Can this rust bubble be fixed?

It can be fixed, but not sure if your method is best.  When getting ready to sell my wife's BMW I called a mobile dent repair guy who came out and touched up 3 or 4 spots on the car, and it looked perfect when he was done.

I would suggest some YouTube if I wanted to fix it myself. There are some pretty useful vid's, and worst case, you could always have it fixed professionally, mean while you might surprise yourself, and how good would that feel?

 I am not sure but from your photo my guess is that your rust spot is at the rear of the roof, just in front of the rear deck lid. If this is so,  that is a very common spot for rust and it is very unlikely that the one spot you see is the only rust spot in that area. 

 I’ve been told that there was a sound deadener insert of some type in that area that retains moisture and serves as a nursery for the rust you have discovered. 

 I know this is not what you want to hear, and I hope this is not the case in your car. But I am not optimistic this one spot is your only problem. 

Larry

You can fix it your self but you have a problem there the rust is from the inside!!!

Panteras have a feltstrip between roof and innerstructure just at that place and when the cars are driven when it rains water from backwheels are splashing up the roof pillar and make the felt wet and it starts to rust between the sheet metal! When driving 55 in rainy wether it creates a very fine mist that is going in to every little opening so no splashshields can stop that. 

I have repaired 3 Pantera roofs that was rusted all the way over the roof at that place! And it is a big and pretty complicated thing to do!

I suggest you to try to get some rust prevention oil to the inside that slow down the rusting process for now! And start to plan some bigger repairs in the future. 

Well-known Pantera disease.

There were four poorly repaired holes lined up in the roof of my 1972 Pantera L

and the structure underneath was also pierced.

The responsible piece of felt

I completely redone the structural part:

and replaced the roof skin with one purchased from Roland Jaeckel.

Kim,

You mentioned using rust prevention oil in that area. How do you access the area?

Its not easy to get there! But from the rear wheel well up thru the roof pillar on both sides and if you drill small 5mm holes from the under side where the rear hatch hinges are. I don't exactly remember what the inner structure looks like.

But if somebody have a good picture of the structure with the roof skin removed it would be pretty easy to see where to drill the holes. I used a spraygun like this!

It is very likely the roof on my car is corroded as described above.  I will leave it as is for now and plan for an extensive repair down the road.  Kim and Rene, thanks for the pictures and explanations of the problem.

sorry a bit late ..
After visiting René, as I was going through a full restauration, i.e in cabin "roof" was off. Well probably is good enough the take the "rim" carriing the internal light  towards the engen bay off, I injected throught the gap as it appeared massive OVATROL, a semy hardening fluid for vintage car restauration..I mean massive..!  I used a spray gun per kimk.

Matthias from Germany

Matthias,

Thanks. Great idea. I'm using Waxoyl.

I bought my TVR Griffith in the north of England, the whole chassis was treated with Waxoyl and when I completely dismantled it, under the Waxoyl there was a lot of rust, including perforating rust.

Rene,

So, the question is: was the Waxoyl put on before or after it started rusting?

Looking at reviews it appears Dinitrol is preferred.

We deal with that on an almost daily basis. First step is to hit it with a 'pecking' hammer, body hammer with pointy tip, see what-cha-got. More than likely it will be a golf size hole & if you don't CUT it ALL out, it'll be back in 90 days.

Once you strip the roof, it will be full of bad spots, all along the back. Bust it down, Ospho it down, cut out the bad spots, remove the material inside the roof that's retaining water, then shoot the roof with EPOXY primer. Match the paint with a camera, all done. BUT... if you elect NOT to strip the roof, be assured the rust will pop up an inch away or 12" away...SOON. Speaking from experience.

It's not a bid deal, just bust it down & do it.  Just another day at the office at Pantera Miami.

husker posted:

Rene,

So, the question is: was the Waxoyl put on before or after it started rusting?

Looking at reviews it appears Dinitrol is preferred.

I do not know, but I know that Waxoyl does not neutralize rust and if it does'nt adhere perfectly to the surface, which is never the case, moisture infiltrates between the metal and Waxoyl , remains trapped there and corrodes even faster.

Rost and No rost is the question!..here my 6 cents..

- "wax" if the top brands are used .. Schrader, TimeMax which provides a blend of wax and pine juice etc. This stuff is normally used in the ship industry to reduce the rost effects....in obviously salt water! (there are several test in oldtimer/vintage car magazins..unfort all in German).

- for the Nasty parts you need something which is beeing sucked "into" the rost. To me only Ovatrol does this..

..and fully correct what Sharkey said.. (from the humit Florida..miss it Sharky will come by again  .. and swet as last time)..if rosted trough TOO LATE all crap has to go out..per pictures from René. Well more work than just an afternoon

Matthias...from a DRY Germany with 25% humidity..we are asymptotically  approaching Arizona

matthias

Hey Matt how are you! Staying safe over there?

All good, strong no human grouping rules but 2....nicely fit for a 2 seater!