Well, a few weeks ago I removed 2/3 of the left Rocker for replacement, and I was vacillating about cutting out the lower rear quarter to get to the back end of the rocker. The quarter panel had been replaced 12 years ago and still seemed to be in good shape. I think it was Escanlon that suggested I might consider what things looked like under the quarter, and tonight I did. Poke, prod, cut, chisel, and in the end, it looks like this. Yikes! At least I'll be able to replace the entire rocker intact, and then the lower quarter dogleg. Thorough cleaning out, POR-15ing, and maybe I'll never have to do it again. Hopefully.

Ugly stuff, that rust...

Originally posted by mdbrandy

Well, a few weeks ago I removed 2/3 of the left Rocker for replacement, and I was vacillating about cutting out the lower rear quarter to get to the back end of the rocker. The quarter panel had been replaced 12 years ago and still seemed to be in good shape. I think it was Escanlon that suggested I might consider what things looked like under the quarter, and tonight I did. Poke, prod, cut, chisel, and in the end, it looks like this. Yikes! At least I'll be able to replace the entire rocker intact, and then the lower quarter dogleg. Thorough cleaning out, POR-15ing, and maybe I'll never have to do it again. Hopefully.

Ugly stuff, that rust...

Hole-y Sh*t, Batman! Good thing you opened it up Mark.

Is there no real way of telling what lies beneath other than drilling/cutting out the panel?

Same as what I am finding.

Tonight I have removed all the tar covering on the passenger floor pan. You want to see the rust there. Also poked around under the passenger wheel arch and found a bubble in the chassis rail. Managed to push a screw driver through that....oh my God.

I've found waht looks like to be white silicon sealer under the tar. Didn't know if that was around in 71...probably not....so this means that I might have a botch job on my hands.....yikes.

Still...........it is better to have the heart attach now and not after the thing has caused a accident.

As Bambi was saying "Holy Rusted Metal Batman" for those who saw part 3 with Jim Carrey you'll know what I'm on about .

Unfortunately very common spot infact my Z had this on both sides but I manged to get it repaired before it got too bad.

One day I still plan on stripping my Z to it's bare side and full restoring her like you Mdbrandy keep up the good work >

Originally posted by drunkenmaster

Is there no real way of telling what lies beneath other than drilling/cutting out the panel?

Not much. I had some indications, however. Here is a pic of the rear of the rocker before I started hacking on the quarter panel. Note that the outside of the quarter looks pretty good. The end of the rocker inside it is rusty, but reasonably intact. However, see the next two pics...

Here is the wheel well behind that portion of the rocker before work started. Hole doesn't look too bad, right?

Until you start making it "bigger". Abrasive cutting wheels make quick work of removing metal :devious: .

I know it's no consolation, but your pics could be the ones I should have taken of my car.... mine was rusted just as bad and in the same exact spot. I noticed the bondo in the dog leg when I bought the car, but didn't realized it had rusted the inner fender panel out like it did.... I ended up having to buy a whole inner fender panel just so I could cut out the patch panel at the bottom where the dog leg wrapped around it so it could be welded back like it was, damned hard to fabricate that piece with the compound curve and lip for the dog leg to weld into the fenderwell.... Mine was rusted out on the outer side even worse than yours. Looked the same under the dog leg too.....:disappoin

Oddly enough, the passengers side is perfect with no rust and/or bondo....

Originally posted by 2ManyZs

Oddly enough, the passengers side is perfect with no rust and/or bondo....

I don't think I'll be that lucky. The quarter is just as good on the passenger side, but the Rocker is even worse in front on that side, and I expect to see the same stuff under the rear quarter. There's even a little hole in the wheel well on the passenger side in about the same place as the drivers side. Not quite as big, though, but it doesn't take much to let the water in. Oh well, by the time I get to it, I'll have a lot more experience, right?

Originally posted by mdbrandy

Not much. I had some indications, however. Here is a pic of the rear of the rocker before I started hacking on the quarter panel. Note that the outside of the quarter looks pretty good. The end of the rocker inside it is rusty, but reasonably intact. However, see the next two pics...

Well i have stripped my inner wheel arch and found nothing but shiny metal, so I hope the other side I cant see is the same

http://www.angelfire.com/hi3/hiper/260Zunderbodystrip_cleanarch.html

A Z im looking to buy has rust here, how do you fasten replacement panels?

Stupid question, but where to the welds go or do you weld it everywhere and grind it back to paint over.