Thought I would post a couple of progress pics. This may help a new person that is tempted to take short cuts and just mask over mouldings or not remove the fenders because the car looks "rust free". My car was about as rust free as they get for 33 years old. But once you start removing things, you will find all sorts of nooks and crannies with rust starting to pop up. Fixing it right now will make the restoration last much longer. Maybe even another 33 years! First 3 photos show the fenders. On the outside they looked perfect. With the fenders still bolted on, you could not see any of the corrosion going on in the inside. Now that they are removed, it will be easy to repair the damage and stop the rust. If left alone, in no time at all, rust would be bubbling up under that new paint job. The 4th shows under the quarter window "hockey sticks" or "boomerangs". Often these are taped over or painted over without removing them. this is why they need to come out. 5th shows spots under the trunk weather seal. Many people leave this in because they are don't want to spend $40 on a replacement and they can't see any rust anywhere. Guess again!
These next 4 photos show the inner fenders. With the fenders still bolted on, you could not see any of the corrosion going on in the top of the inners. Now that they are removed, it will be easy to repair the damage and stop the rust. Note that one of the pictures is the area below the cowl drain. Road dirt gets up in there and then traps moisture in the area of the topside of the torque boxes. A must get at spot on these cars.
Very good point! I found and took pics of the same type rust activity in my grabber. It is always the stuff you cant see. Dan
Your going to find surface rusting on a brand new car,The term rust free doesn`t mean that the car is free of any kind of rust.Light surface rust on all those parts is very normal.
I took the battery box outta the grabber today,, I did not have to unbolt anything lol,, the area of the fender apron came with it. Dan
Most cars I have ever bought the owner did not charge me for the rust, I guess that I got something for free!
Theres no battery box left in my car after a battery exploded in it long before I got it. Gonna have to convince my dad to do a new one out of sheet metal.
one good thing about rust.....and there isnt too many good things about it...........but it does help to lighten the car so it goes faster...... my car has a lot of rust lightening modifications...
I am afriad to pull my car apart.... What is a battery box? Oh that is the big hole that battery strattles.
Yes, the pictures have dropped off to make room in my attachment folder for newer pictures for newer posts. I might have them in an archive that I'm keeping on progress on my car so if I find them I'll put them back up. In the text I described pretty well where I was finding the rust, so for now you can just use your imagination on what it might have looked like. Eric J
The Mustang we just finished had a pile of rust for a battery tray. The owner never did get another one and we were running short on sheet metal. The guys next door had brought home an old gas grill someone had set out for trash. The grill still had the steel tray attached to it. We took off the tray, cut it down to battery size, cut holes in it for the hold downs, welded it back up and painted it black. Instant battery tray. If anyone ever bothers to look under it, it stills has the name " Kenmore" stamped on it.
