The Rusto-ration Question of the Month... Options

[EdArango]

OK...Let's take a poll. Should I move forward or should I cut this car up into little pieces and look for another tub.

Check out my tread:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...110048&st=0
I'm just loving life!!! Awh!!!!!!!!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fighting19.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blowup.gif)

Ed

[jonferns]

You guys cut up solid tubs like that on the west coast?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Mike Bellis]

I'm cutting one up that looks like this...





There are way too many better rollers in California to waste time fixing. A real -6 or LE car would be fixing but not a -4...

[bandjoey]

I was on the same path and after a year decided I wasn't into total restoration. Found a good tub and did the parts swap. Couldn't be happier. It took a few months of on and off work but I'm Driving. The old tub is getting ready to meet the springtime saw. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)

[silver74insocal]

"There are way too many better rollers in California to waste time fixing. A real -6 or LE car would be fixing but not a -4..."

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

theres a ton of rollers on CL right now..all over La and Orange county..

go with god little teener (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[sww914]

That's average rust. It's worth fixing, I've fixed a lot of them that are only that bad. It's a couple hundred in parts from Restoration Design and a couple of days labor, plus making a couple of custom pieces yourself and you get all the fun of learning to weld. Seriously, it's fun to fix that. Well, not as much fun as laying on a beach in the sun having drinks with umbrellas delivered by topless beauties, but still, it's a dirty kind of fun.

[strawman]

I agree that it is worth fixing that tub... assuming you're adventurous, are willing to get really dirty/dusty, have some mechanical aptitude, and have the time/ambition. My tub was way worse than yours and required a lot of repairs, but the journey has always had more appeal to me than the end product. Guess it all comes down to what you wanna do!

Geoff

[stewteral]

OK...Let's take a poll. Should I move forward or should I cut this car up into little pieces and look for another tub.

Check out my tread:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...110048&st=0
I'm just loving life!!! Awh!!!!!!!!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fighting19.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blowup.gif)

Ed

Hey Ed,

Frankly, your car doesn't look too bad. The '73 I'm restoring had rust in ALL the spots of your car but with a WORSE hell-hole , rusted out floor under passenger seat and rusted out trunk floor at the rear of the car.

I've repaired all my stuff and had fun doing it. Using a cheapo Harbor Freight metal brake, I bent up replacement parts were need, welded them in and to the casual observer, the work is not noticeable.

A BETTER, more expensive way would be drilling out all the spot rivets of the rusted panels and then buy replacements.

If you haven't viewed the car the Dutch fellow rebuilt, you MUST! (posted a couple months back on this forum) He rebuilt almost the entire chassis and posted photos of every step along the way. In the end, it comes down to how much work and time you want to invest in the car. If you bought it Cheap (as I did) it will be worth it. I'm planning on spending a year to get mine done. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Best,
Terry

[speed metal army]

Fix it.It looks to be worth saving.

[markb]

Fix it.It looks to be worth saving.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[MrHyde]

If you have a look at my restoration thread you can see what a BAD car looks like... most of my issues are from the DAPO that didnt do any rust preventative painting of the parts LAST time it was fixed.. I havent posted up a picture of the hell hole once I cleaned out the 2 cans worth of spray foam someone stuck in there, and all the roofing tar to cover it up, but I'll post that this weekend.. I'm looking into getting a body shell that in just a little bit better shape than what you have and I think it will save me atleast 6 months in work, let alone saving money in metal. I'll post pics of that tub once I have it. Basically if you look at the "before" pictures of Jeff Hail's bringing ou the dead thread, mine current body looks a little worse than that.

Personally, I would open up the rocker area and clean up the surface rust, put some por15 on it, prime it, seal it up, and replace what is structually not sound. Most people on the other side of the rockies would love to have a body that is in as good of shape as what you have there..

[mepstein]

Listen to Sean Molloy - he's an expert and has personally looked at your car.

[charliew]

In my old man's opinion. There will never be a unibody restoration repair done by a guy trying to save money. Without dipping the body and treating all the cavities after the welding is done I don't see any way to keep rust from coming back in the untreated weld areas along with the spots that just haven't shown up yet but are susceptable to ongoing rust coming back. Just getting the foam out of the body is a real job. I am sure every car that has been in the outside atmosphere has some degree of rust in the foam areas. The average guy can't do what is required to really treat all the problem areas of the 914 tub in my opinion. He can make it presentable for a few years but I'm sure little holes will come back or appear in new places he didn't get too. My first experience of what heat does to mild steel was when I built a few exhaust systems and the first place they rusted through was at the welds.

[sean_v8_914]

the answer depends on the intent of the project.
if you do it, I recomed getting something you can drive in teh meantime to keep you motivated

[Mike K CO]

That doesn't look too bad to me. I would disassemble it and rack it up. Strip the outside at home then get the rest of it blasted. The unseen areas of the car are a great place to get familiar with welding sheet metal.

Besides, if you show your boy that this kind of stuff can be done, he will have a different perspective on what he can and can't fix. I wish that I had more of that experience early on.

I completely disagree with the post that a quality job can't be done at home or by a novice. With weld through primers, blasting, metal etching cleaners and DTM epoxy primers, if your work isn't up to your standards, you have no one to blame but yourself.

[Root_Werks]

Rust never sleeps. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

My vote is it depends on you, how much time you want to put into either fixing this one or swapping out all the parts to a roller or just cut the loss and buy another one.

Each person is different. For myself, I've fixed a few hell-holes. I'm no expert, so it takes me a long time, lots of hours and probably doesn't turn out as good if I would have had a professional do it. So for me, I don't like rust repair. It's the #1 killer of 914's these days.

You have a strong 914 community here for parts, advice and support. So whatever you decide, we'll be around.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

Edit: I just re-read your thread, I'd fix that. I've seen much worse and your 914 looks pretty darn nice to me. Fix it.

[sean_v8_914]

anyone posting here "thats not so bad" or " thats easy" or ...should also post some threads of how easily they did one. Im not gonna sugar coat that, its deep, but it can be done. there is a level of pride and satisfaction that comes with completing a project like this that runs as deep as this rust. clean worthy chassis are getting harder to find. I caution all those who believe that you can simply go out into a sea of abundant CA donors to find another. while you can find better, it just aint as easy as it used to be and clean or rust free is a relative term these days

[Andyrew]

Get another chassis, Transfer your parts over and drive the car.

THEN start fixing up this chassis. Hell if may take you 2 years, but you'll gain great experience and you can have a solid chassis for whatever project you want to take on next.

You have a driver, and a total resto! Most 914'ers would love (and lots do) to do that as they could enjoy the 914 driving experience and the 914 building experience.

Dont chop up that chassis.

[roadster fan]

I posted in the other thread, but I would fix it. My reasoning is there. Good luck with the car whatever you decide.

If you look inside the longs of just about any 914 you will find rust. It is just a matter of how badly it has invaded the structure of the metal. That being said, I would trust Sean's recommendation since his eyes were on the car.

Jim

p.s. please don't cut that car up for parts or scrap, get it in the hands of someone who is willing to fix it, save another 914!

[EdArango]

I posted in the other thread, but I would fix it. My reasoning is there. Good luck with the car whatever you decide.

If you look inside the longs of just about any 914 you will find rust. It is just a matter of how badly it has invaded the structure of the metal. That being said, I would trust Sean's recommendation since his eyes were on the car.

Jim

p.s. please don't cut that car up for parts or scrap, get it in the hands of someone who is willing to fix it, save another 914!

I agree with you Jim....I hate thinking of cutting up these cars. I hope that when the time comes I can find someone that is willing to fix it.
ED