a good logical theory, it wouldn't be possible in my case. I did however stick a bore scope in there yesterday and still no evidence of replacement. It must have just been a dam good job that someone did at one point in 2014.

Toyota sticker a miracle? Maybe a gold brick, a winning lotto ticket or my missing car keys.. That would be somewhat of a miracle.. Im gonna drill the other side out and see whats in there..

 

I'd drill everywhere and make the van look like swiss cheese