Rust / Rot : How to deal with it

When I took control of my wagon I found in going through the whole car leaves had blocked up one of the drain plugs. Over time these leaves seeped water. The rear compartment has some surface rust. Nothing major, I can sand that down, copy the paint code from the VIN tag and get paint mixed into a aerosol spray can and respray it. However the seeped water created rust where the exhaust pipe is, eventually rotting the metal. Its in a conspicous place but nontheless its there and people who look, do see it. Anyone know how much a body shop should charge me to fix this, give or take a few dollars ? I dont have the tools to cut the metal or weld.

This is the ONLY body work the wagon needs.

 

I can't see the pictures due to limitations with screwing off at work on a government computer that blocks photobucket. Don't limit yourself to body shops. If you can get to the front and back side of the rust, grind it all off yourself, check with freinds, neighbors and I'll bet someone knows someone who can cut and weld on sheet metal and patch it nicely. Then you can rustproof, prime and paint it yourself. Done right you'll only need and thin coat of bondo to smooth it all out.

 

My guess would be $500+ minimum and up, depending on the "level" of repair or restoration.

 

That really doesn't look that bad at all. Easy to reach for the body technician. A few hunert maybe......

 

If the drop off panel behind the quarter section is rock solid, I would est. the fabrication alone taking about two maybe three hours. Price on that will depend on the shop rate of whomever you use. When I say three hours I am figuring fabbing the repair section and tig welding the panel solid. Mig welding will require more time for grinding. Fill and sand work should not take more than a couple of hours.
That being said, even though I am NOT a painter, the problem may be blending the paint properly. An older, light color is sometimes harder to blend. I've seen some great color match on older paint, but it takes someone on their game.
Anyway........ yeah, I would say 5 to 8 hour job X shop rate.

 

I am hoping it wont run more then 500 dollars or so. Most shops ive taken it to refuse to do the job since the wagon is so old. Unless its an insurance job, many wont touch it.

 

I would say the biggest reason is because of what I said earlier, which ties in with them saying it is so old. Paint match is going to be the problem. Most insurance jobs are going to be on a car with newer paint. Which is what most collision shops want. Well... that and the over priced est. that the insurance company is going to write the check for. Less face it. They would much rather replace a rubber bumper cover or fender, spray and blend and walk away with the flat rate pay for half the hours invested.
You need to find a restoration shop or a street rod shop that can do the fabrication portion and then maybe farm out the paint. If all else fails, you could always mask off, prime and spray sealer until you figure out the paint match issue.

 

Dude, if you are willing to spend up to $500 to have someone fix this, why don't you go ahead and buy a few tools and supplies, and fix this yourself?

I will be happy to walk you through everything, and tell you what to buy and how to fix this.
If there is a Harbor Freight Tools near you, you can pick up some tools and an inexpensive wire welder.

Also, Por-15 products like Metal Ready, and their rust preventative paints will go a long way on this repair.

You can fix this yourself...and you will have a great sense of accomplishment.

Just a suggestion.

David

 

Harbor Freight for a welder? :banghead3:
Save your money and buy a good quality welder that will last for years. I started with a used Holbart mig and a used Lincoln 175 tig. A used mig such as a Miller, Lincoln, Holbart, etc. will be a wiser investment. While Harbor Freight carries a few good tools for light home and beginner use, the China electronics would be something you should stay away from.

 

Motion is right. The more you do with it, the more satisfaction you get. That's not a big repair and fairly easy to do. I'd take an afternoon with someone that has a small tig/mig welder have him show you the fine points of using one, then rent one or hit a Used Machinery dealer or watch the want ads.

Anyway, here's a link to some Mopar body panels you can buy new:
http://www.jimsautoparts.com/body_parts_mid.htm

Here's a site on the art of bodywork:
http://www.autobody101.com/articles/

This is my old thread with lots of links to rust and bodywork sites:
http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=711

Here's HotRod Magazine's 10-part Series on rust and body repair, from a few years ago:
http://www.hotrod.com/howto/hdrp_0605_paint_body_1/index.html

I know my car's pimples and flaws so well that I'd rather fight with Mother Nature than buy another one. And she seems to like the way I treat her too. The car I mean.

 

Yes, Harbor Freight for a welder.

Forever27 can certainly spend more, and get a much better welder, but we are talking about repairing a foot long area of his wagon.
He may never use it again. Plus, the lightweight units at HF use 110, and that is easiest for a beginner. Inexpensive and easy to use.

Norm has a good idea about renting one from a tool rental place, but they usually charge $50 to $75 a day min for a lightweight 110 unit, and he can buy a new one for $125...they go on sale often.

If Forever asks around, like maybe guys at work, or car buddies, he may find one that he can borrow.

There's many different ways this simple project can be approached, but for a beginner with a $500 limit, I think inexpensive and easy is a good way to go.

Forever, you may not want to go this route at all, but it is just a thought.

David

 

Well, in this Obama economy money gets tight and I thought if someone out there has done things like this on their own or could say a ballpark cost at say ....Macco or wherever.

Thoguth id throw it out there and yes there is a Harbor Freight close to me, well sort of, they have one in Oakland I think.

Neds Auto Body supply here in town ran the VIN on the car and got the paint code. They took - auto paint - and mixed it to the exact factory color and sold me an aerosol can of paint matched to the original Chrysler color ive used to touch up a few places on the car. Now if there was some relitively cheap way of doing this myself and respraying it myself with the factory color...... Just thought id throw it out there before I spend a small fortune on this. It needs to be done and I will get it handled. I feel the wagon is well worth the cost

 

Maaco?!? That's worse than lipstick on a pig.

I've never used it, but a bodyshop supply shop should have the sheetmetal seam adhesive that most factories use today instead of welding. You could trim out the cancer, bond a new piece of metal, smooth out with filler and prime and paint.

I roller painted my whole car with 8 coats for just over $218.00 CDN$. This is an afternoon job, what you've got there.

 

Just an thought Norm LOL

When I did my 65 Merc it was caked with surface rust. LOTS of surface rust but no rot. Most of that car was mechanical. I replaced the front bumper and the left fender on the car because it was ka-poweed but rotton or rusted out. I had the whole car sanded down to bare metal and resprayed. This wagon is a whole different ballgame.

And the Parklane was a Miricle paint job. Not great but good for what I paid for it.

 

You could always chaulk it up to character and leave it. Just treat it so it doesn't go any further. Evict the worm.