Just when you think rust never sleeps quietly, it hit me hard on the way home the other day. First it was the front driver's bolt that pulled through the floor support. No biggie I thought, but to my surprise, the bracket broke on the seat itself opposite of the first break. So you can imagine driving with the just the rear bolts holding me in the seat. More like a carnival ride in my opinion. Had to fix it as soon as I got home in the hot sun. Welded the seat bracket on the seat by watering down the fabric around the bracket to keep it for bursting into flames. I then had to tackle the floor brace issue. I had some 1/2 square tubing scrap laying around and doubled it and it fit inside the floor brace with a piece of scrap 1/4 flat steel . I cut out the rusted section of the brace and welded it all with what was left of the brace. Then the seat hold down bolt to the top of the 2 pieces of square stock. Eyed it up with the cut out rusted piece and it was right on the money. I have to go back and fix the other side of the brace towards the console and more holes in each of the 4 floorboards. Rust never sleeps on this island.
Doug in P.R.
92 Pontiac Sunbird LE, 2.0, AT, Red / Black with Grey 155K miles. Hurricane Maria Survivor ! ( It takes a licking and keeps on ticking ! ).....in Salinas, Puerto Rico!
Rust never sleeps here either. At least you are lucky enough that you can weld and know how to weld. Unfortunately all I can to is drill & rivet.
Rust is always treating me to a learning experience with my journey with these J-Bodies.....well all vehicles. Anytime I consider a purchase nowadays the very 1st thing I do is drop down and look underneath. Forget the drive train, I don't even care if that car even starts!! If it is rusted down there I am NOT your buyer! I can do a lot better with rust above. I'd rather sport a patch with a bunch of rivets on sides than have a car hopelessly flunk an inspection because it is all rotted down under. We looked at an '06 Civic in Feburary that you could see the carpet from underneath the car, so it doesn't matter what Make or Model it is. Take a Flashlight and Inspect down there!! 3rd Gen J's seem to be especially trouble prone to underbody rust - especially reward of the doors!! Simply put - the older all these cars get the worse the rust factor is going to be.
I don't know how bad your car is down under, Doug, but it would be a great idea to get it up in the air and do a thorough examination. Rust inhibitor will help, but it is NOT a cure. I use the hell out of it and check back to see how things are going. Bondo is a disaster long term, even small amounts of the stuff allows rust to slowly do its business behind that pretty repair - and all you get is a bigger nastier hole you got to deal with the next time around. I have lost the bottom outside edge of my rear drivers side door becase for years I kept patching it up with a little bondo and making it look nice. The best thing I to work for me is to paint over the rough area and keep an eye out for it to blister again, then I can take away just as little metal as necessary at a time. I sure wish I had the equiptment and the knowledge those guys have on the car overhauling videos that totally restore from the body up!!
On the other hand body work isn't rocket science and is just a time consuming project. A little sand paper, wire wheel brushes, and paint go a long way, and the rewards of bodyworking are enormous! You can't overhaul the transaxle and appreciate it quite like fixing that eyesore on the front fender!! It is also something that can be done in stages which definately NOT the case with an engine overhaul...LoL.
Surrounded by Seawater, probably doesn't really help your chances , does it Doug
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Still haven't Delt with the other repairs yet Orlen, had to buy 2 front wheel hubs and a lower ball joint. The drivers side hub came off in two pieces cause the big but was the only thing holding it on, and the ball joint had about 3/4 inch play.Did try the slotting the rivets and using an air chisel to get them out but ended up just grinding the rivets completely and prying the joint out. Ended up buggering two of the holes of the control arm so ended up welding washers on top and underneath to restrengthening the two holes. Still have to fix the floorboards , I have the metal , just have to get the time to cut out the sections and weld them in. ( Probably going to bed liner the floor after the repair.
Add that to the quarter window that needs replacing ( kicked up a rock at work weedwacking- currently taped up) and the rust coming back on the a pillars and drivers door- lower front fender. The salt air does alot on the old J, but it still runs like a top. Never ending battle to keep the rust in check here.
Doug in P.R.
92 Pontiac Sunbird LE, 2.0, AT, Red / Black with Grey 155K miles. Hurricane Maria Survivor ! ( It takes a licking and keeps on ticking ! ).....in Salinas, Puerto Rico!
Next time you might consider the whole lower arm - only about $50 on EBay!!
This one is listed to fit your Make/Model
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Yeah probably the easiest way out but had other things to do and since I had the car apart it was easier and quicker for me to go down to AutoZone Saturday and buy the $18 ball joint. Got the right hub on and left the left side for Saturday after starting all this after work Friday afternoon in the hot sun with no shade.Ended having trouble with the one on each side torx hub bolts at the 12 o'clock position. ( Stripped) Ended up using a pipe wrench on those 2. Probably was 1 size too small on the torx keys I had.Even the Allen keys I had didn't fit.
Doug in P.R.
92 Pontiac Sunbird LE, 2.0, AT, Red / Black with Grey 155K miles. Hurricane Maria Survivor ! ( It takes a licking and keeps on ticking ! ).....in Salinas, Puerto Rico!
Did get the 2 hubs off EBay for only $44 with free shipping.( Lucas Auto Parts in Florida)
Doug in P.R
92 Pontiac Sunbird LE, 2.0, AT, Red / Black with Grey 155K miles. Hurricane Maria Survivor ! ( It takes a licking and keeps on ticking ! ).....in Salinas, Puerto Rico!
