Rusty Rocker panels
DangerDude
07-01-2008, 03:15 PM
Gentlemen, A little trivia on rust repair on my 1999 Prizm. Found a small bubbly rust hole developing just in front of the passenger side wheel well, bottom of the rocker panel. Hmmm .. I hate rust! Can't stand rust! Gotta fix that right NOW! So I dug out the loose metal with channel locks and a screwdriver. Ended up with a hole about the size of a deck of cards. Interestingly, the internal structure is not rusty, only the sheet metal of the rocker panel, and only the inside surface. (?) Trimmed the ragged edges with shears and wire brushed everything, painted all the internal surfaces I could reach with rust converter. When that was dry I painted evrything with Rust-O-lium. Now I made a template from scrap galvenized HVAC ducting. Buttered it up with Bondo and Pop rivited in place. Then I dressed the patch up cosmetically and painted it to match the car. I've used this technique before on other cars rocker panels and it held fine until I sold the car. Should work here too. Of course it can only be seen when under the car looking up but at least I think I have halted further rusting and sealed the body from the elements. Any body do hokey body repairs like me? Hey .. it Beats letting rust have it's way with my nice dependable Prizm! So there is my 2 cents for whats its worth. DangerDude .. (trying to keep his car from dissolving)
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