Do C4's Rust?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,965
Likes: 2
From: North side of Houston Texas
Do C4's Rust?
And just like you were when you read that title, I couldn't help but chuckle when I wrote it.
I'm on the jagged edge of buying a really nice '92 vert. The car's been in Maryland pretty much all it's life, and as far as I can tell from the pics, it's been kept in really good condition. One thing I did notice from the engine pics is that the compressor and alternator, both in aluminum cases I assume, are oxidized to the point it's easily recognizable. don't get me wrong, they both function properly, but it makes me wonder if there are other parts on the car that could and would be affected by salt on the roads during the winter.
Is this anything I should be concerned about? I'd really love to drive the sweet little thing home, but I don't wanna be naive about it either.
Cheers!
W
I'm on the jagged edge of buying a really nice '92 vert. The car's been in Maryland pretty much all it's life, and as far as I can tell from the pics, it's been kept in really good condition. One thing I did notice from the engine pics is that the compressor and alternator, both in aluminum cases I assume, are oxidized to the point it's easily recognizable. don't get me wrong, they both function properly, but it makes me wonder if there are other parts on the car that could and would be affected by salt on the roads during the winter.
Is this anything I should be concerned about? I'd really love to drive the sweet little thing home, but I don't wanna be naive about it either.
Cheers!
W
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: fremont ca
The car does have metal components and these can rust. I would check out suspension, frame, etc. for any signs of rust. I would do the same if I was buying a car out here, especially if I was getting from up north or the mountains, where it snows.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
the biggest rust area would be the chassis and the suspension mounting hard points.
a little surface rust is normal, but corrosion, that's another issue.
The suspension is aluminum. It will corrode, but the interesting thing, it will corrode, creating a protective layer to stop FURTHER corrosion. A friend of mine, who is a materials engineer told me that one.
Just because the car came from MD, don't worry about it. The Mid-Atlantic is much less prone to using salt on the roads, than say, north of the Mason Dixon line.
I lived in DE for 38 years and they used salt, but only on intersections. And when the weather was THAT bad, I didn't drive my Vette. If I did, It would get a regular washing at the local carwash.
a little surface rust is normal, but corrosion, that's another issue.
The suspension is aluminum. It will corrode, but the interesting thing, it will corrode, creating a protective layer to stop FURTHER corrosion. A friend of mine, who is a materials engineer told me that one.
Just because the car came from MD, don't worry about it. The Mid-Atlantic is much less prone to using salt on the roads, than say, north of the Mason Dixon line.
I lived in DE for 38 years and they used salt, but only on intersections. And when the weather was THAT bad, I didn't drive my Vette. If I did, It would get a regular washing at the local carwash.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,154
Likes: 1,731
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
The frame could rust, the exhaust WILL rust.
Aluminum pieces will be there as long as you live. When you look at aluminum, youre looking at its oxide-protective layer which keeps it from withering away.
Aluminum pieces will be there as long as you live. When you look at aluminum, youre looking at its oxide-protective layer which keeps it from withering away.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,965
Likes: 2
From: North side of Houston Texas
Thanks guys. If memory serves, the backbone on these things is aluminum too.
I did get pics of the front suspension, and none of the components there were oxidized.
Sounds like this shouldn't be a problem, so wish me luck on the deal. I'll post pics if it goes through.
Cheers!
Wendell
I did get pics of the front suspension, and none of the components there were oxidized.
Sounds like this shouldn't be a problem, so wish me luck on the deal. I'll post pics if it goes through.
Cheers!
Wendell
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,024
Likes: 0
From: Long Island New York
Take a good look at the fuel lines where you can see them at the rear undercarraige. If my 85 hadn't gotten wrecked, i'd still be having nervous fits over the condition of mine. They were so Fluff/flake rusted, i was literally afraid to even touch them. Would have been a nightmare when the time came......just my .02
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 0
From: Mississauga Ont
The frame is galvanized steel, but it will corrode, slowly
Exhaust, spare tire cover hooks, brake and fuel lines, and screws (especially those in the lower door panel and around the weatherstrips) like to rust
Exhaust, spare tire cover hooks, brake and fuel lines, and screws (especially those in the lower door panel and around the weatherstrips) like to rust
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Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 428
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From: Morgantown WV
Although my corvette handles ok in the rain I got caught in a downpoor one time that I had to slow down to about 30mph to keep from hydroplaining. I would never drive it in the snow. I won't say it coudn't happen but it would be a last resort. On the average I would say corvette owners don't drive their cars much in the snow or for that matter even in poor weather. If the suspension areas look good then you shouldn't have a problem as far as rust goes.
Originally Posted by Wendell Allen
And just like you were when you read that title, I couldn't help but chuckle when I wrote it.
I'm on the jagged edge of buying a really nice '92 vert. The car's been in Maryland pretty much all it's life, and as far as I can tell from the pics, it's been kept in really good condition. One thing I did notice from the engine pics is that the compressor and alternator, both in aluminum cases I assume, are oxidized to the point it's easily recognizable. don't get me wrong, they both function properly, but it makes me wonder if there are other parts on the car that could and would be affected by salt on the roads during the winter.
Is this anything I should be concerned about? I'd really love to drive the sweet little thing home, but I don't wanna be naive about it either.
Cheers!
W
I'm on the jagged edge of buying a really nice '92 vert. The car's been in Maryland pretty much all it's life, and as far as I can tell from the pics, it's been kept in really good condition. One thing I did notice from the engine pics is that the compressor and alternator, both in aluminum cases I assume, are oxidized to the point it's easily recognizable. don't get me wrong, they both function properly, but it makes me wonder if there are other parts on the car that could and would be affected by salt on the roads during the winter.
Is this anything I should be concerned about? I'd really love to drive the sweet little thing home, but I don't wanna be naive about it either.
Cheers!
W
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,238
Likes: 0
From: walled lake MI
mine is starting to show rust on the frame members just ahead of the rear tires. the rest of the frame is surviving just fine.
might want to check there, but i don't know if this pattern is generally true for all C4's - just my own observation.
might want to check there, but i don't know if this pattern is generally true for all C4's - just my own observation.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Kingman AZ
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Two years ago I attended a class put on by Gordon Killebrew and Ron Kane. This question was asked and the answer was not to worry about frame rust as the factory was aware of the C3 rust problems and tried to fix this problem with the C4 design. That being said, I would not want to buy a C4 that was used as a winter driver here on the salt-laden streets of Michigan.
I once had a 95,000 mi. 90 Olds for my winter beater and the fuel lines rusted near the tank. I asked my GM-trained mechanic what was up with that and he said it was quite common for brake lines and fuel lines to rot here in Michigan due to the salty roads. He also said that many car washes reuse their water so that they are actually washing your car with salt water!
I once had a 95,000 mi. 90 Olds for my winter beater and the fuel lines rusted near the tank. I asked my GM-trained mechanic what was up with that and he said it was quite common for brake lines and fuel lines to rot here in Michigan due to the salty roads. He also said that many car washes reuse their water so that they are actually washing your car with salt water!
