I am heartbroken....RUST!!!

Was doing the tail light paint/tint and went to replace the light and.......... well, take a look.

Original tail light:



Back with originals....



Now, the rust found......this is what I saw at first, then I HAD to poke it with a screwdriver.





After i saw the passenger side, I was hesitant to look at the drivers, here's why (black stuff is spray on bedliner to help slow the rust)




Now, how do I fix this? I know that bondo will rust through, so i was thinking either fiberglass both sides, or there is this stuff from Bondo that is called metal filler. Seems to have metal in it. Welding is not an option now.

Yuck, rotted wheel wells, welcome to my world Mine are good in that spot but in line with the frame is rotted through in one spot that I know of.

The proper way is of course to remove the rotted/rusty portions and replace with rust free metal.

I'm gonna remove the rotted stuff from mine and clean it up and glass the holes over. I have some Bondo "Hair" that may be used as well. It's pretty much a half ass repair to most but oh well. A rotted D pillar is relegating my wagon to daily status anyways.

Ouch....

brokecello wrote:

Ouch....

Chris, want another project??

Krzdimond wrote:

brokecello wrote:

Ouch....

Chris, want another project??

Heh! Once I finish the '96....I bet we could do some work on it! lol I am still planning on heading your way for the AC lines (unless you get your headers on 1st!) Cara wants to eat at Paula Dean's place (Lady and Son?)

You still have a rocking wagon. You will get it fixed like new!

brokecello wrote:

Krzdimond wrote:

brokecello wrote:

Ouch....

Chris, want another project??

Heh! Once I finish the '96....I bet we could do some work on it! lol I am still planning on heading your way for the AC lines (unless you get your headers on 1st!) Cara wants to eat at Paula Dean's place (Lady and Son?)

You still have a rocking wagon. You will get it fixed like new!

Like new is the plan. Paula Deans is a GREAT place to eat. There is an even better place called The Wilkes house Family style restaurant.

The headers will have to wait for a week or two as I have a family vacation in Charlotte next weekend then it's off to Myrtle Beach, then back here.

When you sell that wagon NOT to Crovo, can I please watch?

Bewber wrote:

When you sell that wagon NOT to Crovo, can I please watch?

Thats really far up for rust. In fact i've never seen a wagon with rust there, usually its much lower. But being that far up the best thing to do would be to cut it out and replace with clean metal.

Bewber wrote:

When you sell that wagon NOT to Crovo, can I please
watch?

Will post on Youtube so we can ALL watch........ over and over and over again

Cadet57 wrote:

Thats really far up for rust. In fact i've never seen a wagon with rust there, usually its much lower. But being that far up the best thing to do would be to cut it out and replace with clean metal.

It's only up that high because of the copious use of a 3/16" drill bit strategically applied to the bottom of the quarters to drain off the water.

time to crovo the the wagon

Robert

That car has to be from Maine, not Georgia!

All kidding aside, check further up on the fender well where the seat belt attaches. One of my northeast Roadmaster's that I had rotted right there.

As for fixing, patch and weld, only way to go. From what you have shown there is no paint work, so it shouldn't be too expensive.

Tom C.

..prob from him washing it twice a day...

Sorry to see that Robert. As mentioned though, regardless how you decide to fill the holes, gotta get the rusted metal out first. Cut the rust out back to good metal then patch. Weld in new metal is best of course. 1.5 months 'till WF10, gonna be done by then?

I think that car actually WAS from Maine!

The car WAS from Maine, transplanted to Florida and then took up residence in Georgia.

Wash it twice a day? Ha! I haven't washed it in 3 months! The last thing I want to do when i get home from detailing other people's cars is to work on mine. ONR FTW!! (waterless car wash in a spray bottle)

I will check on the whole wheel well. I need to hit the inside of the well and see where the "soft spots" are. Will it be done by WF10? It HAS to be. I can't drive that far with holes in my car. Will it be done "right"? No. Will the holes be filled? Yes.

If by "Crovoing" you mean hit the paint chips with touch up paint, sand, polish then wax, then yes, I'll Crovo it

Painted surrounds...... NOT CLEANED UP after polishing










OH, almost forgot, picked up some filler screen and a can of long strand reinforced fiberglass filler. Can I use this stuff over the rust converter, or do i use the converter and then sand back to bare metal?

Rob,. check out the thread where pat replaced a lower quarter,. there are metal epoxys that will bond better than welding,
If i were doing the job,. i,d cut the metal back1" around the hole,.clean off the undercoating,
use metal inside and out, and a peice for where the original metal was to fill the hole, bond three pieces together and to the body,
use short hair glass its easier to work with, and actually makes a stronger fill patch than the long strand stuff,.after you,ve patched, glassed, and then sanded it to near invisible , shoot the whole inner fender with the spray on boxliner stuff, (rhino liner x-liner etc) then you can spray that body color,. will last a very long time,.
I patched a freinds old 78 ltd trunk,. it was a sunday trunk,. very holy,. after i was done i shot the whole thing with rhino liner, still looks like brand new 3 yrs later,.no sign of any new rust at all,.kinda like chris' inner fenders??
If i ever decide to do another wagon,. i'll strip the carpets and coat everything with box liner,
and both rear wells,.

Nick

nick, I will do that this Sunday. Thanks.

Crovo - verb Coined in circa 2008. 1. To cover ones vehicle with a dull dark substance. Usually performed in the cover of night, far away from your own garage. 2. An unmentionable act including the term "Hot and Heavy" and involving flaming toilets.

think about this: In 1980, my Dad did a back yard resto on the Austin Healey. He daily drove it in PA for 9 winters. It had road salt issues. He used a grinder and wire brush to remove as much of the rust as possible. Bought galvinized sheet metal and bent replacement panels and fiberglassed them in. A little bondo on top to smooth it all out.

I started to see rust bubbles again in 2009. That's right 29 years!!!!! The car was kept outside but under cover for the first 12 after the resto and since '92 it's been in my garage.

sounds similar to Nick's idea but older technologies....Dad was ahead of the curve.

Well, it's done, and like a crackhead hooker, it's cheap, ugly and got the job done. Ground the rust with a drill and wire wheel, sprayed rust converter, fiber glassed, then put on the bed liner. I think it'll hold for a while.



Also blacked out the tails because that bright red plastic looked out of place.... Pics later when I unload the camera....

Price just went down, Rob.

But I'm still game.










(that totally sucks though. Wicked bummah, dood)

Updated the tails..... With Rustolium spray tint. More smoke than black and better coverage than Nightshade..

headlights/turns are next

I like it! Looks really nice Robert!!

.

Sorry, but i think it looks like crap.
if the car was black mebbe,.
JMHO

So you dislike this more than the bright red on a dark blue?

I don't know, from 20-30 feet it looks better to me, like they aren't even there.

Krzdimond wrote:

So you dislike this more than the bright red on a dark blue?

yes,. i have this thing about bright red tail lights and morons following me etc,.
somehow the tinted ones look 'dirty' or 'old' somehow,. I personally equate bright red with 'new'

Nick

sounds fair.