Help with body and frame

Enfeh

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Need help!
Just got her sandblasted and thus is what she looks like!! HOPING that all the bondo is factory?? Otherwise it looks like I escaped all the expected weak/rust spots issues!
Also any opinion on whether to fix frame or replace?
Appreciate any and all inputs.
 

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Honolulu

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Doesn't look like a sandblasted surface, which would be white metal or some form thereof. Especially on the interior, there should not be any surface rust showing after blasting with most forms of abrasive media, so your floors and tunnel have a way to go.

The beige color on exterior body surfaces is taupe, a filler coat. The graininess on subframe and underpinnings could be only weld spatter that was overcoated with black or whatever you may call the coating used there.

NO bondo is factory, but as I've read here, the front fenders are leaded at the base of the windshield. Others will surely correct me if the truth lies elsewhere, but that joint is not pictured.

All in all, good for you to take this step and we look forward to continued progress, don't let us down, up there in Ferndale!
 

JFENG

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Your pictures do not show most of the rust problem areas so it’s hard to comment.

Based on what I can see with my old eyes, the door bottoms and passenger rocker may be rusted through. See pic.A43E4FDC-0A92-4D75-8102-F2E7C88B431C.jpeg

I can’t tell if the red areas in the photos is blasting media or just widespread rust. I think it is media and your floors are in great shape.
 

dave v. in nc

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Doesn't look like a sandblasted surface, which would be white metal or some form thereof. Especially on the interior, there should not be any surface rust showing after blasting with most forms of abrasive media, so your floors and tunnel have a way to go.

The beige color on exterior body surfaces is taupe, a filler coat. The graininess on subframe and underpinnings could be only weld spatter that was overcoated with black or whatever you may call the coating used there.

NO bondo is factory, but as I've read here, the front fenders are leaded at the base of the windshield. Others will surely correct me if the truth lies elsewhere, but that joint is not pictured.

All in all, good for you to take this step and we look forward to continued progress, don't let us down, up there in Ferndale!
I agree that it looks like something less agressive than "sand"blasting. Also agree that it's a good step forward to know what you do have.
 

Enfeh

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John, your old eyes are still very good. The circles are on point, also the passenger side has the same.
I was excited to see my floor pan and shock mounts are in good shape, and yes the red is the blasting media. I will be going to inspect the car in person today and will post more pictures.
Any thoughts on front axle support or subframe? It looks like it hit a curb and bent the support for the tension strut rubber mount. I was wondering if anyone encountered this on this forum. Should I fix it or look for another axle support?

Yanni.
 

eriknetherlands

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I see the front subframe indeed is dented. In order to decide if it needs to be fixed, replaced or can be kept as is, it is most interesting to know if the position of the metal part that is inside the rubber bushing will now have an altered position due to its non-round shape.

I expect the dent would push the rubber up and the metal bar inside a bit upwards; too high up. I'm zero expert on wheel alignment: can anyone here guess if having the metal part being 5 mm (1/5th of an inch) offset (up direction) would be problematic ?

As the metal does not look to be torn it could possibly be reshaped, although I would struggle myself to find a way to do that, as the metal is quite thick in that area. Press it back in shape by forcing a custom made metal cone through it?

My choice pattern would be as follows:

Does the dent alter wheel position? If "No" then it means keep and drive. Yes means 1. reshape or 2. replace.
I would try reshaping it, if it works then you're ok. If you break it then you broke something that was bad already.
Replace if the other two options come out negative.
 
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