Guest ViZ Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Ok i know this question has been brought up in many times by many people looking to buy a used 240z. What I want to know is there one specific spot on the 240 that i can look that will give me an idea on how extensive the whole car is. Like one spot that ALWAYS rusts last. So if i where to look for rust in this one spot, and find it to be eatin through I could almost guarantee the entire car is going to be rusted and run far far away. I have seen alot of cars that are bought and then sand blasted only to reveal that half the car needs new sheet metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.INSANE Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 under the battery tray is a good place to look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loy Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Well the battery area could be due to the battery acid. If the battery never leaked it wouldn't be as bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest soysaucial Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 yea.. under my battery is so bad.. but the rest of the engine bay seems fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loy Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 I'd say look for poor rust repairs or rust on the floor pans and around the frame rail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 The floor pans, frame rails and rocker panels are key areas to look at. Use a screw driver or ice pick to see how soft the metal is but obviously don't poke holes in someone elses car. The battery tray is actually one of the first places to rot out due to the battery acid and fumes that are trapped there. I had the replace the tray, the passenger footwell and repair part of the frame rail in that area. Wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Maudlin Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 If you are looking for the last area to rust, don't check the battery box and floor pans. Those are always the first area to rust. I think you should check the doors as the last area. The other option is the rear quarters. Usually if they have gone, it is indicative of more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWRex Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Ask for old/build progress photos if possible.Bring a fairly weak magnet to check for bondo,fiberglass fixes,etc.I like to bring a small flashlight.Even on a sunny day or a well lit garage,getting a direct light source on closely inspecting areas,esp. undercarriage,really helps out quite a bit.Be on the lookout for fresh and/or thick undercoating.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buZy Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Lower rear hatch opening is another common rusty spot to look for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dan4011 Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 if your ganna buy a car, i would look throghout the whole car first, but yea if you can stick your foot through the holes in the floorpans, unless you want to do some seriouse rust repair, i would leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedNeckZ Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Most Z's have a lot of rust. Finding one with out, is hard. Deciding what you want and are willing to do, is what you must do first. Yes, you can look for a rust free car. All you need is time and money. But most of us have to take what is there. We know we have a lot of work to do. Just look how many Z's on this site have been down for some time. For me, the last place to look is under the front fenders. The battery and floor boards are common place that rust all the time. The fender will tell you how well the undercoating was put on. If it was done right, the fenders were removed and coating then put on. Most of the time they didn't remove them and sprayed just into the wheel opening. It left most of the area uncovered. Good Luck, Rich. The attached pictures are my current car I am working on. It is from NC and is the best I have seen to date. I am doing this as a Auto Body shop project. It has a lot of rust and sole. It will be a V8 Z soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlydrvsnissan Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 http://zhome.com/Classic/CommonZRust/RustPrevention240Z.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest soysaucial Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 i think you guys misunderstood.. he said the #1 rust spot to say no to.. not the most common rust spots. i want to know too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank280zx Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 they seem to rot at the swaybarmounts BADLY that is dangerous as it will realese the entire front meber in time.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 If you find a car with just one rust spot, Buy it! No matter where it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ViZ Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 thanks for the help, i expect to find rust i just dont want to replace every damn panel... i think im going to go for something with few owners in central california, and as RacerX said original paint.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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