Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Farmington, Missouri
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1988 Firebird "Bertha"
Engine: 5.7 Liter TPI with minor mods
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
Well guys i've got an issue. I have an 88 Firebird. It has a good running 350tpi that uses not one drop of oil. The body on it has rust. Not a lot really, I've definitely seen worse cars. The other day I was out working on putting the front passenger seat in, and I thought since I had a piece of metal on me I would go around checking the rust spots to see how solid they are. All are pretty solid, except the passenger door. I lightly tapped it, and the ratchet handle went clean through.
It also has two holes in the wheel wells in the rear. T tops leak. The roof has surface rust. Under the carpet there is little rust. Just a few spots. That and the body underneath the door on the drivers side (side skirt?) is rusted through.
Would it just be worth my while to find a Base model or a formula (I like how they look without the ground effects) and swap in my 350?
I'll have me the money in about..oh 2 or 3 months to either grab a nice Formy or to get the body redone. I really have no attachment to this car.
Any thoughts are welcome. And yes, I know. This thread is useless without pics. I'll try to get some posted soon.
It also has two holes in the wheel wells in the rear. T tops leak. The roof has surface rust. Under the carpet there is little rust. Just a few spots. That and the body underneath the door on the drivers side (side skirt?) is rusted through.
Would it just be worth my while to find a Base model or a formula (I like how they look without the ground effects) and swap in my 350?
I'll have me the money in about..oh 2 or 3 months to either grab a nice Formy or to get the body redone. I really have no attachment to this car.
Any thoughts are welcome. And yes, I know. This thread is useless without pics. I'll try to get some posted soon.
#2
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Fairhope, AL
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 89RS(other cars & pics in vBgarage)
Engine: LO3, 305 TBI Mildly Modified
Transmission: BakerBuilt 700R4 w/B&M Megashifter
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Auburn Pro Series LSD
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
as you said very hard to say without pics, but the option of a roller to put your engine in is a good idea, but most rollers i see are pure junk, but then again you got a whole car that runs good to throw parts at a roller
#3
Supreme Member
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Charles County, Maryland
Posts: 1,896
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 2000 BMW M5
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
I think you answered your own question: no attachment to the car. These cars are too common to spend a ton of time repairing rust in my opinion, unless it's a high option/low production # oddball model. Personally, I'd be on the lookout for a rust free car to swap your engine into.
#4
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Fairhope, AL
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 89RS(other cars & pics in vBgarage)
Engine: LO3, 305 TBI Mildly Modified
Transmission: BakerBuilt 700R4 w/B&M Megashifter
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Auburn Pro Series LSD
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
I think you answered your own question: no attachment to the car. These cars are too common to spend a ton of time repairing rust in my opinion, unless it's a high option/low production # oddball model. Personally, I'd be on the lookout for a rust free car to swap your engine into.
where are you in charles county????
#6
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Fairhope, AL
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 89RS(other cars & pics in vBgarage)
Engine: LO3, 305 TBI Mildly Modified
Transmission: BakerBuilt 700R4 w/B&M Megashifter
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Auburn Pro Series LSD
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
#7
Supreme Member
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Charles County, Maryland
Posts: 1,896
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 2000 BMW M5
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
I am from Connecticut, I have only lived out here for 3 years so I am not super familiar with all there is out here. From what I know though, no good junkyards. Brandywine bought out all the small yards and their prices are in many cases worse than new parts, I skip them altogether. I have to get everything on Ebay and craigslist.
Trending Topics
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Farmington, Missouri
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1988 Firebird "Bertha"
Engine: 5.7 Liter TPI with minor mods
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
#9
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Farmington, Missouri
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1988 Firebird "Bertha"
Engine: 5.7 Liter TPI with minor mods
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
#10
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: MI
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 92 Camaro Z28
Engine: 5.7 350 TPI
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
I am restoing my car even though I have to get new floor pans and there is some surface rust on the roof and the bottom of my rear tire well. I love my Z and I don't see many 92 Z28 around anymore. I think if my car wasn't a 92 z I woudn't put as much money into, but I am attached to my car and coudn't stand to see it crushed or parted out.
#11
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NJ
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 86 Z28
Engine: 355
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt, 3.45
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
The rust is fixable, but i think you may end up spending much more to fix the rust/body work/paint than to find a clean roller, or like you said, V6 car and swap your drivetrain into it. With no real attatchment to the car, thats what i would do.
#12
Supreme Member
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
Does not look too bad I have repaired worse. I would say if you can do it so it your self probably not much more work than swapping into a roller.
#13
Supreme Member
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
If it were a Formula, GTA, or T/A, I'd say consider fixing it. But as this is a base model Firebird that will never be valuable and you apparently have no attachment to the car, I'd look for another car.
#14
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Farmington, Missouri
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1988 Firebird "Bertha"
Engine: 5.7 Liter TPI with minor mods
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
Well guys, I think I am going to go to the route of finding a different car and swap my motor in, assuming I don't find a 350 car. I found more rust today. My drivers side strut tower, has a rust hole. Maybe the size of a half dollar and its almost all the way through. I figure by the time I get everything welded and patched I could have just spent the money and got me a car that either has no rust, or a lot less rust and no holes. lets go find my third bird!
#15
Supreme Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: chicago IL
Posts: 1,204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91 formula
Engine: 350 tuned port. bolt ons
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Body Rust, Should I give up the car?
Well guys, I think I am going to go to the route of finding a different car and swap my motor in, assuming I don't find a 350 car. I found more rust today. My drivers side strut tower, has a rust hole. Maybe the size of a half dollar and its almost all the way through. I figure by the time I get everything welded and patched I could have just spent the money and got me a car that either has no rust, or a lot less rust and no holes. lets go find my third bird!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
NBrehm
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
0
08-05-2015 07:57 PM