Major rust. What to do?

Begizzle

Member
Jun 19, 2005
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I've owned this car since april 2007, and just recently found some major rust damage. It is a '94 gt. The first two pictures are rust under the rear window. But the major rust is in the rear two frame rails. The driver's side frame rail is rusted through from the inside out around the area that the quad shock mounts. I can move the quad shock with my hand and watch the frame move in and out. Then it is rusted through on both frame rails into the trunk floor. Even though the passenger frame rail isn't rusted through, I can see that it is rusting on the inside. What makes me mad is that the car looks brand new underneath from the rear axle forward, no rust. What are my options for getting rid of this problem?

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You should be able to take it to a body/frame shop and have them look at it. They should be able to get some fresh sheet metal on there. I would worry more about the framerails...hopefully the car is still straight back there. Good luck....
 
I'm from PA. I traded my '89 coupe for this car from a guy in wilkes barre, Pa. He said that the car was rust free and from Florida. I thought that I had made such a good deal until the other day I found the rust. Now just seeing the car in my driveway makes me sick. I would like to just sell the car, but I would lose so much money. I found some sand in the trunk underneath the panels. Could it have been by the ocean in florida and rusted by the salt water?
 
Rust

Wow that sux. I hate it when that happens. You think your getting a killer deal and at the end, it really is a KILLER deal. hehe. Man that would drive me up the wall too. I guess it's a good lesson when buying a car, to check underneath the rubber and trim and also, have a look underneath the car itself. Couldn't you get a rear clip (quarters, trunk, floor) from a junker and start cutting out and replacing? That wouldn't be too hard if you have the time and patience and know-how. Anyone want to weigh in on this idea or would it be more expensive? Wouldn't it be easier than shaping and pre-fabing parts?
 
Im no expert but a good place to start is takeing it to a bodyshop and ask them what can be done. I t may sound useless but maybe you should contact the guy and ask for some money back. Or just yell at him. Whatever helps.

I wouldent let it go though. Its still a car. Fix it
 
I had a similar problem with my old 88 before this car. I thought long and hard about trying to save it and everywhere I brought it said since the car isnt rare, old or collectable, Id be better off selling it or keeping it as a parts car. Not what I wanted to hear at the time because I couldnt afford it but ultimately I realized it was true. I know how much it can suck, especially if its your only car. What I did was stop putting money into the car save for regular maintenance, saved up 500 bucks, sold my car for 700 and used it for a down payment on my 95. My car was bone stock with decent miles and I found it at a good price.
 
Guys, this was from July of 2007. :rlaugh:

I need to get under my car with a can of POR-15 and start coating it up before my surface rust turns into rot. It was my DD through some midwest winters for a few years, so it's got some rust that I'd rather not have to cut and patch.
 
Just to throw it out there, anyone considering POR15 might want to give Rust Encapsulator from Eastwoods a look. They have links to direct head to head comparisons between the two products and Rust Encapsulator beats POR 15 hands down. The local body / restoration shop my dealership uses turned me on to it because I had a few surface rust spots on the underbody and in the shock towers when I bought it. Didnt want to have my car end up in the same shape as my 88 so I asked them, checked out the site and then applied it shortly after I bought the car. Theres been no creap from the original spots and its been 15 months. Not saying POR15 is bad, just throwing more options out there.