Whatcha gonna do with all rust inside your trunk?!?!

[Venom FA]

My 92 Corolla has rust holes in the trunk so badly i can see the wheels!! Anyone have any experience with this?

86,000 miles
Rockers and front fenders also need replaced
Doors have loooong rust holes

I was going to buy rust repair panels and some southern doors that I can swap out.

It cost me 500$ and rust is the only problem want the car to last another couple years but is it worth it?

[spacedog0o1]

rust is like cancer and it sounds like you have a lot of it. if you have the time and some cash id find another chassis (with a blown motor) and swap everything over.

[freakinbox]

I am more stubborn than most. I have the same issue with my cars trunk. Small hole in the spot for the spare tire. Also a very large on in the rear drive side suspension tower. Along with a spot on the passenger side floor. I plan to find a car at the wreckers with a good trunk and spots I need and cut them out larger than I need. Buy a welder and go ahead and fit them into place by cutting out a spot and matching the panel to it. When finished it should look perfect and no one will have any clue the work has been done. As long as you have someone to help you weld (if you don't know how, all should be well). It also doesn't require finding a perfect body, only spots that need to be good are the ones you need.

Rockers aren't to bad, you can buy replacements for them, I plan to put a tonn of POR-15 in mine before sealing them up. The front fenders, just find new ones. It's hard to find ones that don't have that rust at the bottom by the door that are worth fixing. Just because it's also a mounting point.

As for swapping everything over. Just because you found a body that looks good doesn't mean the next body won't have surprises for you. Not to mention when cars get this old, flexing the harness around a bunch to get it into another car (saying it's not the same engine as the current car) will leave hair line cracks in the casing leading to electrical problems in the end. So it's not always easier to swap everything over, also forgot to mention the old seized bolts you get to have fun dealing with.

[Flashmn]

Buy a welder and go ahead and fit them into place by cutting out a spot and matching the panel to it.

Or save the cash that the welder costs and have someone do it who has a welder and experience, thin sheet welding isnt the most easiest thing to do.

As for swapping everything over. Just because you found a body that looks good doesn't mean the next body won't have surprises for you.

True, but if your car is the flintstones special model, then maybe a new body with parts intact (maybe from a dry state, such as texas, utah, nevada) might be a better investment than replacing half of the car? Just an idea.

[Venom FA]

I almost did the swap then I found rust repair panels and fenders that I could buy for around $350. I don't think I could handle an engine swap but have a buddy handy with a welder. I just wasn't sure if I could permanently remove the rust in the trunk......

I think I will eventually do the swap when it rusts again in a couple of years.

[freakinbox]

I would have my dad help me out with the welding and teach me how to do it with the thinner gauge metal. He's a millwright by trade so knows how to do it. It costs A LOT here to have them do it for you compared to the welder. Not to mention I need it for more than just the corolla. If the firebird doesn't sell I plan to use the welder to do the floors in it. Not to mention w/e car I work on in the many years I would own the welder.

I do agree, there is a point where the body is garbage, since unibodies with to many holes won't hold their true shape anymore. I personally don't have the means to go down to the states and pick up an ok car and drive it back. Not sure how the taxes work bringing a car to Canada from the States either.