rusty trunk

[Jeff73Mach1]

As a lawyer my answer is always going to be yes to that question.

As a hobbyist, I've cut, ground and welded within a similar distance to gas tanks many a time. A full tank is better than an empty one. Fumes ignite much easier than liquid. One place to be cautious about is the filler neck joint. Make sure it is well sealed.

Brass wire wheels don't spark as much as steel. If you are really antsy about it, go get some copper choreboy pads and use them to scrub away the rust-no sparks at all and they will only remove rust and dirt, not base metal.

 

[Qcode351mach]

For someone like your self with no welding experience the new panel structural adhesives are a great option for doing some small patch work as a matter of fact even as a pro I sometimes utilize this method sometimes you can't justify welding in a patch and the associated work required to do it properly. I like and use S.E.M. products

 

[jackpotts]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I may just use those copper choreboy pads. Even if it is irrational, I have absolutely terrible luck.

Scrubbing out the rust and using adhesive for patches sounds like my best bet, and is a lot less daunting.

From these pictures, I'm thinking I may need to get a full pan.

Also, any idea why this area in particular gets rusty?

 

[imusa76]

After watching the video that Q posted, glue the patch panels in place add some trunk paint which is thick and textured and you'll never see it

 

[Mister 4x4]

That 3M Panel Adhesive Scott (Qcode351mach) recommended is awesome! I used that stuff and 'glued on' my new-new quarter panels after warping the crap out of the first ones trying to weld them on.

The body guy at my painter's shop even agreed that it was much better than having to grind all the welds.

Free tip here: If Q recommends a product or offers advice, it's the right way to go. ::thumb::

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

"Also, any idea why this area in particular gets rusty?" Possibly the trunk lid seals leaked and water / moisture remained in the depressed area for loooong periods of time.

Reminds me of a story where this guy who lived in the wintery WNY area back in the 70's who was a big gardener. So in the fall he would go the the local garden supply shop and load up his mustang trunk with bags of fertilizer with the intent of having some extra weight over the rear wheels for better traction on snowy roads. Five months later when spring arrived he would take it out. Trunk floors would be dissolved within 4-5 years...

 

[basstrix]

Also, any idea why this area in particular gets rusty?

Along the lines of this question, are there any hidden areas that tend to also be rusted if one has a rusted trunk floor?

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

In the rear of the car I have observed that the drop off areas at the corners will rust. I drilled drain holes in mine and applied paint right after I got it.

Water will enter from the rear side windows and drain out at the bottom of the car if the drains are clear, otherwise it will rust the inner rockers, It will often appear as spots down at the seam of the rocker and quarter panel. It can also get into the rear seat pans and rot the corners pretty badly. Some of this water also comes through the rear window if the seal is bad- that will rot the channel around it and create a fairly difficult repair.

I recently saw a coupe that had apparently had quarters put on at some point and the entire inside of the quarters was covered with a scaly rust. This is the only time I have seen this on one of our generation of cars so I can't say how common it is.

The front and rear of the rear wheel wells will collect mud and crap and cause rust all the way up over the lip of the wheel well.

Moving forward

The back of the front fenders collects crap and also is prone to rusting out.

The cowl is supposed to have drains- when they clog up water stands and rots it out, the water drains and gets the front floorboards. This is probably one of the harder repairs.

Occasionally the windshield channel lets water collect and will rust and I have seen it creep into the front of the roof. Again this is a major repair.

In my experience these are the main problem areas. By removing the interior, clearing all drains, removing any existing rust and treating with a good rust preventative, you can slow the process if it has started and delay it if it has not. When looking at a car these areas would all be ones I checked. Inside the rockers you can look by removing the pillar vents and using a flashlight. The cowl vents can be popped out and you can stick your camera phone in to get pictures and see what is going on.

Everything made of iron or steel can and will eventually rust-there is no prevention, only delay.