Major rust under door. Ideas on fixing? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

godzillarb · 03-01-2011, 12:29 PM

5 minutes later...

I noticed some serious rust under the passenger side quarter panel this morning, poked it with my finger, and everything fell apart. Ugh. Started cutting and it just gets worse. Rust keeps going past where I cut in the picture, but is getting less and less torward the front. The metal support with the holes in it is rusted through and basically fucked. The part that really worries me is the backside of the sheet metal is rusted as well. Seems like it'd be a lot harder to fix / get to?

I'll get more pictures later, but any ideas on tackling this? I'm decent with a mig welder, just not really sure where to start.

Def · 03-01-2011, 06:35 PM

That's a lot of rot if those interior panels are also rusted up that badly. Any chance of getting some more pics?

I'm thinking you're surpassing just basic sheetmetal repair. Might want to visit a junkyard and cut up another car to get some donor metal. Just piece it back up with maybe some additional gussets.

godzillarb · 03-02-2011, 07:56 AM

Started cutting into it more, but need more cut off wheels. *sigh*

So far, the more I remove, the worse it gets.

Darren · 03-02-2011, 08:03 AM

looks like you had a leak at one point ...

You are on the right track, all you can do is keep cutting, and as Def said, you could find clean panels from a donor car and patch them in, or you can just weld in metal to replace what you're cutting (it's just on the inside anyway) and then dose liberally with weld through zinc primer and por15 to keep it from rusting again.

Hope that helps, but it looks like you're in for some work there.

Good thing is, it's not the whole car, just localized.

godzillarb · 03-02-2011, 08:11 AM

Apparently, the quarter panel had been replaced there due to a crash. I'm thinking it was improperly fixed (understatement of the year). Also, it looks like there's a water hose coming from the sunroof that exits right there. fml

From the location, I think I'll be able to hide everything with a sideskirt so that's the plan at the moment. Can I pick up por15 at home depot / an auto parts store?

spice_weazle · 03-02-2011, 03:02 PM

A lot of UK cars are like this. Ours rust due to a large hole on the part of the inner sill in the rear arch just above the subframe Y bracket. I had to replace both sides on my 14a. Its a pretty big job.

Def · 03-02-2011, 06:16 PM

I guess you could just get the sheetmetal down to a common point and weld in a piece of 1.75 x 0.095" DOM tubing then cover with a side skirt. That would be at least as robust as the factory rocker.

jdm2191 · 03-02-2011, 06:19 PM

I HATE RUST! But like everyone said just cut it out & weld fresh sheets of metal GL....

godzillarb · 03-02-2011, 08:07 PM

Getting a little worried with how much I'm having to cut out. Oh well, the saga continues.

blueshark123 · 03-03-2011, 07:19 PM

shit i fear my car is like that thanks to my fucking stupid sunroof trim ripping off and letting water accumulate in this spot. i would get a donor car for the easiest way to replace it.

godzillarb · 03-03-2011, 08:02 PM

Yeah, that's where I'm at right now. There is more rust than I originally thought. I'm currently looking for another shell.

It'll probably take too much time to fix properly.

240sxrb25 · 03-03-2011, 08:35 PM

thats what i did. my s13 had a badly rusted driver frame rail to the point of the front apron splitting away and the shock pushing up on the hood. i bought a shell haha.

240sxrb25 · 03-03-2011, 08:36 PM

your sig says widebody...yout not hacking your widebody are you lol

godzillarb · 03-03-2011, 08:40 PM

That's the worst part. I had the rears molded years ago and not really sure how to save them or if it'd even be worth it. Why the shop that did it wouldn't say anything about the epic rust is anyone's guess

Eramo323 · 03-09-2011, 09:23 PM

Get A Shell save yourself all the extra work !!!!!!!

03-01-2011, 12:29 PM	#1
godzillarb Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Destin, FL Age: 39 Posts: 487 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Major rust under door. Ideas on fixing? 5 minutes later... I noticed some serious rust under the passenger side quarter panel this morning, poked it with my finger, and everything fell apart. Ugh. Started cutting and it just gets worse. Rust keeps going past where I cut in the picture, but is getting less and less torward the front. The metal support with the holes in it is rusted through and basically fucked. The part that really worries me is the backside of the sheet metal is rusted as well. Seems like it'd be a lot harder to fix / get to? I'll get more pictures later, but any ideas on tackling this? I'm decent with a mig welder, just not really sure where to start. __________________ INTENSE POWER RIPPED ME OFF

03-01-2011, 06:35 PM	#2
Def Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 2,701 Trader Rating: (16) Feedback Score: 16 reviews	That's a lot of rot if those interior panels are also rusted up that badly. Any chance of getting some more pics? I'm thinking you're surpassing just basic sheetmetal repair. Might want to visit a junkyard and cut up another car to get some donor metal. Just piece it back up with maybe some additional gussets. __________________ S13 Hatch - Goes around tracks quickly DEFSPORT

03-02-2011, 07:56 AM	#3
godzillarb Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Destin, FL Age: 39 Posts: 487 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Started cutting into it more, but need more cut off wheels. sigh So far, the more I remove, the worse it gets. __________________ INTENSE POWER RIPPED ME OFF

03-02-2011, 08:11 AM	#5
godzillarb Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Destin, FL Age: 39 Posts: 487 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Apparently, the quarter panel had been replaced there due to a crash. I'm thinking it was improperly fixed (understatement of the year). Also, it looks like there's a water hose coming from the sunroof that exits right there. fml From the location, I think I'll be able to hide everything with a sideskirt so that's the plan at the moment. Can I pick up por15 at home depot / an auto parts store? __________________ INTENSE POWER RIPPED ME OFF

03-02-2011, 06:16 PM	#7
Def Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 2,701 Trader Rating: (16) Feedback Score: 16 reviews	I guess you could just get the sheetmetal down to a common point and weld in a piece of 1.75 x 0.095" DOM tubing then cover with a side skirt. That would be at least as robust as the factory rocker. __________________ S13 Hatch - Goes around tracks quickly DEFSPORT

03-02-2011, 08:03 AM	#4
Darren Zilvia Addict Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: kelowna, bc, canada Age: 49 Posts: 680 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	looks like you had a leak at one point ... You are on the right track, all you can do is keep cutting, and as Def said, you could find clean panels from a donor car and patch them in, or you can just weld in metal to replace what you're cutting (it's just on the inside anyway) and then dose liberally with weld through zinc primer and por15 to keep it from rusting again. Hope that helps, but it looks like you're in for some work there. Good thing is, it's not the whole car, just localized.

03-02-2011, 03:02 PM	#6
spice_weazle Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 2 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	A lot of UK cars are like this. Ours rust due to a large hole on the part of the inner sill in the rear arch just above the subframe Y bracket. I had to replace both sides on my 14a. Its a pretty big job.

03-02-2011, 06:19 PM	#8
jdm2191 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Whittier Age: 34 Posts: 3,717 Trader Rating: (79) Feedback Score: 79 reviews	I HATE RUST! But like everyone said just cut it out & weld fresh sheets of metal GL.... __________________ My Build: The "Coupe De Ville" 1JZ Build!!

03-02-2011, 08:07 PM	#9
godzillarb Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Destin, FL Age: 39 Posts: 487 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Getting a little worried with how much I'm having to cut out. Oh well, the saga continues. __________________ INTENSE POWER RIPPED ME OFF

03-03-2011, 07:19 PM	#10
blueshark123 Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Jersey Posts: 5,481 Trader Rating: (55) Feedback Score: 55 reviews	shit i fear my car is like that thanks to my fucking stupid sunroof trim ripping off and letting water accumulate in this spot. i would get a donor car for the easiest way to replace it.

03-03-2011, 08:02 PM	#11
godzillarb Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Destin, FL Age: 39 Posts: 487 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Yeah, that's where I'm at right now. There is more rust than I originally thought. I'm currently looking for another shell. It'll probably take too much time to fix properly. __________________ INTENSE POWER RIPPED ME OFF

03-03-2011, 08:35 PM	#12
240sxrb25 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: omaha, ne Age: 35 Posts: 451 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	thats what i did. my s13 had a badly rusted driver frame rail to the point of the front apron splitting away and the shock pushing up on the hood. i bought a shell haha.

03-03-2011, 08:36 PM	#13
240sxrb25 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: omaha, ne Age: 35 Posts: 451 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	your sig says widebody...yout not hacking your widebody are you lol

03-03-2011, 08:40 PM	#14
godzillarb Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Destin, FL Age: 39 Posts: 487 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	That's the worst part. I had the rears molded years ago and not really sure how to save them or if it'd even be worth it. Why the shop that did it wouldn't say anything about the epic rust is anyone's guess __________________ INTENSE POWER RIPPED ME OFF

03-09-2011, 09:23 PM	#15
Eramo323 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NORTH EAST LOS ANGELES Age: 36 Posts: 764 Trader Rating: (22) Feedback Score: 22 reviews	Get A Shell save yourself all the extra work !!!!!!!