body and interior Rust And It's Travels, And Some Noted Hideouts

[stone02]

Hi,

so as i think about it i has been servicing 2002's

for 30 years this month. in all that time i have

seen many beautiful cars. over that long time

i also have seen some travesties. some amazing

body work done by skill full masters that smooth

out a car and leave all the correct curves. also so 

bondo jobs that were over 1" thick and more wavy

than a weeping willow in a wind storm.

 now on to the newer stuff. recently i have had many

customers arrive with bad floors or shot inner and 

outer rocker at the front end. most of these car have 

had gaskets replaced around the front and rear 

windshields. some even repainted. 

  so i got a car in that even had the floor fixed a few

months ago and the floor was already rusting 

under a pool of water.  after five hours of searching

i found this.

 so now a few words to people looking at rust

free cars. check inside the glove box area, along the 

firewall behind  the paper covers. 

  the obvious rust spots are still there but now with age

we need to be more observant of the hidden.

post some pictures or rust areas if you have them.

good luck,

stone

P.S. for those who have never seen this spot 

  that is the bottom edge where the heater box

  fits into the firewall. this area MUST be kept

  clean. NO COMPOSTING OF TREE LEAVES AND

DIRT SHOULD RESIDE HERE.!!!!!!!!

Edited December 28, 2013 by stone02

[M3M3]

shall we post up pictures of the red 73 tii?  oh dear, it gave pages to the list of spots that can rust.  oddly enough, that heater box location was not one of them...i think...you have(had) that shell now..

[stone02]

HAD,

  this was the final resting place of the

body shell which i stripped.

i think this was paul wegweiser's first car.

so maybe he will see this post.

stone

[Hans]

Now that is a well picked carcass.

[M3M3]

yes, picked clean.   i have sent parts from that car all over the country.  several of them are in my M2. 

 

the "before picking"

 

an interesting spring perch...pull the rear seat back before buying cars folks!

 

inside front fenders

 

not rust, but eyeball that DS engine mount

 

check the rear subframe attachment points...they are not supposed to be removable...

 

 

sometimes there is .....air...under the carpet

 

 

the classic rear shock tower

Edited December 28, 2013 by mlytle

[mikebontoft]

look at all those good panels...

[roadhog0]

That's a gold mine for clean straight panels! Damn! 

[Hans]

Looks like a nice Canadian car. And people are asking about using their 02 in the snow??

[M3M3]

look at all those good panels...

 

 

That's a gold mine for clean straight panels! Damn! 

 

they looked better than the were.  the quarter panels and hood were the only usable panels.  doors, trunk, wheel well, nose and fenders were rusted through.  i could post more pics....there is a whole separate thread on the dismantling of that car last year.

[jgerock]

Yes - you need to keep a close watch on the heater plenum area

 

Typical spare tire well

 

More pics of the Verona tii

[jgerock]

Cannot forget about the hollow rear subframe. This one was dangerously thin and weak.

[Rocan]

this thread will give me nightmares. I just know it will. 

[Ravensix]

I thought my shell was rusty....

[M3M3]

the red car spent at least 10 years driving in boston..in the snow and salt.  that is why 2002's should be garaged at the first sign of snow in the winter.

[mikebontoft]

Good to know... advice not followed. At least it's not driving around in salt. That last picture of the Verona though...looks like mine.