AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
You could always cut it all out, use loctite spray foam as a filler, cut/shave the foam down after it dries and then spray the foam with bedliner. I've done this on cars I don't care about and it's lasted for years
Project Bulldog. (1988 Diplomat AHB)
- Thread starter SonOfaTomP
- Start date
SonOfaTomP
Well-Known Member
Was more thinking of fiber glass and body filler. but to just fill up that big hole, that doesn't sound like a bad idea. also thinking i could cut up a junkyard Fifth or that parts 83, and have someone weld it to this car. though it honestly isn't that bad, just intimidating. i can see me taking that wheel well trim off and it taking half the fender with it
AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
You can fill the opening with foam, shave it down, and then short strand fiberglass over that. But painted foam that's cut and shaved down and then painted just looks like a dirty car and nobody will notice
SonOfaTomP
Well-Known Member
bed liner is a good idea. will probably do that for the inner fender. while i'm at it i might as well fluid film the rest of the underside. My father used to daily this car everyday and rarely had time wash it. we're lucky the frame is still solid.
got the windshield replaced at Safelite.... they broke the replacement.... thank goodness for warranties,
got the windshield replaced at Safelite.... they broke the replacement.... thank goodness for warranties,
SonOfaTomP
Well-Known Member
thought about it and should have got the ones off this Fifth in York. but this thing was so gross i didn't even like being near it. someone got it's motor, lucky them. body decent but i didn't have the right tools on me at the time. crushed now. looking at yards in the general area and the Fifths that are available are hours away. still mad, that wheel well trim just would not come off! there is a promising one over on the eastern shore. might have the red seats i want. i hate it when yards don't post pictures. hate to drive 3 hours and it ain't what i'm looking for. i guess that's just part of the game.
got a defogger switch off this thing btw if anyone wants it. kinda rusty but i can check if it still works. also got chrome pedal covers off this. this car was disgusting, i should have brought a mask. looked like it's been sitting in the woods for 20 years
these things easy to Sawzall? might be able to borrow work's. I'd hate to break their blade/have that blade hit me in the face.
Everything is easy with a sawzall. Probably one of the few tools that actually lives up to its name. Used a single blade last year to section an entire truck bed into quarters. Just wear gloves and safety glasses. Be sure to take more than you need so the bumpshop has a margin of error.
Mikes5thAve
Well-Known Member
Yes Sawzall it off should be pretty easy. I like the Miluake Torch blades for cutting metal like that. Cut up some truck cab corners a few weeks ago, the panels you need are a lot easier but you might want to get the inner and outer panels together.
The plus side is those lower quarter panels are straight and anyone who's into body work at all can bend up new ones pretty easily. Mine weren't as bad as yours but were redone years ago on my 88.
The plus side is those lower quarter panels are straight and anyone who's into body work at all can bend up new ones pretty easily. Mine weren't as bad as yours but were redone years ago on my 88.
AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
Do it!
If the steel in the quarters is anything like the steel in the doors, you could probably cold chisel it out.
SonOfaTomP
Well-Known Member
will the fenders come off without taking off the header panel?
AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
The front fenders are attached to the header panel with those annoying studs. The rear quarters have to be cut off.
SonOfaTomP
Well-Known Member
i know the rears don't come off. front fenders might need to come off a well. undersides are pretty cooked.
SonOfaTomP
Well-Known Member
Maryland weather took a toll on this old thing.
just as i suspected. the wheel arch trims were hiding many horrors. this rust is both worse and not as bad as i thought at the same time. thankfully this is the worst on the body. this looks BAD. almost unsalvageable bad. other side's looks much more manageable. doors should be easy to patch. the whole drivers side rear quarter panel will need to come off. it's as the kids say: COOKED. you can poke it with your finder and it goes through. very disappointed it ate away the part closest to the rear door. though that area being small might also be a blessing. can weld new metal there. at least it isn't Detroit Diplomat levels
front drivers side fender will be replaced. if anyone wants the old one to patch up, i'll let you know when i take it off. passenger side is straight.
frame is fine. underside will be fluidfilmed in due time.
speaking of doors. i foolishly locked the front passenger door that had been open for 15 years and it won't for the life of me come open. any ideas? likely the linkage in the door. pulling the interior handle does nothing. can you take the door card off with the door closed? could use an airbag.
is it the trunk getting water and tree gunk stuck in them that rots out these rear quarter panels or road salt getting stuck in there? or both?
just as i suspected. the wheel arch trims were hiding many horrors. this rust is both worse and not as bad as i thought at the same time. thankfully this is the worst on the body. this looks BAD. almost unsalvageable bad. other side's looks much more manageable. doors should be easy to patch. the whole drivers side rear quarter panel will need to come off. it's as the kids say: COOKED. you can poke it with your finder and it goes through. very disappointed it ate away the part closest to the rear door. though that area being small might also be a blessing. can weld new metal there. at least it isn't Detroit Diplomat levels
front drivers side fender will be replaced. if anyone wants the old one to patch up, i'll let you know when i take it off. passenger side is straight.
frame is fine. underside will be fluidfilmed in due time.
speaking of doors. i foolishly locked the front passenger door that had been open for 15 years and it won't for the life of me come open. any ideas? likely the linkage in the door. pulling the interior handle does nothing. can you take the door card off with the door closed? could use an airbag.
is it the trunk getting water and tree gunk stuck in them that rots out these rear quarter panels or road salt getting stuck in there? or both?
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AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
My theory is the trim holds dirt and water against the car so that's where the rot can start and spread.
You should be able to get the door panel off with the door closed. Just take your time, get all the screws out, door handle off, pop all the retaining clips out of the door and unscrew the lock button.
One of the little plastic lock bushings probably failed. Luckily you can still find repops on ebay. I broke some of mine when I pulled the door handles off to paint
80mirada
Well-Known Member
I unfortunately understand. Currently replacing the rockers on my 04 SRT. Trim can make the situation worse, that is for sure. The left seems to get the worst of the road salt damage.
AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
Nice work!
80mirada
Well-Known Member
Thanks
SonOfaTomP
Well-Known Member
sides of the trunk are nearly completely rotted out. faulty antenna plug hole. can look through and see the street. driver's side i showed earlier is the worst of it but the passenger side was full of water. got up as much as i could. luckily we're having a heat wave so it can dry out. think I'm going to see a professional about the driver's side. i can say in confidence however the cabin is solid. and this car was originally grey not brown. center of the trunk looks fine just these sides. wondering if the red is filler. i recall dad had rust fixed on here before when the car got repainted. it's likely this hole is simply the plaster panel having fallen off. bubble on passenger side is 100% fiberglass filler
AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
You're gonna need new quarters to do it right. Find some unlucky 5th ave and take an angle grinder to it
AMC Diplomat
Well-Known Member
Here's a Volare quarter, probably won't fit, but you can see where the edges are where it gets welded to the car, which will help you figure out where to cut. Link:
