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I let rust pwn me *UPDATED* pics of rust at end

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
My car had a little bit of rust along the very bottom of the driver's door but nothing much. Throughout the past few weeks/couple months with the snow and salt and all it has gotten worse. First I noticed a new small orange spot about an inch from the bottom of the door. Then I realized that almost the entire bottom edge of the door is soft and bendy. It has rusted all the way through there.

So now that it's that bad, how can I get this fixed? I'm sure however I can will cost hundreds...
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Bondo can be applied over rust spots, but what about where the metal's actually bendy along the bottom edge? I don't think bondo could help that.

It's a 92 Sable. It runs pretty well and I hope it to last me as long as possible so I'd say it's worth fixing. Maybe not worth spending hundreds of dollars on though...
 

Pepsi90919

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,162
1
81
Originally posted by: archcommus87
Bondo can be applied over rust spots, but what about where the metal's actually bendy along the bottom edge? I don't think bondo could help that.

It's a 92 Sable. It runs pretty well and I hope it to last me as long as possible so I'd say it's worth fixing. Maybe not worth spending hundreds of dollars on though...

i have a 95 taurus (almost the same as yours) and this winter there was a long metal strip that came right off the bottom of the door, also it's rusted out there
 

CrackRabbit

Lifer
Mar 30, 2001
16,642
62
91
Originally posted by: archcommus87
Bondo can be applied over rust spots, but what about where the metal's actually bendy along the bottom edge? I don't think bondo could help that.

It's a 92 Sable. It runs pretty well and I hope it to last me as long as possible so I'd say it's worth fixing. Maybe not worth spending hundreds of dollars on though...


If there is rust on your door you can almost bet that its in the floors, wheel wells and shock towers... Check it over see where its rusting at, put some POR15 on it and re-paint it and drive it till it rusts apart or dies.
 

sniperruff

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
11,644
2
0
yeah no offense those things are pretty much worthless, especially after 13 years. so i'd just ignore it and maybe put duct tape over it.
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Will POR15 help strengthen the weak bendy metal along the bottom of the door at all?

I do plan on driving it as long as possible. Nearing 129k right now. But this fall when I go off to college, I can't take it with me, so it'll practically be unused for nine whole months except around the holidays when I'm home.
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Originally posted by: sniperruff
yeah no offense those things are pretty much worthless, especially after 13 years. so i'd just ignore it and maybe put duct tape over it.
I'm not really opposed to doing something extremely cheap to fix it, it doesn't have to be professionally fixed, just so long as it looks decent and as long as that weak metal won't break off.

Here are pics:

http://rgm700.home.comcast.net/sig/rigsandcar.html

Yes, I know a lot of you hate the wheels, but I didn't pay for them, and IMHO when they're nice and clean and shiny they look better than stock. I've had them about a year now.

 

LordMorpheus

Diamond Member
Aug 14, 2002
6,871
1
0
Originally posted by: sniperruff
yeah no offense those things are pretty much worthless, especially after 13 years. so i'd just ignore it and maybe put duct tape over it.

i've got a '91.

not very much rust, but its starting. I love the car, but yeah, it isn't worth more than 600 dollars.

If the car still looks in good shape, bondo it, repaint it, try to keep it unnoticeable.

If it looks beat up, just go with duct tape.

looking at the pics, try to fix it and keep it looking nice and white, yours is still in decent shape.

I do like the look of the '91 more, though, a little different in some places, I just think it flows nicer.
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
My car may be thirteen years old but I still like its front end a lot better than a lot of new cars. And I hate anything small so I like mine. Probably worth about a thousand. And the wheels are worth about another thousand.

Perhaps I'll duct tape the one small corner that already chipped off, bondo and paint.
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Originally posted by: LordMorpheus
Originally posted by: sniperruff
yeah no offense those things are pretty much worthless, especially after 13 years. so i'd just ignore it and maybe put duct tape over it.

i've got a '91.

not very much rust, but its starting. I love the car, but yeah, it isn't worth more than 600 dollars.

If the car still looks in good shape, bondo it, repaint it, try to keep it unnoticeable.

If it looks beat up, just go with duct tape.

looking at the pics, try to fix it and keep it looking nice and white, yours is still in decent shape.

I do like the look of the '91 more, though, a little different in some places, I just think it flows nicer.
It still looks good and shiny when it's clean. It's been so dirty for so long, though, I think the salt on the roads have been contributing to the rust.

 

CrackRabbit

Lifer
Mar 30, 2001
16,642
62
91
Originally posted by: archcommus87
My car may be thirteen years old but I still like its front end a lot better than a lot of new cars. And I hate anything small so I like mine. Probably worth about a thousand. And the wheels are worth about another thousand.

Perhaps I'll duct tape the one small corner that already chipped off, bondo and paint.

If you just use bondo over the rust it will simply rust from the inside out.
or you could go to a junkyard and find another door, shouldnt be too hard considering the make and model of your car.
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
Originally posted by: archcommus87
My car may be thirteen years old but I still like its front end a lot better than a lot of new cars. And I hate anything small so I like mine. Probably worth about a thousand. And the wheels are worth about another thousand.

Perhaps I'll duct tape the one small corner that already chipped off, bondo and paint.

If you just use bondo over the rust it will simply rust from the inside out.
or you could go to a junkyard and find another door, shouldnt be too hard considering the make and model of your car.
I've considered that. Might be an idea.
 

Viperoni

Lifer
Jan 4, 2000
11,084
1
71
Originally posted by: archcommus87
And the wheels are worth about another thousand.

Perhaps I'll duct tape the one small corner that already chipped off, bondo and paint.

$400 with decent tires that have at least 20k left on them.

Do that ASAP, you dont want the rust to spread.



 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Originally posted by: Viperoni
Originally posted by: archcommus87
And the wheels are worth about another thousand.

Perhaps I'll duct tape the one small corner that already chipped off, bondo and paint.

$400 with decent tires that have at least 20k left on them.

Do that ASAP, you dont want the rust to spread.
Do what ASAP, bondo? How will that help reduce spreading?
 

BadNewsBears

Diamond Member
Dec 14, 2000
3,426
0
0
Originally posted by: archcommus87
Bondo can be applied over rust spots, but what about where the metal's actually bendy along the bottom edge? I don't think bondo could help that.

It's a 92 Sable. It runs pretty well and I hope it to last me as long as possible so I'd say it's worth fixing. Maybe not worth spending hundreds of dollars on though...


Cut it out with die grinder tack on some thin sheet stock. glass over it. paint.
 

BadNewsBears

Diamond Member
Dec 14, 2000
3,426
0
0
oh btw i forogt typical late 80's early 90's ford metal. I just dont know what it is with late 80's early 90's especially ford vehicles. bad rusting bad metal