Front Frame Rust. Is this save-able?

[BullittStangV8]

Front Frame Rust. It's Gonna Be Saved! (UPDATE)

Guys.
Really really terrible day working on my 65. As I was replacing my fuel line, and getting my -AN hook ups made, I saw a bunch of "buildup" in the area underneath where the upper A-arm connects (wheel well side), on the "shelf" that is made at the frame rail/shock tower connection point. I started scraping at it with a screw driver, and...it keeps flaking off. I end up being able to pick off by hand enough to make a couple quarter sized holes on the shock tower where it meets the frame rail, and the "top"/covering to the frame rail, enough to where I can stick 2 fingers in. I assume that this is heading in the "your front frame rail is rusted out" direction? So my question is this...is the car saveable? It is so close to being finished and head out to the track, and now this is found. How serious is a front frame replacement? How much ($$$)? Can I save it? Ill try and post pictures as soon as I can..I'm really not in the mood to hear that my baby is beyond reasonable repair..

 

[fastcoupe68]

Its def repairable no matter how bad it is, its just the extent of the rust that will determine how much work it will take to repair it. Put up those pics

 

[BullittStangV8]

And here is what is covering up the carnage..

 

[CanyonCarver515]

Well, it's ugly but I don't believe that you should give up on this car. It looks repairable.

 

[Rusty67]

BullittStangV8, I know just how you feel man... I'm sorry that happened to you. Keep your chin up, it looks like its fairly repairable. Time to find replacement pieces. Good luck man.

 

[jerry S]

Anything is salvageable, no matter how bad it seems. It is only a question of money.

I fixed this car when any sane person would have just crushed it and moved on.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=729068&highlight=jerry+S

 

[BullittStangV8]

well what are you guys all thinking in terms of whats needed and how much it will cost? I can do allot of stuff, but welding is not one of them. whole new frame rails? Frame rails+shock towers? patches?

 

[danny clemens]

You can weld. Buy a small name brand mig and practice. You can weld. A mig makes owning an old Mustang more affordable. This won't cost all that much if you do it yourself. Just remember that there is more of the iceberg that you can't see than what you can see. Remove and replace all rust except for surface rust.

 

[jerry S]

well what are you guys all thinking in terms of whats needed and how much it will cost? I can do allot of stuff, but welding is not one of them. whole new frame rails? Frame rails+shock towers? patches?

to arrive at a correct figure, take the highest estimate and then double it. I don't want to sound coy or anything. This is an awefully expensive hobby. When I was budgeting for my repairs, I was being conservative. I took my estimates and then added a margin of 25% on top of that. I was not even close.

 

[BullittStangV8]

to arrive at a correct figure, take the highest estimate and then double it. I don't want to sound coy or anything. This is an awefully expensive hobby. When I was budgeting for my repairs, I was being conservative. I took my estimates and then added a margin of 25% on top of that. I was not even close.

I understand about that budgeting aspect of it. When I built my motor, i set aside double what I was quoted at. It ends up that all the little pieces really do add up... And I would love to learn to weld, I'm just not sure if such a critical aspect of the car is the best place to start? The replacement parts are not all that much (about $150 for each frame rail, or $510 for a frame rail/shocktower/apron assembly). I can get the car down to bare frame myself no problem. The welding it straight/strong/true is what I would want a professional to do, especially since this car is being built to race. It needs to survive some wheelie landings.

 

[65fastbackresto]

My car has rust in the same area

a previous owner fiberglasses it up and a bunch of other spots. Ya, might say it has a cosmetic restoration and all they did was hide the bad stuff.

 

[palerider94]

I've got the same problem on my mach. I'm guessing this is a pretty common area for rusting. I will proabably go with full repair kit 1st link or just the brace - n2nd link. The 2nd would be easier since you don't need to pull engine but I have cracks in my shock tower where it may make sense to go with whole kit. I was bummed at first but have resigned myself - just part of the hobby.

http://www.pro-motorsports.com/?page=article_102
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/67-6...208969359QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item320208969359

 

[fastcoupe68]

I'm in Jersey! If your close enough I'll do everything I can to help you out

 

[BullittStangV8]

fast coupe, I appreciate the offer if I'm going to tackle this. Do you know how to do frame repair? Getting the parts is not the difficult part. Its getting the old frame out, and getting a new one in properly. I can always pay with cold beers and hot coffee.

 

[showngo50]

i have a question, what about a rusted frame rail , you know where the battery sits, underneath that, the frame rail on the 68 i have is kinda ugh. any ideas? input?

 

[BullittStangV8]

the frame rail itself, or the apron? they make replacement panels for the apron which isnt too bad of a fix.

 

[showngo50]

it is the lowest part of the frame, right below where the battery sits, it kinda looks as if a battery went bad or dripped down and sat underneath the rail , it looks as if it is the lacation where the front torsion bar mount, mounts to the frame rail if you can get an idea of where i am saying

 

[fastcoupe68]

I have to say that I have repaired quite a few mustangs in my day, from simple repairs to full restorations and noticed that you were in Jersey and I'm never the one to not help a fellow Mustanger especially one that races there mustang. if you like PM me and lets see what we can do here!

 

[StangDreamin']

If that's all there is; you're extremely lucky! Over on the Cougar Board I frequent, there is a guy (also in Jersey) that went through waaaaaaaayyy more than that with his '69 convertible. New floor, new rockers, new clip; he even built up and installed a complete '67 cowl -best condition he could find; I think one of the quarters and a door are still original to the car.

Because there are relatively so few examples of Mercury's "cousin" to the Mustang still in existance, and replacement body parts are even more rare; guys back there will go through huge gyrations just to keep their cars alive. They even have their own acronym - "ECI", which stands for "East Coast Idiot". This guy taught himself bodywork by working on this car; and the results are unbelievably good.

The options for fixing your car's probelems are limitless (Well, maybe limited by your bank account!); from stock to a full-tube front clip. I'm teaching myself a little body work; as I have to find a good, solid rust-free 1973 left rear quarter in a junkyard and replace the mass of rust and Bondo on my car. If I can do it without screwing it up into a big ugly patch (that remains to be seen ); you should be able to handle a shock-tower, frame rail, and inner fender panels on yours.

At least re-pop parts are available "almost everywhere" for your '65!

 

[showngo50]

this is a pic of what i am dealing with, how bad do you guys thnk it is? fixable? or? ideas please.