Uh-Oh...rust

[drunkenmaster]

Ok, i know the photo is bad but the camera doesnt want to focus this close to the ground, will try and take a better one soon. Anyhow this seem where the firewall, floorpan and transmission tunnel meet seems like a great place for rust to set in and it looks like it has in my car. It also looks like someone has tried to repair this with new metal but the rust is still present. I just found this today after stripping off the deadener, I will get a fine tipped wire brush attachment and try and clean up the rust in the crevices/holes a bit to get an idea of how bad it is in the next few days.

Any opinions or ideas spring into anyones minds from the photo? Looking for other peoples input on how bad it looks.

[HKSZ]

My guess is that this front rail has been replaced, judging by the drilled out spot welds on the rail. Have you got a compressor? if so buy a cheap sand blaster gun ($30au) and go to work on it. Solder any holes with an oxy then treat it with 'Exit Rust' and an oxide primer. Any gaps along the rail and body need to be filled with a gap sealant.

Steve

[drunkenmaster]

I dont have a welder or compressor but i guess they arent out of the question. It seems I am spending as much on tools/equipment as I am on parts.

I was planning to POR-15 the underside, would a gap sealant be used before or after this?

While the car is in this bare state, is there anything else worthwhile? I was thinking about welding along all the seams but I am not sure if this is worthwhile/advisable?

[drunkenmaster]

Call me paranoid but im not too keen in leaving rust in the car, will be in the back of my mind whenever going high speeds

[St.stephen]

Honestly, you can leave the rust and paint the POR right over it. It really does prefer to be painted right over the rust. I would certainly be filling any of the seams with a seam sealer to prevent water from getting in the joints and rusting from inside the joint. The repairs don't look bad at all. someone did take their time on those.

[Alfadog]

Man, you've got a great shell. Not too sure why POR is better when you put it ON rust, kinda goes against everything I've ever been told...

But that rust is hardly rust at all, THIS is rust

[drunkenmaster]

hehe.....my main worry about this rist is that it is in the joint of 3 panels, seems kind of structural to me and worst of all I cant see it all.

Should I be able to see the same join from the inside of the car?

I cant jump in and look as the car is on stands and I dont want to upset anything.

I will take a better photo today, to me it looks worse inside the seam and those rivet holes than the photo reveals.

[JEFF]

Originally posted by HKSZ

My guess is that this front rail has been replaced, judging by the drilled out spot welds on the rail.

Steve

My guess is that the FLOOR PAN was replaced/repaired, judging by the drilled out spot welds on the rail. OR new rails have those holes in them.

As suggested above, sandblasting is a good way to remove the rust and then be able to see exactly what is there(or not there).

- Jeff