i started to sand down the rust spots under my doors and i found something aweful. it appears there is a small hole in the panel and water was seaping through and sitting a the bottom and eating away. am i gonna have to cut this section out and have new metal welded in or what? i just want to get through the winter and then ill get everything fixed up and repainted. so can i just put some body filler and rustproofing on it just to get me through the winter?
here is the panel right under the door. (rocker panel i think?) see the hole
heres another view
this is the same panel but from the bottom. see how the water leaked down and ate away from the inside?
closeup of the hole in the bottom of the rocker panel
i just want to get through the winter and then ill get everything fixed up and repainted. so can i just put some body filler and rustproofing on it just to get me through the winter?
Well if you want to try to stop the rust you will have to cut out the affected metal. All of it. When that is gone fresh steel will have to be welded in. Then you can have it painted. If you don’t know anything about bodywork then I don’t suggest you try this yourself. It will probably turn out looking like crap.
You couldn’t have gotten the car certified in that condition. I dont know how your car will turn out after the winter man. Rustproofing and body filler wont hold up long if we have a fairly heavy winter. How bad is the rest of the car? If there are more problems, you are better off buying another car. It will cost you way too much to fix this one up. I speak from experience.
its only this small patch on the right side under the door. everything else on the car is fine. what does having a rustspot under the door have to do with getting it certified? the frame and everything is fine
Rusted hole in the rocker panel can mean your car wont pass certification. I came close to buying a FC once but it wouldnt pass due to the rocker panel rust.
chances are that the panel is rusting out inside now, go get some of that tar spray, spray the crap out of the rocker inside and grind down the rust, rivit a peice of aluminum on, and get side skirts.
those pannels are a pain in the ass the change, i had to do both of mine and they still arn’t perfect, your best bet if you want to keep the car, take it to a shop, but it’ll cost alot but it will get fixed right.
If you bondo it it will last the winter. If the rust spreads you are going to get it fixed in the spring any way. If you are afraid the whole pannel is no good get another from nissan prob less than $100. tTake the old one off by drilling out the spot welds and cut the two welds at each end its not hard if you have the tools and some patients. If not just pay someone to do it.
