LocostUSA.com

In a former life (in WV), in a former decade (late 70's), the owner of the company I worked for got a call from the local International Harvester dealer (anybody remember them?). The IH guy wanted to sell us Scouts to use for field vehicles. I had my doubts, but we went and looked at them anyway. The model on the showroom floor, with 3-point-something miles on the odometer was showing rust through the paint on the bottom of one door. We didn't buy any Scouts.

The runner-up in the rust department was my 78 Fiat Super Brava. I was living in WV at the time, where they salt the roads. I tried to spray it off with clean water after driving on a freshly salted road, but sometimes you can't. (Like when it's below zero and still snowing...) It was one thing when the rear fenders and hood started showing rust after about a year. Then the drip rails on top of the windows?!?!?! Then the inside of the glove box?!?!?!!? Oh, and this was about the time that Fiat pulled out of the American market, the only dealer in the end of the state where I was folded up and went away and the warranty didn't cover rust anyway...

Rust never sleeps...

JDK

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

True Story:

Somewhere around 1983, My then-wife and I were driving an early 1970s Datsun 1200 coupe. The rear floors subsequently vanished.

then, one evening leaving a party, she opened the passenger door, sat down into the seat, and the passenger side rocker let go just ahead of the wheel well, and the seat hit the ground.

yup. good times.

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The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941 unfortunately, all the pictures were lost in the massive server crash

The beginnings of the Jag Special,
https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012
Again, all pictures were lost.

This month's update: I finished up the driver's side sill assembly. All that is left is some cleanup of welds and touchup. I then attacked the passenger side sill. It took me some time to get that apart, what with "life". It is now out and the first piece (inner sill) is welded in place holding the front quarter section of the car to the rear. Also I fabricated the passenger side toe board and welded that into place. Still a bit if fiddling to do there. Then I attacked the small triangular pieces of steel at the rear inside of the passenger compt. This piece is a very complicated forming so I bought replacement pieces off of OEM tooling. It was originally spot-welded in almost 50 places including and includes support for the forward mount of the rear springs. These pieces were swollen from rust trapped between the parts. I needed to remove them to stop the rust. It took a few hours each to extricate them from the car. Then I cleaned up the rust and sprayed on Zinc rich primer. The pics show only the one side. I removed both sides and will attack the re-welding shortly.

My plan is to do a final sandblasting to clean metal after all welding and fab is done is done. Pieces being trapped from that process are being either zinc primered, or self etching primered depending on my mood and what is handy at the time.

I will need to replace the inner fender. It is a 2-piece assembly split down the middle. Only the outer inch or two of the outer half needs replacing. They are originally spot welded together with a lap joint. I have the replacement piece. Not sure if I should just remove the entire part or just cut out the bad 2" edge and patch just that 2" edge. Any thoughts?

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

I'd buy the inner fender half, but would most likely cut off the bad 2", cut the matching piece from the new and weld in place.

Put a step flange on it with a bead roller, punch / drill holes and "spot" weld it in with rosette welds. Apply your favorite goo tp keep the water out of the joint.

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Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Those British tin worms are tenacious l'il boogers... I'd be inclined to cut out more rather than less of the old fender, or all of the old one, just to be sure to get rid of as much corrosion as possible. And like TooBusy says, put some kind of sealer on it to keep moisture out. (And to smother the hidden tin worms!)

"Rust Never Sleeps"--
JDK

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

TooBusy and JD, Thanks for the feedback.

Sealer works both ways. It prevents "stuff" from entering. It also prevents it from drying out. Hmmmmm?

I am currently thinking to use seam sealer and then undercoat/spray bed line everything underneath, sans suspension parts and other bolt on parts. I do reserve the right to change my mind.

So far, it is one for cutting out only the rusty bits and one for replacing the almost all or all of the (half?) part. I wonder how to break the tie? Flip a coin? I have the whole replacement part and can work on other things until I've decided.

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Chuck That is a lot of WORK!!! If you have an option go with the rubberized un-coating.
Davew

Sure is a lot of work Dave. It is going slower than I had hoped. But things always do. The good part is that very little I've run across was a surprised to me. Essentially, I bought a title. The rest (rust?) was free. My hobby keeps me out of the bars. Nothing I do is a quick fix. And many times, it is a learning experience. I'm learning a lot.

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Still in better shape than the "rust free" New Zealand Mini I bought a few years ago.

I had to build the bottom 6 inches of the car.

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Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Rust free, as in "I'm not charging you for the rust"?

Yesterday, I made the decision to remove the inner fender half as a whole. Got that? After ~90 spot welds pilot drilled and another ~90 3/16" dia finish drills, the welds were demolished and the inner fender half is out. The remaining half is in pretty good condition with only a small area that needs attention.

Got to love that rotisserie! My back thanks me!

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Wow, 90 spot welds. I'm impressed there were that many created when it was built, and just as impressed you had the patience to drill them all out.

Did they have any degree of automation for spot welding when it was built, or did some poor fellow have to do each one by hand (i.e., pull the trigger for each weld)?

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

I believe the robot's name was Nigel, or possibly Clive...

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

One of the videos out there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc3DJfrnLTU
Ron

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"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." - Mark Twain
In my defense the moon was full and I was left unsupervised

@STranger 7

The video was very interesting. I had no idea you could get a brand new body shell. I'm glad my wife didn't see the video. She'd want me to get one.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

@STranger 7 - I liked the video too. Who'd have thought that there was so much demand for new MG bodies that it justified the expense of that factory. That certainly surprised me. Anyone know the prices of a body?

RX7locost - I'm enjoying watching your build. Your rust repair looks spectacular.

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Bill H
Winnipeg, MB, Canada