Rust repair options helpNo

[saylor]

if this thing will hold together enough to get on the road as is, heres where I see ya (from 2000 miles away)

$1k new tires / wheel bearings / brake work
$500 belts / hoses / battery / plugs / wires / misc rubber lines / etc
$500 new front suspension rubber and misc
$500 unknowns - just because humans and cars



peel the top off now. do not leave any vinyl on. like quit reading this post and go remove any remnants, and then come back.

under the chrome trim is gonna be scary like jason. knock all the pine needles out from underneath.

go to por15 . com and buy a bunch of putty and also a bunch of the black pookey in a tube.

go to lowesdepot and get a DA sander and a box of 80grit circles and get to sanding that rust out.

fill any holes around the window channels with the por15 pookey and putty.

drive that beast.


try not to die -

- saylor

 

[saylor]

and get a pair of safety glasses so you dont put your eye out

 

[bluefury361]

I wouldn't condemn you for pursuing the restro. Just wouldn't recommend it. But should you proceed than I'll offer any help and advise I can. It's not all about the money to some of us.

 

[bluefury361]

A good rust convertor will work much better than POR15 and leave you with a better working surface.

 

[cantflip]

Cheap bug sprayer and a gallon or two of Ospho would be my first move, after inspection.

 

[challenger]

I wouldn't condemn you for pursuing the restro. Just wouldn't recommend it. But should you proceed than I'll offer any help and advise I can. It's not all about the money to some of us.

Well speaking as a perceived "us" I would NEVER condemn someone for restoring the car. I don't have the time, OR more importantly the desire, to condemn ANYONE for their decisions. It's none of my business how others spend their money. I am also VERY willing to give my advice AND SUPPORT whatever decision the op makes. As a matter of fact I think I gave some very good advice already ;).
Most of use have made bad moves when we've seen a car we had to have and got the opportunity to own it. I myself had to have a challenger t/a. I looked for years and then found a "really nice" one with original everything. When I got it home I realized it was a rotten body covered with paint. I tore the car apart and replaced floors, frame rails, trunk and more. After a year I had it back together and showed it all over the place and the car even placed at the Mopar nationals in the Concourse class in 2005 or something like that. It was a nearly perfect car when I finished it BUT it was a stupid purchase. I would have saved $8K+ if I was more careful shopping. Luckily this was a very desirable car and was restored damn near perfect so I was able to sell it and make a lot of money. That is a huge exception and was mainly due to a good market and a buyer that wanted to buy the car as soon as he saw I had it done. He had extremely deep pockets and I pit my arm in them pretty deep.
I speak from the viewpoint of a dumbass. Don't do what I did.

 

[cantflip]

I speak from the viewpoint of a dumbass. Don't do what I did.

Excellent phrasing... and I think that is usually the theme behind much of the advice around here.

 

[Walter Joy]

Thank you everyone for your responses and help. I will soon be pulling the car from its spot in my uncle's yard and dragging it across the street to my yard. I will also be purchasing a car cover and I have some experience with rust converter (used it on the battery tray of my truck). I hope that in a few months time (when weather cools down and I have some free time) to have all trash cleaned out of the car and the car on blocks and covered. The funniest thing is I must be attracted to rust, as I found a few months back a 69 AMC SC/Rambler that has no floor and rusty but I still like and i have a 1978 CJ-7 that my dad had as his first car rusting away in pieces (it was rusted when he got it in 1987). I may be a bit idiotic to spend money on repairing rust, but everything deserves a second chance

 

[bluefury361]

I like seeing a rusty old car brought back from certain oblivion. But it takes the exuberance and energy of a young guy like you to pull it off. I've done my share of bringing back cars that should have been left to die.

 

[Walter Joy]

I like seeing a rusty old car brought back from certain oblivion. But it takes the exuberance and energy of a young guy like you to pull it off. I've done my share of bringing back cars that should have been left to die.

Truth be told, I'm just a naïve 18 year old with only basic car maintenance knowledge. Old cars would be the best to learn how to work on. That's how my uncles and dad learned (also on boat motors too). I don't know how to weld and I don't have a garage but I make do with what I have. Hopefully I can resurrect the Polara and keep climbing from there.

 

[shooter65]

Truth be told, I'm just a naïve 18 year old with only basic car maintenance knowledge. Old cars would be the best to learn how to work on. That's how my uncles and dad learned (also on boat motors too). I don't know how to weld and I don't have a garage but I make do with what I have. Hopefully I can resurrect the Polara and keep climbing from there.

I'm glad you're going to try to save it. You said the trunk pan is solid so that's a good sign, rather surprising but good. I think you're approaching this well, spend as little as possible in the initial stages until you know what you've got to work with.

As far as welding, bodywork, etc, you can learn anything especially with the internet. Good luck and always ask questions and remember, the answers you get should only be research for you to make a decision. 10 people will give you 10 different opinions but the decision must be your own.

As always everyone here will be glad to help and if you haven't gotten it yet, here's a good sight where you can download the parts catalog and service manual for your car.

MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - MyMopar Tools/Reference

 

[bajajoaquin]

Well I did get it for free. I wish I could get it inside someplace but i don't have an indoor garage of any sort. I'm looking to get a car cover but as of now my money is tight due to college

Sorry, but if you can't afford a car cover, there is nothing you can do to save the rest of this car. Even doing the work yourself, it's going to cost you plenty. The advice to use this as a parts car is good. Maybe spray some ospho or other inhibitor to maximize the number of parts that remain usable, but you're basically looking at starting from a solid shell elsewhere.

I don't mean to be negative, but that's a long, uphill battle for a budget as tight as yours.

 

[MarPar]

Truth be told, I'm just a naïve 18 year old with only basic car maintenance knowledge. Old cars would be the best to learn how to work on. That's how my uncles and dad learned (also on boat motors too). I don't know how to weld and I don't have a garage but I make do with what I have. Hopefully I can resurrect the Polara and keep climbing from there.

atta boy!! that's the spirit!!

 

[Walter Joy]

Sorry, but if you can't afford a car cover, there is nothing you can do to save the rest of this car. Even doing the work yourself, it's going to cost you plenty. The advice to use this as a parts car is good. Maybe spray some ospho or other inhibitor to maximize the number of parts that remain usable, but you're basically looking at starting from a solid shell elsewhere.

I don't mean to be negative, but that's a long, uphill battle for a budget as tight as yours.

I know and I thank you for your help. I don't know any companies that would be big enough and durable enough for the car. Any recommendations?