Rust damage, what would you do?

-
Pawned

Pawned

N.R.A. Lifetime Member - And damn proud of it
Joined
Jun 29, 2013
Messages
1,605
Reaction score
185
Location
Valle del Sol, AZ
When I bought the car it looked like the picture in my signature. I noticed a few bubbles in the paint. I had tapped them with a hammer and they did not break open.

The paint job was pretty awful. The paint peeled off with a razor.
I decided to repaint the car and investigate the rust they covered up. The car must have sat on the ground in someone's back yard or in the desert. All the rust I found was relatively minor and the rust was inactive. The rust was only where the car met the ground.
The few rust spots are a pretty easy repairs, but the right rear quarter panel (pictured) is another story. The previous owner obviously pushed a couple pieces of metal behind the panel, thru the trunk, and then secured it with a (very) few tack welds. Then they applied about a quarter inch of bondo to it.

My question, should I secure (weld) the metal behind it and then skim over it with bondo, or should I cut the panel out from the marker light down and then weld a metal sheet behind it, then add filler to even the panel?
 

Attachments

  • Left rear quarter.jpg
    22.9 KB · Views: 500
I'd cut it out and replace it with clean metal, then skim over it to smooth it out. I wouldn't want to worry about the rust grabbing onto my new clean metal behind it.
 
One problem that you often see when someone is 'conservative' on rust repair is that it comes back. The best repair would be a full quarter. There are other considerations though. You can get by cheaper with a partial as long as ALL of the 'iffy' sheetmetal is replaced. If you're going to invest a lot of money into paint you'll want to make sure you've got a solid foundation to put it on. Sometimes you find that trying to save money in the short run costs you more down the road. I'm guessing you'll need to replace the inner structure too.
 
You can make a patch of any shape and size you want. First thing you need to do is strip off ALL the crap and cut out the rust. Then you can decide if buying a quarter, patch panal or just a scrap of sheet metal will do the job. Most small patches can be made from flat sheet metal if you have the time, skill and patience to get it close enough that you are not duplicating the mess you started with. The more forming involved for body lines and such, the more the formed panals make sense. The only formed sheet metal I bought for my car was the floor pans. My goal was not to exceed 1/8 inch of filler anywhere. I believe I accomplished that. Last 2 pic are the other side, but was similar repair.

attachment-3.jpg


attachment-4.jpg


attachment-8.jpg


attachment-6.jpg
 
70DartMike said:
I'd cut it out and replace it with clean metal, then skim over it to smooth it out. I wouldn't want to worry about the rust grabbing onto my new clean metal behind it.
Click to expand...

This has always been an Arizona car from the desert. I believe (speculate) that the rust was from ground moisture as opposed to salts on the road. I am pretty sure by the rust pattern that it must have been sitting on the ground without tires for a very long time.
The rust is dead/inactive/not growing or any other way to describe it. It is and always will be an Arizona desert car, at least for as long as I live. After that I don't know or care.

Placing a piece or sheet metal behind the section I will cut off seems to be the best idea. I can then skin it with bondo/glaze. I really think that after I finish, the bondo will be thinner and cleaner than the guy that did this before.

BTW, if I did get a quarter, I would put it on myself rather than "professionally". I have learned that nobody cares to do a perfect job as much as I do It may take me a couple weeks longer, but I have all the time in the world.
 
Sorry had the wrong pic. Switched. Not painted yet, but should just need some final prep.
 
Just want to make sure I do this right. I can not trust my memory of the Duster I had 44 years ago and I do not trust the person that bodoed my car up.

I pulled the picture off the net. I put the yellow lines next to the only creases I see in the picture. I do not see a crease in the panel from the wheel opening on back to the marker light, even thou there is one on the other side of the wheel opening.

Hopefully I am correct. Am I????
 

Attachments

  • right rear quarter example.jpg
    15.2 KB · Views: 367
There is one more right below the marker light that runs from the wheel opening to the back.
 
I think I see it on the pix, but it appears to be just above the marker light

I think I see it on my car also. If I were to make a cut, it would be below that line

Never mind, I see you are correct thank you much
 
I will cut out the rust and patch the panel.
I will not be spending over $500 for a new panel.

I appreciate everyone that provided feedback, thank you
 
Heres a pic of the AMD panal that shows the lines pretty good. Notice the lower body line joins the one around the wheel well. You may get lucky when you strip the bondo off. I just used a coarse wire wheel on a drill to remove mine. Most of my body lines were intact under old bodywork.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    11.5 KB · Views: 231
On to another subject: Sanding

I knew this but forgot the steps.

Before primer I should get up to 320 grit?
Primer should be wet sanded to 800 grit before paint.?
Paint should be wet sanded to at least 1500 before clear coat?

I have done this before and it did come out fairly nice, but I do not remember the grit numbers I used before each step

Later: I just discovered some more rust that I never expected. It may blow my theory of sitting on the desert floor out the window.
I found rust on the rear roof pillars next to the rear window. They are on the bend as it goes up the roof.
I have an idea how to deal with it. I hope it works
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top