rust

RUST!!!

I hate rust. I am only in high school right now, and I have an '89 firebird. I plan on keeping this car for a long time and restoring it and making it a nice car, but I am only 18 so that will start in about 5 to 10 years when I actually have a life and job :). Ok, I have problems with leaking, right at the end of the headliner, where there is that plastic strip before the back window. I am not sure where the water gets in, but it goes to that area that I just described and then goes into my car. I am wondering if it is the t-top seals of something else. Well anyway, back to the rust. So I found a weak spot inside of my car, on the side panel near the base of the car as I was taking stuff apart, and I tapped on it from the outside and now I have a small hole. My main questions is, would it be worth it to do body work on the car throughout the years? Like cutting the rust section out and welding a new section. I learned how to weld in school, so that would be a problem to fix it myself, but I am not sure how extensive the rust is and if it would just be better to take it somewhere, if that is possible, to get that taken care of. Suggestions would be really helpful, because I love the firebird and would like to keep it.

Thanks

Adam

if you think you can handle it.. then do it.. if worst comes to worst.. you can always have it done professionally.. thats the way i see it.. tomorrow im tackling the body on the F150 i just bought..

I'd look into it and see how far the rust goes. If it is a huge spot or multiple spots, there are plenty of 3rd gen. firebirds around that the money and time and hoping the spots dont come back or new ones appear would not be worth the headache. If its just one small spot though and you like the car, I would stick with it for a while.

Check the junk yards in your area, too, as you never know what treasures you may find. I saved myself a lot of body work when I found a pair of front fenders in damn nice shape for my 3rd gen, and they pretty much bolt off and on. Just my :2cents:

as far as your leak its probally a dry rotten spot in your weather stripping, put some vasseline around it and that usually refresh's the seals and keeps out leaks for a while

buy another car for parts.its always good to have a spare everything.