75 Duster Drip Rail Repair

[DocHolliday1995]

My drip rails are in really bad shape on my Duster. It was 90% restored when I bought it. Therefore I didn't do any body work to it, because I thought it had already been done. There are rust holes in my drip rails that are probably an inch long and a quarter inch wide. I want to fix them but I don't want to repaint my car right now. I'm going to repaint eventually, but I have another project going at the moment. Do I need to just shave them off whenever I'm ready to repaint, or can they be fixed?

 

[whitepunkonnitro]

You can't shave them without doing a bunch of welding. The drip rails also double as a pinch weld seam

 

[DocHolliday1995]

You can't shave them without doing a bunch of welding. The drip rails also double as a pinch weld seam

I read that I had to weld the seam if I take them off. I'm an amateur welder, but I'll give it a shot.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Good luck! That's an absolute terrible place for rust. It's made me turn vehicles down for purchase more than a few times.

 

[DocHolliday1995]

I

Good luck! That's an absolute terrible place for rust. It's made me turn vehicles down for purchase more than a few times.

I should've checked them before I bought it. I wasn't aware that it should be checked. The guy that had it before me covered up the rust holes in the rails with electrical tape to keep it from leaking.

 

[lee g]

If you don't have a welding machine or short on funds neutralize the rust and use lab metal, dura glass, USC all metal, or something equivalent for a short term solution. If rust isn't eliminated it will rear its ugly head again at a later date. These are tedious and time consuming and tend to grow as you start welding or in search of good metal to weld too.

 

[DocHolliday1995]

If you don't have a welding machine or short on funds neutralize the rust and use lab metal, dura glass, USC all metal, or something equivalent for a short term solution. If rust isn't eliminated it will rear its ugly head again at a later date. These are tedious and time consuming and tend to grow as you start welding or in search of good metal to weld too.

I have a mig, so I'll just try to neutralize the rust and let it ride the way it is for now. Thanks guys!