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I was going to adjust the valves and found this crack in the suspension console ear. It has some floorpan rust but the longs appear in good shape and has good door gaps and drives very solid. I can only assume that this crack was present when I bought it about four years ago. It had quite a few DAPO problems that I have fixed. It has a heavy coating of what appears to be a combination of undercoating and or bedliner material all under the car and in the engine compartment. So the question really is how deep do I need to dig into it and what are the options?

You need to start digging. At the very least you definitely need to fix the suspension console crack. That can have disastrous consequences.

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More pics.
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One more pic. Now that I have engine and tranny out there are a few other things I would like to do as well. New ss fuel line, shocks... but I also want to get it back on the road and drive it. Just looking for words of wisdom.

The kwik fix is welding a scab plate over it. The right fix is replacing the pieces that are rusted out. Not a job that is an easy one....BTDT.

I did it last year....see my build thread.

Whoa, someone nearby. I would suggest replacing the suspension console since it tends to rust from the inside out. I would also take a closer look underneath the car because undercoating often hides a lot of problems.

Trout,

Sorry to see that. I replaced mine due to slightly less rust and it looked worse inside. It's not really that hard to replace. Feel free to drop by and check my replacement out anytime.

Richard

wait until tomorrow... i'll be starting another repair thread as i just welded this exact part last night! i'm putting it back together tonight and can debrief after.

I have followed your progress on your site and all the comments so far have told me what I thought, remove and replace. Looks like I'll have to come up Durham and and take a close look at what you have done. It didn't look nearly as bad untill I ground off the undercoating crap to reveal somthing much worse.

If the undercoating is asphalt based (you can remove it with thinner or gasoline) you could move it to a spot that needs some weeds killed and wash it down with diesel then wash it with soap and water, thats a lot easier than trying to wire wheel it off.

I thought about that but I have the drivetrain out and my shop is my basement. I was worried about fumes in the house when I push the car back in. On past projects when I took parts outside to clean they always seem to keep a funk in the house for a day or so. I didn't used to think much about it but now I would not want my four year old son to be sucking in the fumes.

4" cup brush on a electric grinder whips that stuff right off.

What about taking it to a spray car wash and also taking a pump up sprayer and hosing it down with the diesel there then washing it and bringing it back home? You are never gonna get that stuff out of the nooks and crannys with a wire wheel you will just hit the flat spots that you can get to. And be stuck scraping with a screwdriver trying to get enough off to weld it up.