Frame rust ..... help!

[muleskinner]

That is great news!
It's getting a new lease on life.

I did a bit of work on mine yesterday to help prevent this from ever happening. Scrapped as much of the rusted surface metal off, and put a layer of paint over those areas.
I also did the same thing to my rocker panels and wheel arches, but that was mainly cosmetic, rather have white painted rust spots, the brown rust spots on a white car.

I will eventually get around to doing the body work right, but I figured since I had a can of white auto enamel that I would paint over the rust as a temporary solution.

Thanks man!

I used to have an old 86' Dodge Colt that was white, it was a rust bucket. I cut out all the rust on the body and put in pieces of metal like old license plates then put bondo on it, then sanded the heck out of it. I spray painted it white and looked great ....... better than the brown rust anyway.

I'm gonna call U-PULL-AND-PAY this week and see how much they want for the drivers door off that Festiva ....... If they still have it!
Do you still want to meet me down there if they do have it?? It would be on Friday morning.

[neanderpaul]

Frame rust ..... help!

That sounds like the best news you could've gotten. Congrats!

[TorqueEffect]

Thanks man!

I used to have an old 86' Dodge Colt that was white, it was a rust bucket. I cut out all the rust on the body and put in pieces of metal like old license plates then put bondo on it, then sanded the heck out of it. I spray painted it white and looked great ....... better than the brown rust anyway.

I'm gonna call U-PULL-AND-PAY this week and see how much they want for the drivers door off that Festiva ....... If they still have it!
Do you still want to meet me down there if they do have it?? It would be on Friday morning.

They have flat-rates for all their parts, they don't care if they came off a 25 year old eco box, or a Ferrari, they charge the same no matter the car. (But good luck on that one, no one would dump a Ferrari at a scrap yard.) :p

The prices are right on their website, $49.99 plus a $5.25 core charge for a complete door, glass and all. http://www.upullandpay.com/cincinnati/part-prices
You can also look up their car inventory as well. This is how I am able to tell when they have a Festy or not, their inventory on their site updates at least every day or so.
You could try calling them and see if they would hold onto the car longer if they plan on getting rid of it soon, they might not be able to since they are a chain of stores, and you should know how anal those stores are about actually helping people. lol

I know the Red GL they had was there a couple months or more, but that was a pristine car, all it had was a blown motor and the guy who dumped it there was on these forums. I will try and dig up that thread.

I could never make it to get any parts off that nice rust free GL, still kicking myself. But I mean, you can't do much without money, so I can only blame myself.

[TorqueEffect]

Oh, and yes, I am still up for meeting at the upullandpay on Friday.

About what time Friday morning?

[muleskinner]

Oh, and yes, I am still up for meeting at the upullandpay on Friday.

About what time Friday morning?

How about 9am when they open? If its too early let me know. I'll be driving a Black 94' Ford Ranger.

I have never been there before so I will look on the Google maps to see where to park.

[TorqueEffect]

Don't forget about this pics.

I would like to see this welder's exceptional work.

[muleskinner]

I will have pictures tomorrow or Monday night!

[Banana Bonanza]

Be interesting to see pictures. Always love seeing creativity. Pretty much guarantee it wont be repaired like a body shop would repair it. Not for $200 Most likely he will cut out the weak areas and create new supports out of raw or salvaged metal, probably heavier metal.

I once had friend with a late 70s Toyota Corolla. This was back when they had carburetor and were rear drive. The engine/drivetrain on those lasted forever. The bodies didnt come close, especially in rustbelt area. Anyway she hired a guy to build a custom independent tube frame that the body was then added back to.

I suspect one could shorten a mini pickup frame and accomplish same. Considering what some hotrodders can do to ancient car bodies that have whole underside of body rusted away, sure same could be done to a unit body car converting it to mount to a separate frame. It would add weight, but bet not all that much.

I see unrusted cars/pickups crushed for scrap where I am that people would have paid serious money for when I lived up north many years ago. That was back when engines were lot easier to swap into non-original applications and most everything was rear drive.

[muleskinner]

Here are a few before & after pics of the welders work. He cut out the bad parts and added thicker metal in its place and metal tubing inside. He said it will not go anywhere now. He checked the other 3 corners and all was good!
before

after

before

after

[Basement_Modder]

Frame rust ..... help!

That looks excellent! I had to/ am going through the same woes with mine. I can weld, though, so I've got it covered lol.

[Powerstiva]

Mine looks similar on the beforehand end, yours turned out great! I need to find some one that can do this for me

[buck zeplen]

I would purchase a non rusted Festiva and use your car for parts. I used to be a certified welder in the 1970's, in Arc welding. I can gas weld and braze with copper rods like a machine. I once, brazed broken in half Cadillac exhaust, that was broken in half that was rusted. The heat weakened the integrity of the medal around it.
Using welding will heat the medal that is being repaired. (best to have 4 gallons of water to pour if something catches on fire while brazing) If you weld, by mig welding it may work if it does not heat up much. If you are welding rusted medal, do not waste your time. You must have clean medal that is not rusted to be
successful.

1993 ford Festiva 511k 5 speed
1991 5 speed
1992 Automatic with newly rebuild engine ( I might sell it)
1989 4 speed now being converted to 5 speed and having the engine rebuilt

buck zeplen

[muleskinner]

I would purchase a non rusted Festiva and use your car for parts. I used to be a certified welder in the 1970's, in Arc welding. I can gas weld and braze with copper rods like a machine. I once, brazed broken in half Cadillac exhaust, that was broken in half that was rusted. The heat weakened the integrity of the medal around it.
Using welding will heat the medal that is being repaired. (best to have 4 gallons of water to pour if something catches on fire while brazing) If you weld, by mig welding it may work if it does not heat up much. If you are welding rusted medal, do not waste your time. You must have clean medal that is not rusted to be
successful.

1993 ford Festiva 511k 5 speed
1991 5 speed
1992 Automatic with newly rebuild engine ( I might sell it)
1989 4 speed now being converted to 5 speed and having the engine rebuilt

buck zeplen

He has cleaned all the metal by removing the rusted areas. He also reinforced the area by adding metal bars inside.
He has repaired trackters, trucks, and farm equipment in the past with no long going problems. So I trust his work.

Thanks for the caution.

[neanderpaul]

I would purchase a non rusted Festiva and use your car for parts. I used to be a certified welder in the 1970's, in Arc welding. I can gas weld and braze with copper rods like a machine. I once, brazed broken in half Cadillac exhaust, that was broken in half that was rusted. The heat weakened the integrity of the medal around it.
Using welding will heat the medal that is being repaired. (bests to have 4 gallons of water to pour if something catches on fire while brazing) If you weld, by mig welding it may work if it does not heat up much. If you are welding rusted medal, do not waste your time. You must have clean medal that is not rusted to be
successful.

1993 ford Festiva 511k 5 speed
1991 5 speed
1992 Automatic with newly rebuild engine ( I might sell it)
1989 4 speed now being converted to 5 speed and having the engine rebuilt

buck zeplen

Well, well!! Hey Buck!

[bravekozak]

Buy an Arizona car and swap over all the good parts.