I found rust!! Please help!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
I found rust!! Please help!
I have read and seen a lot of threads having to deal with rust in there C3s and have always been thankful I didn't have any. Or so I thought.... While doing a few odds and ends on my 82 I pulled the left kick panel to do my work and every time it's off I always check where the body mount is. For both sides it is in great condition. But today I had to pull back the carpet a little and exposed some rust further down. My initial thought was to clean it up and go on and that's what happened, it kept going until I poked a hole through the bottom. The rust is contained to that specific area and no where else being caused from a water leek possibly and running down the "A" pillar and puddling. Well I've attached some pictures so tell me what I need to do. Like I say the passenger side is in excellent condition. What looks to be brownish is a product that I sprayed in called Fluid Film[URL=http://s929.photobucket.com/user/alconk/media/DSCN1395_zpsrckx4dlm.jpg.html]
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Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,022
Likes: 30
From: Los Angeles CA
that sucks, now i gotta pull my carpet back to take a look, these cars are old, i think they are better built than c4's but like anything else, we are battling father time and mother nature
looks like a project in front of you...
looks like a project in front of you...
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
Well until I'm ready for a permanent solution I have treated the metal and sprayed bedliner in that area. After it dries Im going to try to cover the opening with seam sealer then screw in a piece of sheet metal. It sounds kinda bubba-ish but I don't drive it in the rain unless I'm caught and it's kept in a heated garage in the winter so hopefully it won't get worse. To me it looks like an expensive repair and could only be handled by a shop that deals with C3s.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Your most important action is to find where the water is entering and seal it up. You may have other rust-thru problems with the 'birdcage', around the windshield area. That's one avenue for water to enter. The wiper trough has drains for letting water out. If the drain paths for that trough are blocked, water will back-up and cause rust. Poke around and clear those drains.
P.S. My car spent 30+ years in San Diego and has almost no rust. I keep it that way by not letting the car experience RAIN! There is the occassional wash-down. But mostly, it gets wiped down with detailer when it gets dusty.
P.S. My car spent 30+ years in San Diego and has almost no rust. I keep it that way by not letting the car experience RAIN! There is the occassional wash-down. But mostly, it gets wiped down with detailer when it gets dusty.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Jul 21, 2015 at 10:14 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
Your most important action is to find where the water is entering and seal it up. You may have other rust-thru problems with the 'birdcage', around the windshield area. That's one avenue for water to enter. The wiper trough has drains for letting water out. If the drain paths for that trough are blocked, water will back-up and cause rust. Poke around and clear those drains.
P.S. My car spent 30+ years in San Diego and has almost no rust. I keep it that way by not letting the car experience RAIN! There is the occassional wash-down. But mostly, it gets wiped down with detailer when it gets dusty.
P.S. My car spent 30+ years in San Diego and has almost no rust. I keep it that way by not letting the car experience RAIN! There is the occassional wash-down. But mostly, it gets wiped down with detailer when it gets dusty.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,950
Likes: 498
From: Chino Hills CA
It's most likely just one spot where water had a chance to collect over time. Treat it, keep it clean and dry, and it won't get any worse. I wouldn't do any bubba repair, Cut out the bad stuff and weld in new metal when you're ready.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
100%. The proverbial 'can of worms' can get opened up in this scenario.. I have repaired many rusted areas on Corvettes at the bottom of the A pillars...and some of them were REALLY involved. and ...some are not so bad. But the main thing was to get the water to stop entering the cabin....or all the work is pointless....because most people will soon forget on what they need to do if the car gets wet (even when it is being washed)....and then the problem begins all over again.DUB
DUB
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
YES indeed DUB I agree. I plan on this weekend backing the car out and running water over that area while I'm in the car to see if and where it's coming in at. I do know of two spots on the windshield stainless header where it meets the chrome corner moldings, right where the stainless overlaps I can see light through there if I shine a flashlight from the outside looking in. I even replaced the T-top weather strip and tightened down the latch stops but water still comes in there. I was going to post another thread asking how to remedy that??