what areas on a 71 pinto are msot prone to rust? i have a few spots im in the process of sanding and painting on the body but im more worreid about on the chasis. also, whats the easiest way to clean any rust off the chasis on these areas so i can paint it and stop it.
In my experiance the worst place is the front of the rear quarter panel in front if the rear tires. That's where we had holes that filled the inside up with tire smoke every time my dad did a burn out. ;D
it has a little surface rust there but not much at all. im more worried about on the chasis and suspension mounting points.
When I pulled my carpet i had two holes in the floorpan one in the passenger front footwell at the rocker panel joint. That didn't seem structural 'till I started cutting it out. It went into the rocker which is the frame on a unibody. I used 3/16 steel fully welded in to patch the rocker, and floorpan
The other was in the floorpan under the rear seat, but inside the "frame horn" i used some thin sheet to patch it. i just spotted that in before i shot a coat of "spray can bedliner" for sound deadening.
You will also get rust in the bottom corners of both doors.
i have a hole in the passenger floorpan, how far over can it go before it effects something important?
only one hole?
*has 2 holes in the drivers side floorpan* :-X
Look under the doors, you'll se a box section where the floor meets the outer skin. the telltale is the seam along the bottom. if the rust gets into this box section it CAN get structural. mine was rusted well into the box section (rocker panel). I decided to "beef up" this area as i described before.
i think mine is ok, ill go snap some pictures today just to make sure.
woo hoo , i got my Arizona Pinto, 0 rust, just wanted to tell ya'll
cool...........
Look for rust in the area after the doors and in front of the back wheels. The seam where that area contacts the rocker panels is always suspect.
Door bottoms and the corner will rust out too. Those drain holes get plugged after time
Driver's side floorpan for some reason. There's a seam there that causes problems. I guess old cars outside with windows down causes this.
Check for rust around the hood hinges. Mine are rusted, but no loss of metal. I saw the car on ebay where there were whole portions missing! Note that leaves and crap fall through the top vent and sit in that area behind the firewall holding water in.
My old green 79 had the right side rocker panel rusting from the inside out. There was no obvious signs until it just showed up.
Also check the wheelwells where mud accumulates in the corners and around the fender's edge lip.