How much rust is too much?

Rusty 1975 Duster, what would YOU do?

  • Fix all the rust, it's original

    Votes: 51 44.7%

  • Part it and build a solid car instead with the parts

    Votes: 63 55.3%
  • Total voters
    114
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TylerW

TylerW

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Hey guys:

I've been thinking about what to do with my Duster. It's a 1975 Custom with AC, V8, A904 LBP power discs and 8-1/4. It has all the trim in good shape, plus dual chrome mirrors and inside hood release.

It also has definite body issues. It's a great 20-footer, but up close you see the problems. It has rust in both quarters(expected) both floors, and across the entire trunk floor. It also has rust through underneath the lower windshield trim, at the A-pillar/roof joints and around a non-factory sunroof.

The driver door striker is breaking through, and both rear upper shock mounts have rusted through and been repaired. If that isn't enough, someone cut out the cross bracing behind the seat to install speakers!

In contrast, the chassis is great and the doors, fenders trunk and hood are fine. It has all the stickers, tags and the broadcast sheet.

I like the car and I know it would be pretty with everything repaired. On the other hand I have seen many cheap Dusters/Dart Sports with less rust and I could use all my good parts on one.

On the OTHER hand there goes the originality.

I know what my gut is telling me to do, but I'm not convinced either way yet.

So, I'm going to poll it. Please, no "it's your car you can do what you want" or whatnot. I simply would like simple "yes I would fix it all regardless of the cost" or "there's too much wrong with it, part it and build a solid car instead".

Thanks!
 

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If you have a mig, or are willing to invest in one, I say fix it. A quality 110v Lincoln setup like I have was under $800, and will last a lifetime.

If you are thinking of paying a shop to repair it, you had better REALLY love the car. I paid $2500 for my '73, and it's solid as a rock. Even fasteners such as exhaust hardware came right off with no penetrating lube. Caveat is that I got my car from a dry state, and paid an additional $900 to ship it cross country. Well worth it, in my opinion.
 
Hard to tell for sure from the pics, but I'd say part it and build a solid car with the parts in that case... BUT sell that body to someone to use to tub as a race car, if it's good enough for that. Much of that bad stuff would be cut out for that anyway and the rest they could patch with cheap flat sheet.
 
I think it's all about where the rust is, too. I would fix a lot of rust damage in one, but if it's somewhere stupid, like well under the cowl for example, that's just a *****. Also, that area on tha spot on the A pillar ain't good. AT ALL. I mean.....how are you gonna treat what's UNDER that top A piller and roof skin? I'll tell you how. You AIN'T gonna. That's how. Not sayin that the car's not worth fixin......just that you have to decide for yourself how much work you wanna do and draw the line in the sand.
 
I'd be inclined to part it. There is rust in a lot of strange places and it would never be worthwhile to pay someone to fix that. I have seen people fix cars that were rusted that bad but it is not that common. If you love welding grinding and forming metal its a nice big project.
 
This one is worth fixing. Of course it is a big block Cuda Convert....


RUSTYCUDA.jpg
 
One more thought here... In the early '90s I had and drove a '72 Charger that only had around 35k miles on it. All the parts on it were beautiful. But the rust from sitting was probably about what yours is, maybe worse. Interior, trim, motor, everything was absolutely beautiful. I wish to heck I'd had the space to keep that car, because if I had it today, I would find a solid shell and swap everything over and end up with a beautiful Charger. You, RIGHT NOW, are in that same position. Not a bad position to be in, you're lucky you have the opportunity to take advantage of it.
 
It is your car. If it means a lot to you then fix it. I have seen worse and seen them fixed.
 
I voted for part it... only because you asked what we would do. I must say though that I wouldn't have purchased a car in that shape anyway... but that wasn't an option on the poll.

I guess for me it would depend on what the car was. So, how much is too much? Well, it's only limited to the amount of work you are willing to do to that particular car.
 
Gas mig, sheet metal, a roller, and assorted tools, especially air(Harbor Freight works). Then patience, time, and a learning curve. And ospho.
It's,not that bad, or hard. Just research the methods. I replaced a 1/2 rear 1/4 on my 70 Duster, learned. Presently me and a bud have replaced 2 1/2 1/4' s, and misc body on his 69 Charger- total of 32 hours per drunken ***. Looks good. The front and rear windows are next, this involves the roller/flanger tool. Parts made, but the real ***** starts there.
Once you play with scrap parts, and learn the tool; not that hard. Just cool the butt welds down with water, or watch the expansion of the metal.
Butt weld- leave a 1/16" or more of space, then spot slow, keep moving around, and wet rag. No gap( a weld is hot, then while cooling, contracts) No space? metal has to bulge, in or out. Practice off the car; get the hang of it.
 
Here's what I would NOT do if I were you. I would NOT let a poll on an internet forum with a bunch of votes from OTHER folks make your mind up about it. Do what YOU wanna do with it. As mentioned, much worse cars have been fixed. It'a all about how much work YOU can do or PAY FOR, not what somebody else thinks.
 
StrokerScamp said:
Here's what I would NOT do if I were you. I would NOT let a poll on an internet forum with a bunch of votes from OTHER folks make your mind up about it. Do what YOU wanna do with it. As mentioned, much worse cars have been fixed. It'a all about how much work YOU can do or PAY FOR, not what somebody else thinks.
Click to expand...

++1 especially since it's about impossible to tell how bad something really is from those pics.
 
any of them can be saved its a matter of preference. if you have the talent and patience and pride of craftsman ship it can be resurected new again. if your pockets are full with extra money find a good quality shop that can do the work right the first time. and they need to have pride and a concience in what they do. if you don't like those choices,sell the car and look for a better one. i'm sure someone would love to do the car. but see that's not alot of rust for someone in illinois. but for alabama..........
 
It's like building a house, you have to start with a good foundation. I voted for parting it, if it was a rare car, like the cuda, that would be a different story. But, I'll bet you can find a rust free body for a reasonable amount of money from a dry state. My dart came from AZ and for a 63 it had less rust than my 97 Ranger had on it.
 
Since you didn't want the it's your car ... thing, I voted to part it out. That said, I'm resurrecting two rust buckets. The 4-door had floor issues which were easily fixed. Grind/cut out rust, fit new panel, & weld.

The Demon had roof rust similar to yours. There was no rust at the lower part of the glass, but the roof and A-pilars were disasters. The A-pilar damage is structural, so no re-skin is going to fix it. I had a great, old-school coach get me through decapitating the Demon and a donor car. It is nerve wracking to cut and time consuming to shape and re-align the panels for re-attachment. If you get it wrong, the glass does not fit properly.
 
Rust is always worse than it looks and never better. Our cars don't seem to be worth much these days so finding a better shell will surely be a better platform to invest your time and money into. It might even be cheaper.
 
The A-pillar and sunroof rust were not apparent until the top was removed.Same goes for the rust under the windshield.

The short list of what it needs is this:

2 quarters
full trunk +
2 front floor pans
tail panel
wiring front to rear
top skin +
cowl repair
full interior.
 
StrokerScamp said:
Here's what I would NOT do if I were you. I would NOT let a poll on an internet forum with a bunch of votes from OTHER folks make your mind up about it. Do what YOU wanna do with it. As mentioned, much worse cars have been fixed. It'a all about how much work YOU can do or PAY FOR, not what somebody else thinks.
Click to expand...
You have a habit of getting in the way of (people not as smart as you think you are), working on their own cars.
 
66 Dartman said:
I've fixed alot worse but as stated ya need the tools and the know how.
Click to expand...
Tools cost money. I justify each tool purchase NOT by estimating it into the job at hand, but considering it an investment in my lifetime hobby.

The beautiful thing about know how, is that none of us were born with it. It certainly is easier to learn from an experienced teacher, but I bought videos, practiced like the dickens, and taught myself to weld fairly well. I would NOT pay someone else to fix this car. You would be over the cars value in labor in no time flat. But I WOULD encourage you to consider attacking it yourself. Sure a clean car is better. At this point in my life, I am spending the extra to start with a solid foundation. But tackling a car like this will teach you many valuable skills.
 
Well here is my two cents,IF YOU LIKE TO WORK ON CARS AND HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE,then go for it all it takes is patience patience patience,Even if you dont know how to do it all, you just try and also research, THERES TONS OF INFO good luck.
 
I enjoy working on cars a lot, and body work is something I want to get into.

The amount this car needs seems massive.
 
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