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DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated #2564963
10/16/18 05:44 PM
10/16/18 05:44 PM
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Val-haul-ass... eventually
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BradH Offline OP
Taking time off to work on my car
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Not for The MoPig, although the same thing could certainly apply to that car, too. This is my 2002 Subaru WRX DD that has a couple of spots in the rear quarter panels behind the wheel lips that have developed some WRust ( tonguue ).

I'm interested in doing the repairs myself, but would like some suggestions for what products would be effective in such repairs, especially on the passenger-side where the surface has cracked and the corrosion has spread much more already. I've done some online research and have a couple of ideas, but this will be my first "real" experience w/ body repair and want input from those who have been down this road before me. Thanks - Brad

WRX rear qrt_2.jpgWRX rear qrt_1.jpg
Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2564978
10/16/18 06:00 PM
10/16/18 06:00 PM
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Connecticut
FurryStump Offline
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Assuming that the quarter is not easily replaceable. Like you can unbolt it and bolt another on. If it were mine I would cut out the rust back to unrusty steel. Then hand form or buy a full new quarter depending on cost. Cut out the section I needed Then weld in the patch panel. Spray the back with weld through primer if you can’t get to the back to paint after. Then epoxy primer, then body work, then paint. or just punch out the rust hole and fill with plastic filler then paint. It really depends on how much time and effort you want to put in.


best of 11.39 at 117 mph 1.60 60’. 68 340 S Barracuda Fastback F.A.S.T [IMG]http://i67.tinypic.com/2mnnnnt.jpg[/IMG]
Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: FurryStump] #2565002
10/16/18 06:54 PM
10/16/18 06:54 PM
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BradH Offline OP
Taking time off to work on my car
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First-time body repair on my 16-YO DD... seriously doubt I'm buying a welder and taking a welding class for this (although it would be cool to know how!).

What I have in mind at this time is to grind away the rot to clean metal, and use some type of metal-reinforced filler product after treating the exposed metal to try to keep the rust from returning.

Does this fall under your "Basic Backyard Bondo" job? shruggy

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565009
10/16/18 07:03 PM
10/16/18 07:03 PM
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up yours
Supercuda Offline
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filler, of any type, is a skim coat over good metal to make it look straight. It is not a replacement for gone metal, it will fall out. It is used as a replacement for craftsman level metalworking that doesn't need filler when done. I can't do that level of metal work, nor can I afford it.

There have been may lazy ass ways to try to get filler to stay, chicken wire, stuff it with newspaper, whatever. all fail and all fails.


They say there are no such thing as a stupid question.
They say there is always the exception that proves the rule.
Don't be the exception.
Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: Supercuda] #2565018
10/16/18 07:21 PM
10/16/18 07:21 PM
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BradH Offline OP
Taking time off to work on my car
BradH  Offline OP
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I'm not spending the $1500 that the body shop quoted me to repair & repaint the problems shown. Not sure what -- if anything -- I may do if what I'm proposing in some form or another is simply going to be a waste of my time.

Well, that's part of why people post questions, isn't it?

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565020
10/16/18 07:23 PM
10/16/18 07:23 PM
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The Swamp
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Sixpak Offline
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Find a friend with a mig welder. Do it once, do it right. Grind it back til you get to solid metal. Overlay wide strips of tape over the hole, mark the contours and use as a template to cut a patch, then truck over to your friend with the mig. Grind back the welds, use some fiberglass bondo for the deep stuff, regular bondo for the light stuff. Sand til you get sick of doing it (get it flat and smooth), hit it with primer to see the high spots, sand some more. Prime and paint.

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: Sixpak] #2565023
10/16/18 07:31 PM
10/16/18 07:31 PM
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BradH Offline OP
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You guys are starting to make me think my plan to stuff the holes with old socks, used chewing gum and Elmer's glue wasn't very well thought out. wave

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565024
10/16/18 07:31 PM
10/16/18 07:31 PM
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Florida
BDW Offline
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Grind / cut away rusted metal, prep with Ospho then lay some fiberglass on it.
That will be non-porous and then you can skim coat with bondo.

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BDW] #2565047
10/16/18 08:20 PM
10/16/18 08:20 PM
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Eagle, Idaho
Neil Online content
The Doctor is in.
Neil  Online Content
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Mask with clay and spot blast it clean. Cut out the rust and weld in a patch piece. File welds flat, prime, block + paint.

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565065
10/16/18 08:52 PM
10/16/18 08:52 PM
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Atlanta, GA
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mgoblue9798 Offline
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Only one way to do it. Cut out the rust, treat the area, weld in new metal. If you can't do it yourself or pay someone to do it that way, then don't waste any time or money on it.

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565068
10/16/18 08:58 PM
10/16/18 08:58 PM
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Mequon, WI
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gzig5 Offline
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If you aren't willing to do it right (cut out the bad, weld, prep, paint) then either live with the rust till you can't stand it anymore and replacing the panels looks like $1500 worth of work. Or grind the crap out, fiberglas and band aid any open spots, fill and spray bomb. You will have to repeat that process every year or two as the bondo soaks up moisture and fails, but at least you saved $1500. Or just let it go and ignore the halo of rust stains that form on the driveway under the car.

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565143
10/16/18 11:32 PM
10/16/18 11:32 PM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 484
Chilly Northern, Minn.
71 Charger R/T Offline
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That is typical "Subie" rust. The quarters rust right at the shelf where the quarter meets the bumper cover. Rust coming from the backside like this will most likely necessitate replacement of some inner structure as well. (at least to do it right, it will) as far as the outer panel goes, you don't need to invest in a welder. Go to your local Harbor freight store and buy a flanging tool.




Cut out the rusted area (rust is like cancer! The only way to stop it is to CUT IT AWAY!) and flange the edges around the hole, fashion a new piece of sheetmetal and "Glue" it back in with "Lord, fusor" product. The panel will be flush, completely sealed from moisture leeching through the repair into your plastic filler skim coat on the outer surface.
The upside to this method is that you will not be burning away any of the factory E-coat on the back of the sheetmetal and leaving a new bare surface for rust to begin again. I live in the "rust belt" So I'm all too familiar with rust! This is the best way I have found to deal with rust. I was skeptical about "gluing" panels before doing it this way the first time. But do some research and you will find it to be just as strong as a weld and non- destructive to rust preventatives that are in place behind the panel.




This is on a 1992 Subaru SVX. You can see I had to rebuild the inner wheel house before gluing the outer patch panel on. I welded the patch into the inner wheelhouse but if you get fancy, you could glue that too.




Not a real great picture of the finished product, but it's all I've got.



If you just go the Bondo route, plan on doing it every year! Because it's only going to last about one season before it rears it's ugly head again. twocents

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565146
10/16/18 11:36 PM
10/16/18 11:36 PM
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Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
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These days, I might have some doubts that the $1500 repaint bill would include welding in new metal. My bet is the new patch is going to be glued in place.

You should cut out the rust, treat the metal with a rust converter (for the rust you missed cutting out), form a patch and glue the patch panel over top of the hole surrounded by the good metal, then add filler to the edges to make it smooth, and paint it.

Anything short of cutting out the old rusty metal and replacing it with new metal will guarantee the rust will return, possibly as soon as 6 months.

Once you do it yourself, and find out just how hard it really is, I'd bet the next time, that $1500 won't look so bad. Gene

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: poorboy] #2565152
10/16/18 11:50 PM
10/16/18 11:50 PM
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Chilly Northern, Minn.
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Originally Posted By poorboy
These days, I might have some doubts that the $1500 repaint bill would include welding in new metal. My bet is the new patch is going to be glued in place.

You should cut out the rust, treat the metal with a rust converter (for the rust you missed cutting out), form a patch and glue the patch panel over top of the hole surrounded by the good metal, then add filler to the edges to make it smooth, and paint it.

Anything short of cutting out the old rusty metal and replacing it with new metal will guarantee the rust will return, possibly as soon as 6 months.

Once you do it yourself, and find out just how hard it really is, I'd bet the next time, that $1500 won't look so bad. Gene


I agree with everything except the last line. It's not really hard (and it's very satisfying) to do it yourself! By the time you're done, you'll probably have laid out about $700 doing it yourself. The chemicals are not cheap! Sandpaper, probably a few tools. (Flanger, spray gun, Long board, sanding block, Etc....) But you'll have some tools to show for it and some education to add to your portfolio.

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: 71 Charger R/T] #2565171
10/17/18 12:54 AM
10/17/18 12:54 AM
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BradH Offline OP
Taking time off to work on my car
BradH  Offline OP
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Ironically, I was thinking seriously about having the shop do the work when I had a self-inflicted incident while driving my wife's car that we bought in 2015. realmad

The repair estimates were within $50 of each other. Hmmmm... spend the $1500 repairing my wife's newer car, or spend it on my 150K-mile 2002. Only enough $ to fix one... and doesn't my wife's car look nice! whistling

So, it really does come down to a) I do something myself, or b) it doesn't get done at all. I appreciate the replies and will do further research to see what I'm willing to take on myself.

EDIT: FYI, the estimate for repairing the WRX did NOT include repairing the rusted area by replacing the metal. They told me they would use some hi-zoot... epoxy? ... and, BTW, no warranty on rust repairs.

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565220
10/17/18 02:56 AM
10/17/18 02:56 AM
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Omaha Nebraska
Brian_wo Offline
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First answer was spot on.
Buy a mig and go for it,you will be surprised how many uses you will find for it.


who is that guy?
Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565252
10/17/18 10:07 AM
10/17/18 10:07 AM
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dvw Offline
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I'd glue it. The trouble is fabricating the patch. My bet is the backside corosion area is FAR larger than what appears on the surface. Then there is blocking it flat and matching the color. To make it look undetectable takes time and skill.
Doug

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565285
10/17/18 11:32 AM
10/17/18 11:32 AM
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mopars4ever Offline
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You could patch it with filler and touch up with some paint mixed in a spray can at NAPA but it won`t last very long. As said the rust is much worse on the back side compared to what you see.

Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: BradH] #2565289
10/17/18 11:34 AM
10/17/18 11:34 AM
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Connecticut
FurryStump Offline
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The best tool I ever bought was a small MIG welder. $300 and you can teach yourself how to weld. I literally don’t know how I got along without it. Mine is the lincoln electric handy mig.


best of 11.39 at 117 mph 1.60 60’. 68 340 S Barracuda Fastback F.A.S.T [IMG]http://i67.tinypic.com/2mnnnnt.jpg[/IMG]
Re: DIY body rust repair product suggestions appreciated [Re: Sixpak] #2565302
10/17/18 12:13 PM
10/17/18 12:13 PM
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Highland, MI.
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Originally Posted By Sixpak
Find a friend with a mig welder. Do it once, do it right. Grind it back til you get to solid metal. Overlay wide strips of tape over the hole, mark the contours and use as a template to cut a patch, then truck over to your friend with the mig. Grind back the welds, use some fiberglass bondo for the deep stuff, regular bondo for the light stuff. Sand til you get sick of doing it (get it flat and smooth), hit it with primer to see the high spots, sand some more. Prime and paint.


Right here is the only way.^^^ Rust is like cancer, you have to eliminate it.


No Man With A Good Car Needs To Be Justified
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