1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Found a Cure for Wheel well rust!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-05-06, 11:27 AM
  #1  
GSL-SE PRO

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
JIMMY54's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: MISSISSAUGA, ONT. CAN
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Talking Found a Cure for Wheel well rust!





Its called stainless steel.......

The car was totally sandblasted, and any areas that need to get repaired are being done in stainless steel. I dont want to ever have to worry about anything again! Plus its MUCH MUCH thicker than factory stuff, so it should strengthen it nicely...

Last edited by JIMMY54; 04-05-06 at 11:36 AM.
Old 04-05-06, 11:30 AM
  #2  
Rotary Freak

 
Alex-7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin
Posts: 2,117
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Nice.
Old 04-05-06, 11:35 AM
  #3  
RAWR

iTrader: (3)
 
OneRotor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: 90024
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
how hard was that to weld? what kind of machine did you use (mig or tig)
Old 04-05-06, 11:38 AM
  #4  
GSL-SE PRO

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
JIMMY54's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: MISSISSAUGA, ONT. CAN
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Im using a Mig welder w/ a tri mix gas i believe. Welding it wasnt too bad, the hardest part was shaping it! Its quite a bit thicker than the factory tin.
Old 04-05-06, 11:41 AM
  #5  
voo doo witchdoctor

 
rOtAryIsbEttEr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Texarkana, Arkansas
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ALAS! A cure, i think ill try it.
good idea btw
Old 04-05-06, 12:00 PM
  #6  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
iTrader: (2)
 
dj55b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 6,122
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
wanna do my car? I'll drop it off a few weeks if you want.
Old 04-05-06, 12:07 PM
  #7  
Old Fart Young at Heart

iTrader: (6)
 
trochoid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: St Joe MO
Posts: 15,145
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 7 Posts
Outstanding job Jimmy. Is this the blue one that was rusting out from under you? If so, great save.
Old 04-05-06, 12:39 PM
  #8  
Rotary Freak

 
perfect_circle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Land Of Confusion southern MI, USA
Posts: 2,604
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
how much did it cost as far as materials... i know stainless would cost more.
Old 04-05-06, 04:12 PM
  #9  
GSL-SE PRO

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
JIMMY54's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: MISSISSAUGA, ONT. CAN
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Perfect circle, stainless material 175 canadian with tax plus
stainless welding wire was 100 bucks
welding gas was 80 bucks (used entire bottle)
It gets expensive using stainless, but I want this car to last.

Trochoid, I still have the blue car but this is the replacment shell. But no worries this car will look exactly like the blue car when finished. The only difference will be the larger brakes, painted spoiler, and fully polished turbo'd 6-port motor.

dj55b, If you are interested in something like this, it is possible. PM me and we could work something out. Hopefully your car isn't as bad as mine was!

Old 04-05-06, 05:03 PM
  #10  
Moderator

iTrader: (3)
 
diabolical1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: FL
Posts: 10,867
Received 313 Likes on 274 Posts
very nice job there, Jimmy54.
Old 04-05-06, 05:56 PM
  #11  
GSL-SE PRO

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
JIMMY54's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: MISSISSAUGA, ONT. CAN
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by diabolical1
very nice job there, Jimmy54.
thanks bro
Old 04-05-06, 06:13 PM
  #12  
Admitted Sevenaholic

 
Max7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ashland, OH
Posts: 1,910
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Looks nice! As always

Just wondering how it will hold up, welding thick stainless to thin steel can create problems with penetration, to much on the steel and not enough on the stainless. Just a curious point.
Thick steel would last about as long after you undercoat everything.
Now where is it going to start rusting? hehe

Nice work though!
Old 04-05-06, 06:27 PM
  #13  
My FSP Fiesta eats Jettas

 
Wankelguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,616
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Thank God you didn't say "POR-15".

Good job!
Old 04-05-06, 07:33 PM
  #14  
Old [Sch|F]ool

 
peejay's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Posts: 12,542
Received 426 Likes on 305 Posts
STEEEEEEEVE! (I know you're going to read this thread)

We gotta finish your car this weekend, now, if I have to drive straight to your place on Friday and fabricate until it's time to leave for work Monday morning

BTW - Jimmy: What happened to the brace in front of the shock tower? That dealy is somewhat important, it translates the spring loading from the fairly weak floorpan to the incredibly overbuilt side panels.
Old 04-05-06, 07:50 PM
  #15  
Thunder from downunder

iTrader: (1)
 
aussiesmg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Convoy, Ohio, USA
Posts: 3,843
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Pete, I'm in, available all weekend....

Damn straight I was looking at this thread...hehehe

By the way the red one is up and running....woohoo
Old 04-05-06, 09:52 PM
  #16  
Roll to Heaven in a RX-7

 
rxtory's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Westminster, B.C - Canada
Posts: 790
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
**** why do i have to own a arc welder
Old 04-05-06, 10:33 PM
  #17  
Junior Member

 
rx-440's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: CANADA
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
very nice work.maybe you could come give me some welding tips
Old 04-06-06, 08:05 AM
  #18  
GSL-SE PRO

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
JIMMY54's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: MISSISSAUGA, ONT. CAN
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
peejay, that support bar that I removed will be replaced with one made of tubular steel. You are totally right the car would flex big-time without that brace....

Max 7, I wish I knew what guage of stainless I'm using, It is slightly thicker than the factory sheet metal, but just that amount makes it so much harder to shape and cut. As for penetration on the welds, didn't have much problems, and it's welded on both sides just to be sure it's strong.

Now 100 years from now all you will find are my wheelwells in the middle of a field! LOL Everything else has rusted away. LOL

Rx440, Thanks for your help with the welding tips! For you guys that don't know him, he is a professional welder, that came by every so often. You can see his dinky escalade in the backround.
Old 04-06-06, 08:12 AM
  #19  
GSL-SE PRO

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
JIMMY54's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: MISSISSAUGA, ONT. CAN
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
For you guys thinking about welding...

I'm using a lincoln electric 3500 HD, It welds up to 5/16 thickness, with bottle attachment for stainless and aluminum. Perfect machine for all you guys at home. Works off your standard outlet plug.

Good for manifolds, IC pipeing, sheet metal, exhaust etc.
Old 04-06-06, 09:30 AM
  #20  
wheres the water goin?

iTrader: (9)
 
3rd and final 7's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 1,586
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Looks damn good i think i know what im going to do when i get out to cali!
Old 04-06-06, 02:35 PM
  #21  
Rotary Enthusiast

 
Lee Lyons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Calgary; AB
Posts: 1,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i think you had a little more than a slight fender rust issue to deal with by the looks of it...lol
Old 04-06-06, 07:39 PM
  #22  
Old [Sch|F]ool

 
peejay's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Posts: 12,542
Received 426 Likes on 305 Posts
He didn't say how much he cut out.

On the driver's side of my GSL, imagine all of what he put in... gone. I screwed the interior vinyl to the coverplate to keep the wind from blowing it open.

Passenger side isn't much better.
Old 04-06-06, 08:33 PM
  #23  
Admitted Sevenaholic

 
Max7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ashland, OH
Posts: 1,910
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'll be doing something similar next winter when I mini-tub...... muahhahahahahahaaha....
Old 04-06-06, 08:42 PM
  #24  
Rotary Enthusiast

 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: lol
Posts: 803
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
nice!


Just wanted to ask if rust under the cowl, by the windshield wiper motor, was also a common problem?

I found some on my 80 and debating if I should even attempt to fix it, or put the bondo back over it...
Old 04-06-06, 09:40 PM
  #25  
GSL-SE PRO

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
JIMMY54's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: MISSISSAUGA, ONT. CAN
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
none of my cars ever had cowl rust, but they did have rust around the windshied, under the trims.


Quick Reply: Found a Cure for Wheel well rust!



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:48 PM.