Gigantic hole in the side of my car....
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Gigantic hole in the side of my car....
So I decided to get savvy and try to fix the rust on the rear quarter panel of my car.
Upon removing the rust, I found that it went all the way through, so I just removed it and cut the metal around it.
Now, I have a few options.
1) I can figure out how to weld, and TRY to weld a plate over it.
2) I can just use straight up fiberglass and try to get it as smooth as possible.
3) I can pop-rivet a peice of aluminum over the hole and then fiberglass over that to smooth it all out at least a little.
What do you guys think? I am leaning towards #3, but let me hear what you guys have to say.
I must say, it was pretty fun to cut into the car like that. However scary it may have been
Phil
Upon removing the rust, I found that it went all the way through, so I just removed it and cut the metal around it.
Now, I have a few options.
1) I can figure out how to weld, and TRY to weld a plate over it.
2) I can just use straight up fiberglass and try to get it as smooth as possible.
3) I can pop-rivet a peice of aluminum over the hole and then fiberglass over that to smooth it all out at least a little.
What do you guys think? I am leaning towards #3, but let me hear what you guys have to say.
I must say, it was pretty fun to cut into the car like that. However scary it may have been
Phil
2009 Outback 2.5XT. 5MT. Satin White Pearl.
2009 Impreza 2.5i Premium. Blue.
[quote="scottzg"]...I'm not a fan of the vagina...[/quote][quote="evolutionmovement"]This will all go much easier if people stop doubting me.[/quote]
2009 Impreza 2.5i Premium. Blue.
[quote="scottzg"]...I'm not a fan of the vagina...[/quote][quote="evolutionmovement"]This will all go much easier if people stop doubting me.[/quote]
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it depends on how big the hole is. #1 is the best option for lonegevity. You can always take it to a body place and have them weld in a piece for not too much.
In #3, I would worry about forever seeing rivit pieces/marks
In #3, I would worry about forever seeing rivit pieces/marks
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I'd epoxy the alloy in. You won't get electrolytic corrosion that way either as the adhesive will keep the layers apart. Welding the metal is difficult if you don't know what you're doing as it's so thin.
Steve
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Barely eaten at all - I imagine these are the rear quarters behind the wheels? These cars only have several small spots of problems (that every car gets). Doubt he'd find a much better chassis without going across country and then he'd have to deal with a likely ugly color and then the pain of switching everything around.
Southern Californians ... [shakes head]
Steve
Southern Californians ... [shakes head]
Steve
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I had the same as your problem Josh. An angle grinder, 3M bristle disk, bondo and a bodyshop later I had 6 months of a good looking fender. Now the rust is back, I think I'm going to buy my next car from Texas or California, or just something without 260,000 miles on it.
Sam
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Bondo is really a temporary repair. I hate the stuff because it's difficult to prepare the metal (which needs to be completely shiny to get rid of any trace of cancer - a harder thing to do than it sounds) and then the moisture gets under the Bondo and accelerates the rust. Even on healthy metal it sucks. In the old days they would smoothe out uneven panels with lead.
Steve
Steve
Midnight in a Perfect World on Amazon or order anywhere. The first book in a quartet chronicling the rise of a man from angry criminal to philanthropist. Midnight... is a distopic noirish novel featuring 'Duchess', a modified 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon.
In some places they still do, well, tin. . .evolutionmovement wrote:Bondo is really a temporary repair. I hate the stuff because it's difficult to prepare the metal (which needs to be completely shiny to get rid of any trace of cancer - a harder thing to do than it sounds) and then the moisture gets under the Bondo and accelerates the rust. Even on healthy metal it sucks. In the old days they would smoothe out uneven panels with lead.
Steve
Actually, that was my 4). you can solder the new sheet into place, and if you use enough flux, it will be a clean, rust free job. Once you have it all smoothed out you need to coat it on both sides to prevent a reoccurance.
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I cut the metal and removed all rust, then used some bondo patch (stainless adheasive mesh) to cover the hole and offer me a little support to lay fiberglass.
I laid a bunch of fiberglass, smoothed it out, used some body filler to make it nice and smooth, and I just primered it today. I'll finish priming it tomorrow and paint it, then I'll be good to go.
Not entirely 100% you'll never know, but still pretty acceptable and I don't need to look at cancer on the side of my car.
I laid a bunch of fiberglass, smoothed it out, used some body filler to make it nice and smooth, and I just primered it today. I'll finish priming it tomorrow and paint it, then I'll be good to go.
Not entirely 100% you'll never know, but still pretty acceptable and I don't need to look at cancer on the side of my car.
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[quote="scottzg"]...I'm not a fan of the vagina...[/quote][quote="evolutionmovement"]This will all go much easier if people stop doubting me.[/quote]
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[quote="scottzg"]...I'm not a fan of the vagina...[/quote][quote="evolutionmovement"]This will all go much easier if people stop doubting me.[/quote]
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Right on Phil. Man, that would be nerve racking to cut into your car.
Hope it turns out nice.
Hope it turns out nice.
-Matt
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Oh... and I hope the fucker get bunked with Gunter, arrested for raping Gorillas.[/quote]
'92 SS 5mt. All go and no show. Sold :(
'94 Audi UrS4 Modded (new project)
'96 Outback 5mt.
'07 Legacy 2.5i SE
[quote="Redlined"]
Oh... and I hope the fucker get bunked with Gunter, arrested for raping Gorillas.[/quote]
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Hopefully it will. I'll just keep repairing body panels that need to be repaired until the whole car is fiberglass, lol.
It might not be perfect, but it'll be better to look at than rust . I'll get pics later today.
It might not be perfect, but it'll be better to look at than rust . I'll get pics later today.
2009 Outback 2.5XT. 5MT. Satin White Pearl.
2009 Impreza 2.5i Premium. Blue.
[quote="scottzg"]...I'm not a fan of the vagina...[/quote][quote="evolutionmovement"]This will all go much easier if people stop doubting me.[/quote]
2009 Impreza 2.5i Premium. Blue.
[quote="scottzg"]...I'm not a fan of the vagina...[/quote][quote="evolutionmovement"]This will all go much easier if people stop doubting me.[/quote]
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Hehe, that'll be good weight reduction! You'll have the worlds only 2500 lb SS without giving up your AC and interior!
-Matt
'92 SS 5mt. All go and no show. Sold :(
'94 Audi UrS4 Modded (new project)
'96 Outback 5mt.
'07 Legacy 2.5i SE
[quote="Redlined"]
Oh... and I hope the fucker get bunked with Gunter, arrested for raping Gorillas.[/quote]
'92 SS 5mt. All go and no show. Sold :(
'94 Audi UrS4 Modded (new project)
'96 Outback 5mt.
'07 Legacy 2.5i SE
[quote="Redlined"]
Oh... and I hope the fucker get bunked with Gunter, arrested for raping Gorillas.[/quote]
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You could chop the whole fender flare out all together and replace it with glass at the joins.
The Lotus guy I know is helping me replace my crunched quarter with new metal. He has all the tools and everything - this guy rules! Then he tried to convince me the Lotus Europa he had in the garage was 'all me'.
Steve
The Lotus guy I know is helping me replace my crunched quarter with new metal. He has all the tools and everything - this guy rules! Then he tried to convince me the Lotus Europa he had in the garage was 'all me'.
Steve
Midnight in a Perfect World on Amazon or order anywhere. The first book in a quartet chronicling the rise of a man from angry criminal to philanthropist. Midnight... is a distopic noirish novel featuring 'Duchess', a modified 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon.
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I'm thinking of using adhesive instead of welding on my new panel after talking to an auto body guy.
Steve
Steve
Midnight in a Perfect World on Amazon or order anywhere. The first book in a quartet chronicling the rise of a man from angry criminal to philanthropist. Midnight... is a distopic noirish novel featuring 'Duchess', a modified 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon.