I should probably be on the jbody diy'er forum but I doubt there is one. I see your point entirely. But just for s and g let's say you're strapped for cash and you just want your ride to make it through the winter without the quarter size rust hole in the rocker panel to get any worse. If you block the source of the rust ie. salt, debris, or whatever, with a really nice plastic, made to fit, panel, it should do the job. And then a lot more. You might be done rusting. I'm not trying to cheapin' the industry, but for my little world, this is what I need.

Things tend to rust from the inside out (at least the lower quarter area on my type of car). Covering it up will only hide the problem while it still gets worse.


2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero

correct. if your just trying to make it thru the winter and you allready have rust holes. and you don't want to fix it properly why even bother covering it won't slow the rust down and it wont stop it. only way to fix it is to cut it out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sndsgood/ https://www.facebook.com/#!/Square1Photography

Rust repair isn't to hard if its a small area. Is it a hole or just surface? Post some pics of it.

He is talking about the lower rear and it does tend to rust from the inside out, I have to do mine soon too, the sideskirt happens to be covering it now. lol

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd411/Squeakyhinge/Mobile%20Uploads/1320454856.jpg
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd411/Squeakyhinge/Mobile%20Uploads/1320454850.jpg
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd411/Squeakyhinge/Mobile%20Uploads/1320454866.jpg
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd411/Squeakyhinge/Mobile%20Uploads/1320454843.jpg
This is the rocker under the driver door. Not just a hole. Looks like the inside seam next to the hole too. Could try another pic under the car to see where rocker connects to floor board (might need some grinding there too) Maybe a partial rocker replacement? I would like to just cut out rust and weld panel right over. I think if finished properly, it could look sweet even though overlapping. I guess vinyl is sub par because this is structural integrity? How do I know a cheap rocker replacement versus a good gauge when ordering on the wild wild web? Is jc whitney good?

Can you cover a bullet wound with a band-aid?

TheSundownFire wrote:Can you cover a bullet wound with a band-aid?

Actually it would be more like covering a bullet hole with a used diaper. It would make it rust faster than slower. Honestly if its a winter beater. Just let it be like that. It'll make it through the winter. If you need to pass inspection put duct tape over the hole, or stuff it with news paper and throw some quick bondo on it. Now if you actually gave a @!#$ about the car you would get out the cutting wheel, sheet metal, welder, and sheet metal forming tools (ball peen hammer, etc etc.).


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

Thanks for the replies. The only thing I'm not sure of is the welding. Also, imo a new rocker would be better especially since its rusting between the rocker and the floor.

If I rented a welder from home depot, which kind would you get? If I did use sheet metal, do I tack one end and hammer/form it around a curve to the other end?

I know the car looks like a winter beater but it's been so good to me, I really want to start cleaning up the rust. The cav has a 100k+ and i only putt around the neighborhood with it. So I think that's why it virtually costs nothing but oil and grease. I wish now I had put a little more into protecting it from rust. I'm really wrestling with whether to move on to another vehicle with payments, grrrr. I like having no commitment to a financial institution.

Will try to get better pics of rust. Sorry to show you all that nasty rust hole. It does look like horrible good thing the car is not white! Thanks for hearin me out!

-Z Yaaaa- wrote:if you dont even know what welder to get id honestly stay away. you can really ef up a thin sheet metal panel with too much heat. and honestly... doing a whole quarter isnt for the faint at heart, (not that you are, just letting you know) its a @!#$ load of work. tons of spot welds need drilled etc....

now.. they do make PATCH panels if you wanna just cut out the bad area and weld in the new piece...

I couldnt have said it better. I still occasionally blow holes in thin stuff especially if I hit rust.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

If you don't want to do it right get por 15 putty and form it in the hole and paint it. It won't be a hole but it won't look like ass either(it also won't go away).