[RallycrossRS]

I am going to try and document my rust repair on the rear quarters on my 01 GC6. I'll try and get photos as much as possible.

To start, here's the "before" pictures:

Drivers side - notice the tab to hold the bumper has broken away...

The PO did a shoddy (at best) repair using bondo.

Passengers side - not as bad, but bonding fixed and rust is starting to bubble...

Donor panels are front fenders. As said in another thread, you cut the arch (as much as needed) and the part where the bumper attaches. This gives you a new arch and bumper mounting point. The arch in the front has the same radius as the rear.

Next up...cutting...

 

[RallycrossRS]

Lets see what we're working with...

Yuck. That's ugly.

More cutting, getting the last of the rust and cutting a few inches beyond...

 

[RallycrossRS]

Reserved for more pictures

 

[RallycrossRS]

...and one more reservation...

 

[omiotek]

good luck on your quest.

to me both sides seem to have had prior patch jobs that have failed. if i were in your shoes i would do fresh quarters since they are still available and not all that costly. gives you a clean long lasting slate. especially since it seems you work at or have access to a body shop like myself.

 

[RallycrossRS]

good luck on your quest.

to me both sides seem to have had prior patch jobs that have failed. if i were in your shoes i would do fresh quarters since they are still available and not all that costly. gives you a clean long lasting slate. especially since it seems you work at or have access to a body shop like myself.

I'm hacking a spare set of front fenders and welding. ;-)

...and yep, I work at a body shop. The close of this will be a fresh coat of STM.

Found this:

...notice the bent metal, that's surrounded by nothing. Rocker (drivers front) is pretty much gone. On top of that, at the drivers front Jack point, the floor pan is crushed. I discovered it when I went to fix a clip to secure the skirt.

 

[omiotek]

dont feel bad.... mine neglected the piss poor quarter replacement and the rear body replacement....all rotting away under the seams so they are both getting repleced. other then that theres not too much rust anywhere but around the typical atenna so im shaving that

 

[RallycrossRS]

I'm not upset about the rust...I know to expect it.

Its just more of a project than anticipated / wanted. But I love the car, so I'm just dealing with it.

 

[omiotek]

yeah thats unfortunately the crappy thing... i was told the car was never hit, but i did see the rust. the rust on the side that was hit was souly from umporper quarter replacement. i knew it had a blown motor but the owner told me it was a rod bearing(got lucky that it was). was told the car just did run and when i tore the block apart i found out it was worked on once and it had a clogged oil journlal which is why it blew again. needless to say he said he had no idea what happened BUT the card had perfectly clean oil and there was no rod bearing on #4 so to me someone knew about it lol.

 

[Spatizzle]

Definitely keeping up with this thread. My rust is really starting to get bad, and it's a terrible time for me to try and work on it now because the cold. Thinking about sandblasting it, wire brush etc or just cutting it out and welding. There's a rust wiki that I've been looking into lol

 

[RallycrossRS]

Rust has different stages...if it hasn't gone through to the other side; grind it til you only see polished metal. Can't even have a tiny speck of rust...

 

[omiotek]

your better off using a spot blaster imho. if you spot blast it, it wont make a huge mess and takes a lot less material off. then grind it, then spot blast again...if you miss ANY rust its coming back evnetually.

 

[RallycrossRS]

^ true

 

[thumpetto007]

So you said the diameter of the fender arches are the same front and rear, but is the curvature of the fender the same as well?

 

[RallycrossRS]

Well, you Only use the radius of the arch, and about 4-5" fwd of the arch (for bumper mounting). You're welding and doing metal work, so not much else matters.

Once cutting/ bonding happens, it'll make sense.

This route is in lieu of forming metal from scratch.

 

[stallion91]

subscribed. i have hear quarter panel wheel well issues. my rear passenger wheel was shoved up into the quarter panel when i was pushed into a large curb in a previous accident.

 

[RallycrossRS]

Added progress pictures to post #2.

 

[gc8_22b]

i repaired my quarters, rockers, and i found a hole in trunk floor under where the jack sits. if you take out the vents in the sides (just 4 screws), and you can see if theres any holes like mine. good luck! oh and with the rockers make sure you use some decently thick metal

 

[RallycrossRS]

Yeah, ill do rockers next. Need to come up with a plan of attack. I might hack up a junk yard car...then weld new rockers in.

 

[Bansheeboy11]

So you said the diameter of the fender arches are the same front and rear, but is the curvature of the fender the same as well?

Heres a post in my journal, you can see how i cut the fenders.

http://www.rs25.com/forums/f145/98499-my-pain-aspen-115.html#post2604942


Ill be keeping an eye on your work, my car is about to go under the knife for the same spots, my rockers arent that bad though, damn you got your work cut out for you.