Well apart from rain and the previous arseholes not washing and taking care of it

I know it's a **** photo but can't get the phone back far enough because of the strut, this is most of the hole under the back o/s arch up very near the top of strut. If you put your hand up, there's a kind of lip inside the arch, it's just above that, it's about 8-9" long and 2-3" high but in a kind of wedge shape. The other side's more or less the same, well it would be if you pressed it. I know it's structural but not sure how much....definate mot fail for sure though

Here's a photo, you'll hopefully kind of see what I mean

Driving it fast down gravel tracks or using it as a rally car having it throw gravel and stones up. Then years of salt eating away :( 

Honestly, I don't know where the first owner stayed from new in 98-03, but the second stays/ed in north Glasgow in Drymen/Milngavie and had from 03 to April last year, then the guy I got it from. But it's obviously been a combination of the first 2, or difinately the 2nd. They either might have lived on a farm and its just been a workhorse (as it's totally original), I can't see a non turbo being used for home rallying, then again, I'll never know.

All I know it's a c**t of a hole, neither me nor the mechanics has saw anything as bad, especially there

I would say maybe used as a work horse then but I have seen Non turbos that have been taken off road and abused on gravel tracks by kids :( and I'm with you not seen anything as bad as that in that place. 

I know, obviously the current mot's a hooky, and maybe the last 2-3 too, as that kind of hole/rust/rot doesnt happen in a few months, it would take a a year or 2. I used Google st maps to find their address and it's very residential, the only gravel they would be on, is going in their drive lol, unless as you say, a workhorse or their worked at/near a farm or dirty/gravely rds.

 

I honestly just dont know how anyone can let a car's underneath get like that, it's a fkn disgrace imo!....but i suppose there's alot of folk that wash and hoover outside and in, but never think of underneath...they're obviously like that. I pity the next poor ****** that buys the car they'll have now whenever they sell.

 

The next car I get (if there is one) not only will check FULLY under it everywhere where I can, I'll also take a sniff tester and check the coolant for the h/g, but there's still probably something I'll get stung with, but it hopefully wont be bad bodywork or h/g's

I agree I was looking at undersealing mine again just around the arches before winter doesn't take. 

one of the biggest causes is like gambit says salt, I would have a look through previous owners and see if they lived anywhere near the sea, my bugeye that ive recently got rid of was literally missing the front scuttle in places and even had scabs on the roof from the salt getting under the paint :/

It's only had 3, the guy I got it from lives in East Kilbride (no water near) and probably had since March or April last year, then the guy in/near Drymen (again, no water but the one that let it happen) but don't know who bought it new. But I'm sure it's the 2nd guy that had it for 12yrs that's not bothered his !Removed!, fkn idiot!

like you said could have been sat a while an suffered neglect.

I guess that's the diplomatic way of saying it