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 Spare Wheel Well Rot

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verwachst
pilgrim
Fred Kiehl
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Mark 96 Roady
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steel-and-fire
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steel-and-fire




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PostSubject: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeWed Mar 04, 2015 2:57 pm

Just curious what to do when the spare tire wheel well is like this:

Spare Wheel Well Rot 20140927_195402_zpsfc27c226

Been searching junk yards to try and find one, but most of the time they aren't faring better (most of the times worse).

Was going to post in the wanted thread, but I figured I'd ask what anyone here does. Do you find an replacement to weld in or have a welder (or yourself) make one from scratch?
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Andebe

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeWed Mar 04, 2015 3:27 pm

Looks like an opportunity to learn some welding...then you get it fixed,black it out to make it disappear. In my opinion looks much cleaner than body color.
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steel-and-fire




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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeWed Mar 04, 2015 3:57 pm

Oh I agree. An angle grinder and a welder (TIG or MIG?) might be in the future.

I'm just wondering if I try and find someone with a parts car to request the whole well, then cut and weld it in place, or grind it down and use new metal?

More of a question of what kind of material I should be using.
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Mark 96 Roady




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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeWed Mar 04, 2015 4:01 pm

It dosen't look too bad yet, but I sure wouldn't wait much longer. Another alternative to welding is to use a structural adhesive to hold metal patches you make in place. First, grind all the rot down to good metal, and then get a new set of snips, and cut some similar gauge metal, making your own patches. Structural adhesive is a type of epoxy used to hold metal together in new cars, and can be found at any body supply shop. Affix the patches to car, and when done, I'd cover it liberally with a rubberized undercoating inside and out to be sure it doesn't leak anymore. Since any patch may leak again, especially one that gets constant salt and water spray like a spare tire well patch, I'd keep a very close eye on it.
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silverfox103
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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeWed Mar 04, 2015 4:58 pm

That did not rot from the outside, it rotted from the inside. Probably because the drain hole was plugged up. Make sure you have a drain hole and it stays clear. It is a very common problem with GM wagons. Then you may want to hunt for where it is leaking; possibilities include roof rack, side windows and seams.

Tom

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Fred Kiehl

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeWed Mar 04, 2015 6:35 pm

There is supposed to be a block of rubber to hold the tire off of the bottom of the spare wheel well. If it is missing, your tire can block the drain hole.

Checking for leaks is a good idea. You can have leaks from as far front as the back of the rear door. The headliner uses the sides as channels to keep water out of the passenger compartment. The water usually ends up around the grab handles at the rear.

Sealing the channels under the sides of the roof rack can be a good start. The sealant that was put in at the factory is usually dried and cracking. I used regular housing roof cement/sealer and put a thin film in the channel after removing all of the loose material. The seam goes all the way to the lip under the rear glass seal.

The other area that leaks, is along the top of the side glass. If it is leaking, it is probably detached, rusty, and needs to be fixed by removing the glass and re-urethaneing it. You may have to do some metal repair/refinishing as well, to get the urethane to stick. Both of my rear quarter glass panels were partially detached, and leaking. It is not particularly easy to remove the glass, but can be done in a couple of hours with the correct tools. I have addressed the R&R of the glass in another thread.

I use modeling clay and make 6 inch dams to isolate the area I am testing, then fill them with water. If the water leaks out, there is a leak in that spot. Along the top of the side glass, you may get the liquid to travel under the reveal to a leak, because you can not seal the ends of the dam under the reveal. You do get some idea of where the leak is, and eliminates areas where is does not leak out.

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pilgrim




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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeFri Jul 10, 2015 11:50 pm

You cut out the rusted metal, shape new pieces and weld them in. Stop leaks to keep the area dry.
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verwachst

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PostSubject: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeFri Sep 16, 2022 1:05 pm

Hello. It's only been 7 years since your post. Smile I came across because I'm in the exact same situation with my 93 RMW now. I was looking for a repair panel (GM #10274631 "Spare Housing") but no luck so far. How did you eventually solve your problem?

Thanks,
verwachst

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Wojtek

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeMon Sep 19, 2022 10:38 am

Old post at this point your only options would be to find a salvage car and cut out the piece or have someone fabricate the piece as mentioned above .

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steel-and-fire




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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeMon Sep 19, 2022 5:43 pm

Pretty much as mentioned above. At the time, I tried taking it to nine body shops and was turned away within 10 seconds at eight of them. The ninth one at least told me, "Listen, for the money I'd make off this, I could do three smaller jobs in half the time and make the same amount." And he worried about finding more rust/rot which would turn it into a project he didn't want. Keep in mind this was Brooklyn / Staten Island 7 years ago. I instead spent my cash on an engine swap.

Its funny this came up. I recently was at Lead East and was talking to a car restoration shop owner. And I brought up my car and how it was in a gray area of too new for classic car restoration shops and too old for body repair shops.
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Fred Kiehl

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeMon Sep 19, 2022 6:00 pm

Maybe you could get a set of body hammers and anvils, make your own panel, and take it to a shop to weld it in. You may have to make it in 2 pieces.
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verwachst

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeMon Sep 19, 2022 6:01 pm

Yeah, I'm in the same spot now in central Missouri. Most shops in Audrain County only do collision and R&R (remove + replace). They also told me they could to three Corolla front fenders in the time they needed for my RMW - per side! Most shops lament that the old guys have left and the new ones don't have the necessary skills which is pretty sad. Others find it too much of a hassle and too "dirty" (!!) to cut out rusted metal and replace it with something they fabricated with their own hands. And finding a repair panel (GM #10274631 "Spare Housing") seems to be illusive. Do I really have to enroll in Tech College to try my own car as my first job??

Will keep on looking for smaller shops in rural Misery that still have "Oldtimers" on their payroll.

Thanks for responding, everyone.
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94Woody

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeMon Sep 19, 2022 6:31 pm

Sadly most body shops only care about insurance company jobs that pay big money.

Still remember the day my former 92 Trans Am was at one after an old timer pulled right in front of me. They were cool at first and said they would get me a bumper cover unlike the Pontiac dealer that wanted ME to find one on eBay or some other place. When I asked if they could take care of the faded spoiler while it was there you would think I asked if I could sleep with his wife. Went on a tirade about how they don't waste time on crap like that and would ONLY fix the wreck damage.

He wasn't kidding either because when I picked up the car it had a shiny new hood on it with faded and peeling vents on the front and sides.

What made it worse? I worked on his tow truck more than once. Crusty old Ba^%$d died years ago and I doubt anyone misses him.

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Wojtek

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeTue Sep 20, 2022 12:26 am

Do a little searching find a shop or shops that work on Hot Rods , Muscle Cars ,Classics they are around .I know in my immediate area there are at least 3 or 4 that work these types of cars .The wife's Chevelle has to go in for some paint work and get a couple of dents taken out (Paintless Dent Removal) A couple of the places we talked to mentioned that they are having a hard time getting parts do to all the supply crap going on in this country so they are looking for fill in work especially if it's not something major .
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booster




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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeTue Sep 20, 2022 9:54 am

Maybe time to get creative and try to piece one out of other parts.

There might be street rod fenders that could be used as a starting point.  The ones use on bucket T's for instance and other narrow body styles.  Maybe some restoration repop of classic stock fenders, etc. The bottom curve is really the only hard part to hand pound as the rest would be mostly flat sheet to transition to the existing body.

A trunk floor spare tire well could possibly be found that had the right radius even.

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Fred Kiehl

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeTue Sep 20, 2022 10:06 am

booster wrote:
Maybe time to get created and try to piece one out of other parts.

There might be street rod fenders that could be used as a starting point.  The ones use on bucket T's for instance and other narrow body styles.  Maybe some restoration repop of classic stock fenders, etc. The bottom curve is really the only hard part to hand pound as the rest would be mostly flat sheet to transition to the existing body.

A trunk floor spare tire well could possibly be found that had the right radius even.

You need two pieces with some flat sheet on both of them. Half of a sedan trunk floor might be a good start.

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94Woody

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeTue Sep 20, 2022 7:42 pm

Can get a very nice 110V gas welder from Eastwood for a pretty good price. Mine is patiently waiting for me to get started on the holes in my roof from the rack removal.

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FANTASTIC VOYAGE




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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeThu Sep 29, 2022 1:17 pm

I don't know if this is a crazy question or not, but has anyone deleted the spare tire well completely? Like many others, my '93 has rot in the spare tire hump/rear skirt and I'll need to address things much sooner than later.

That might(?) solve the spare tire situation, but I still need to figure something out for the skirt. It was clearly patched by a previous owner, but that patch is now failing. Can't imagine that the odds of finding a B wagon in a junkyard with rust-free rear quarters are very good, am I wrong?

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I just can't believe that nobody has ever produced new panels for these cars. I'd pay good money for each side, without question.
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Fred Kiehl

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeThu Sep 29, 2022 1:54 pm

I had the entire left side of my wagon replaced with junk yard sheet metal. Keep looking in southern junkyards.
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94Woody

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PostSubject: Re: Spare Wheel Well Rot   Spare Wheel Well Rot Icon_minitimeThu Sep 29, 2022 9:52 pm

FANTASTIC VOYAGE wrote:
I don't know if this is a crazy question or not, but has anyone deleted the spare tire well completely?  Like many others, my '93 has rot in the spare tire hump/rear skirt and I'll need to address things much sooner than later.

That might(?) solve the spare tire situation, but I still need to figure something out for the skirt.  It was clearly patched by a previous owner, but that patch is now failing.  Can't imagine that the odds of finding a B wagon in a junkyard with rust-free rear quarters are very good, am I wrong?

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I just can't believe that nobody has ever produced new panels for these cars.  I'd pay good money for each side, without question.

I like to carry a spare so deleting the area it goes in would never be an option.

Cars in the south and especially the southwest should have good metal.

Nobody makes parts because there is no real money making market for them. These are low production cars with probably less than half of them left. Besides, most everything can be repaired without patch panels. It just takes time that most body shops aren't willing to take and money that most owners don't want to spend.

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