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Deflated DeT Pantera owner needs rust help !!!

A andriykoMember
Well...

After being proud of having a car that I thought was relatively rust clean ...

I found some.

I have been going over my car (every square inch). While inside the right rear wheel well, I noticed a small pinhole in the rear U-channel (the curvey one)of the wheel house suspension support. Right where it changes to a down angle. I jammed my srewdriver into the pinhole and it went through !! The metal was quite thin. I then tap tested the rest of the U channels. Banged them with a screw driver and composite hammer. Everywhere else seemed pretty solid.

So, I shooved a foot long wire and then a screwdriver into the previously drilled drain holes to dislodge any rust. WOW I got quite a pile of exfoliated rust powder and flakes. I was shocked.

I then checked the drivers side (left side rear wheel house). Solid everywhere from the testing and very little rust could be dislodged from up inside the drain holes.

Anyway, I feel disheartened Frowner. I had to stop work on the car and take a break. Turning to the forum for help.

What to you guys recommend for a repair? How much of the inner wheel house should I remove?

And most importantly ... Who makes the best original looking patch repair panel?

Bohdan
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pantera1887pantera1887Member
Take a look at part number 10670 on this image http://www.panteraplace.com/Pa...a%20back%20frame.jpg from this page http://www.panteraplace.com/page57.htm I believe these parts were part of the recall parts that went on 71 cars.

My 71 car has them and the bottom ends wrap around the bottom of the frame rail by about ¼”. Can’t tell how long they have been there but from the look of the undercoat they look like they must have been installed when the car was pretty new.

Mike
A andriykoMember
Thanks Mike.

I follow your site regularly.

Thanks for pointing out 10670. My car is a 74 (bought in 1990)and did not have those installed. Good idea though.

The second link shows them istalled as well as the holes I had drilled earlier (Hall recommended them in my day). I scraped out the rust flakes using a coat hangar wire up those holes.

I am not sure whether I should:
1) Just cut out the local rusted area of the U-channel or,
2) Replace the entire U-channel from just below the upper A-arm joint down or,
3) Replace both U-channels or
4) Both U-channels and the flat section between them.

I am concerned there may be more rust that I cannot see based on how much exfoliated rust leaves I got out of the holes. Although based on a rubber hammer, hitting with a screw driver etc. the other areas seem pretty solid. However, the beam could be rusted as in this picture (My inner wheel house has no where near that external rust. - I only found it by one pin hole):



Could use some advice from anyone who has had a similar experience.

B.G.
pantera1887pantera1887Member
The difficulty of monocoque body construction is that you can’t tell very easily what kind of problems are hiding inside. The inside of the parts were not coated with rust proofing from the factory so if water makes its way inside it has a hay day. You could try drilling a few test holes so you could check the side of the rail that is covered by the wheel house and then weld them up if all is well.

Mike
C comp2Member
I had to repair some one else's repair. With some methodology this repair is not bad.

This was what I had to deal with:



The welds don't look at bad as they do in the photos for some reason.

This channel was actually steel plate bent like a "U" over a pipe and cut to fit:



Wheel well fillet back in:



2nd piece of flat metal plate bent like a "U" over a pipe and cut to fit:



Separate plate to box the area in. Zinc primed before welding:



Box plate welded in:



All done except drain holes. Don't forget to put drain holes back in:

pantera1887pantera1887Member
quote:
Originally posted by Pantera 1887:
Take a look at part number 10670 on this image http://www.panteraplace.com/Pa...a%20back%20frame.jpg from this page http://www.panteraplace.com/page57.htm I believe these parts were part of the recall parts that went on 71 cars.

My 71 car has them and the bottom ends wrap around the bottom of the frame rail by about ¼”. Can’t tell how long they have been there but from the look of the undercoat they look like they must have been installed when the car was pretty new.

Mike


I should add that there are many different ways to repair monocoque body parts. I was lucky to find a guy to do some repair work on my car that was a real artist with monocogue work and you would absolutely never know that any repair work was done including the proper spot weld reproductions. Here is an example of his work http://www.panteraplace.com/page44.htm A real master craftsmen.

Mike
demopuardemopuarMember
Bohdan,

Are you thinking that the rust may be in other box sections because you found it in another? The first thing I would do is find out how must rust one is talking about by doing just what you did with the wheelhouse. Poke around until you feel satisfied that there is no more anywhere else. If it is just located at the one wheelhouse, I would wait for the Johnny Woods repair panels if he would be so kind to make some for you. I would repair the rust area and then go to part 2 of what all Panteras in areas with humidity have to deal with.

This would be rustproofing with a proven rustproofer -- no home made stuff should be used. I am going to have my car rustproofed with Wurth rustproofing (also called Cavity Protection Spray); any car that does not have rustproofing applied in a high humidity area is really asking for trouble as it will be just a matter of time until rust shows up.

I would not get rid of your car -- that would be getting rid of the baby with the bath water.

Mark
A andriykoMember
Mark,

You hit it right on. I feel surprised and demoralized for 2 reasons:

1) The hidden rust I found in a boxed section even though appropriate precautions were taken.
2) If there is rust like that there - how bad are the rest of the boxed-in sections?

EG. of a precautions I took:
I regularly sprayed "Rust Check" up the body drain holes. I also avoided driving in the rain (not to say I didn't - I just did my best)

Moving on, I will repair the obvious corrosion damage I discovered. I have already sent Johnny Woods an email. I just need some guidance on the extent of the repair.

What thickness of metal should I use? Did you guys MIG the repairs in?
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