rust where the body was strengthened?

[mobythevan]

On my 72 240z the worst of the rust seems to be where the body had been strengthened, such as right above the engine cross member bolts. Also where the engine frame and the floor frame meet at the firewall. These spots that appear to have double thickness material have holes over an inch in diameter rusted right through. Of course this just let the water splash from the tires and fill up the frame tubes, lovely. I'll get some pictures of this put up in the next couple days. I'm curious to start removing paint/coatings to see how bad the rust is on the rest of the car.

[pparaska]

It's hiding elsewhere.

 

Double layers of metal without perfect sealing is a big problem. So is the fact that the e-coat from the factory was very thin. So is the fact that there are many places water collets, including under the tar mats on the interior floors.

 

What you are seeing is most likely fatigue enhanced rusting. The metal flexes the paint cracks, the e-coat is lost to corrosion, and the flexing opens new metal to rust. The weakened areas continue to fatigue crack and new rust develops. Vicous cycle, huh?

[mobythevan]

ok, got my web page updated with pics of the rust. I know my web page format sucks, let me know what you think from the pics. Is this the typical stuff you guys have been dealing with?

 

Thanks

[Guest buschj]

I would seriously consider getting a different chassis. This car would need extensive work to regain the strength needed to handle a V-8 and hard cornering. It took me three Z’s to learn this lesson. Good luck!

[mobythevan]

Yeah, I just hate to see the car go to waste. I look at this one as the learning vehicle for welding and bodywork. So I am at least going to start hacking on it. It is time intensive not money intensive, so if I reach the threshold of "ok, thats all the learning I can stand" and the car is not finished then.....

[RPMS]

I would seriously consider getting a different chassis.

Oh, but what fun would THAT be?

 

Look at it this way. You've already got the body down to a bare shell, so why not use this opportunity to upgrade the unibody and make it one hellaciously stiff-bodied Z? Most folks have to do rust repair and panel replacement when they repaint their cars anyway, and you've got the equipment and the time to do it right.

 

John is right in that being a unibody car, the effectiveness of the Z's suspension depends heavily on the rigidity fo the mounting points. So look at this as an opportunity to do the job RIGHT and reinforce the frame now, while the body is stripped down to a bare shell.

 

That's just MY opinion. I don't see any reason to junk this car because of a little rust. Now, if there's perforating rust on over 10% of the car, that's a different story. But as it stands right now, I say fix it, and look at this as an opportunity for improvement.

[t-tom]

Its easy for all the Cali guys to say trash it, but here in the mid west that isnt that bad. Nothing a couple days welding and a few beer's cant fix. Unfortunately Z cars are not a dime a dozen around here. I know a lot of people that would be happy to have that little rust to start with.

[mobythevan]

Thanks for the pep talk. I guess I'll attempt to enter the ranks of z-nuts who spend too much of their lives trying to save a rusted shell. I did forget one necessity in the garage, a little refrigerator. It will be cold this winter if I have to walk to the house to get a beer. And if it gets too bad

 

 

oops, one too many

[RPMS]

Originally posted by mobythevan:

Thanks for the pep talk. I guess I'll attempt to enter the ranks of z-nuts who spend too much of their lives trying to save a rusted shell.

YES! We caught another one, guys!