Birdcage rust detection procedure ?
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Instructor
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: si ny
Birdcage rust detection procedure ?
What is the best way to assess if a car has birdcage rust (especially windshield pillar rust) when looking at a potential car for sale ? Thanks in advance.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette LA
I guess that will depend on how much they let you take the car apart 
If you give a firm whack to the windshield pillars on both sides when it
is quiet -- run away if you hear flakes of rust falling down.
If you have a white cloth put one on the floor next to the kick panel
on the passenger and drivers side. Do your complete visual opening/
shutting doors. Pay close attention to the inside of the doors by the
enging compartment -- really the birdcage pillar that the doors
mount to -- right below the windshield and front clip...
Then once you are finished poking around everywhere -- see if there
are ANY flakes on the cloth... if some rust sneaked out that is a really
good sign there are some problems hiding up in the windshield frame....
If you give a firm whack to the windshield pillars on both sides when it
is quiet -- run away if you hear flakes of rust falling down.
If you have a white cloth put one on the floor next to the kick panel
on the passenger and drivers side. Do your complete visual opening/
shutting doors. Pay close attention to the inside of the doors by the
enging compartment -- really the birdcage pillar that the doors
mount to -- right below the windshield and front clip...
Then once you are finished poking around everywhere -- see if there
are ANY flakes on the cloth... if some rust sneaked out that is a really
good sign there are some problems hiding up in the windshield frame....
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Austin Texas
Rusted Rocker Channels
I had to replace rusted rocker channels. Check out my website for photos www.kearneycorvette.com. The best way is to look behind the kick panels in the front interior. You can actually see the bolts and channels. You can also pull the plates off the rear inside fender wells very easily to check the bolts and channels. Minus that you can get under the car with a flashlight and a screwdriver and poke around the pads between the frame and the birdcage.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,239
Likes: 1,012
From: Watkinsville, GA and Glen Cove, NY
Best case is that they let you pull the pillar post trim and the windshield header trim off. In my case the sheet metal in the trim was rusted out but the birdcage was perfect. Can be very deceiving. I had alot of flakes but it was all from the trim pieces.
