Hey body work guys, have a few questions regarding getting body work done and driving the car in the winter.

I've done body work on a few cars in the past but I haven't ever got down to cutting out quarters and replacing them. My car needs to go into the shop this spring to get repainted and have the rear quarters fixed but I have 2 major concerns on the new metal being put in.
I won't be getting brand new quarters because it just comes down to so much money for the car that I would better be off buying something 98+ and not worry about doing the body work.

My car has started on one side to bubble up and the other side will come soon so I was going to take it to a local shop and have them cut out the rust and put in new metal. Now from what I've heard, where you weld the new metal to the panel, that is the next place rust will form. Not sure if this is right or wrong but it makes sense.

So my question is if I don't drive my car in the winter and it never sees salt on the roads, will it still rust where it was repaired? or does that only come into play when the car is winter driven?

Lets say I get the car back, and buy that can of rubberized spray and redo the backside of the quarter panels to prevent any water/dirt to get onto it, that should help right?

I don't want to drive my car in the winter and I do have access to a beater so that's not a problem.

 

What u can do 2 try and prevent the rust from forming over where the new metal was welded in is, u can put fiberglass over it which will most likely keep the moisture out for a good while, or u can get rockerquard, i recommend usin WURTH brand rocker guard, its german made and really good quality and the best thing about it is that u can sand it down a bit and paint right over it, or you can use Rustcheck rust primer over it which neutralizes rust and keeps it from inhibiting fresh welds/bare metal. my $0.02


Modified by Ward Perfect at 2:30 AM 1/3/2006

 

thanks man.

anybody else got some opinion?

 

bump for some good questions

 

Before the new/ used panels are welded in, a good shop would grind away and clean all the affected areas and clear them of rust. Anywhere they are going to weld, they will use weld through primer. Weld through primer contains zinc and penetrates the metal upon welding to prevent rust. Once the new panels are on and all bodywork is done, the panels should be thoroughly cleaned so they can be primed inside and out. Once the panels are primed, they should seam seal (caulk) the inside of the quarter and prime again. If everything was primed correctly (including the weld through), that should be all that is really needed to prevent rust for at least 5 yrs. For extra protection, I would paint the interior panels because most primers aren't 100 percent waterproof, but you should only undercoat or paint panels that have been primed! (Per manufacturer recommendations, i.e. directions on the can) Any metal left bare will result in rust. As for fiberglass, if you are unsure if the area has been cleaned and sealed properly, fiberglass will only make it harder to repair or fix in the future.

 

I just thought of a couple more things, the only way to basically completely remove rust is to have a car or part acid dipped, but that's rarely ever done and very costly. The other thing was, it you plan on undercoating painting the insides of the quarter, be sure not to clog the small drains. There are small drains/ holes in the doors and quarters to allow water to escape, if they become clogged, the water will form into puddles and cause the chances of rust to increase.

 

thanks man...that's some good info

 

 

good info

bump for more

 

yeh i just picked up an eg beater, im just looking for a way to prevent the rust from conftinuing? whats the cheapest yet most effective way?