Hello everyone. I've discovered some new rust on my 400E and was hoping to get some advice on how to tackle the problem. The car has been my dad's winter car for the last 5 years or so and I recently took it. About 2 weeks ago, I noticed a little rust on the rear driver side fender. Over the last couple of days, it's gotten larger and there is a bubble that has formed in the area.

The car has some rust on the trunk, so I figured the patch on the fender would be about the same size. I'm alarmed at the progress of the rust though. The rust on the trunk took about 18 months to get to its present stage (hasn't spread in a long time) However, the rust on the fender has grown much faster.

I plan on keeping the car for several more years and would like some suggestions on what to do with the fender. I'm attaching some pictures and would like to know the best way to fix this rust problem. Should I get the panel replaced or can this be sandblasted?

Thanks!

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Hi,

I noticed there have been about 30 hits on this thread. Any suggestions on the rust?

Thank you.

It all depends if you are after a cosmetic or permanent fix. From your photos it looks like it is in advances stage. As such, for a permanent fix you will have to cut the old rusted metal out, weld in new pieces then fill, sand and repaint. This is not something that is easily done without proper equipment and spray gun. If however you are looking for a good cosmetic alternative, you can sand the rust down and remove as much of it as possible. Once you have done that you can repaint the area with POR 15 (obtainable from the internet or your local auto paint shop). Apply 2 coats as per directions on the can. Once dry you can use a matching spray touch up paint to blend the area. If you would like to do a better job, fill the area with a good bondo first, sand, the apply POR 15 then touch up...hope this helps.

Antonino

Hi Antonino,

Thanks for the advice. Since I plan to keep the car for several years, I'm leaning more towards a permanent fix. However, I don't have enough self-confidence to do it myself, I'll have to find a body shop in the area to do it for me. Any idea of how much it'll cost? Approx?

Thanks

I would have to see better photos of the car to give you an idea...it always takes more time than you think. My son and I restored a 66 Mustang over a period of a year and with a solid body with no rust we had 80+hours in body work, prep and paint, clear and buffing it out. If you are only asking a shop to repair and repaint panels then it will be less time consuming and expensive. I would talk to some people in your area who might be able to recommend several shops and then get a minimum of 3 estimates. Off the top of my head looking at the photos you have supplied, my son and I would have to get between $600-$1000 dollars to do the jop right...best of luck.

Antonino

Don't be surprised if no body shop will give you an exact price on the repairs,,, and be wary of the ones that will. Rust is so possibly extensive, that I never give an exact price, but more of a ball park figure and will keep the customer informed if the repairs get really ugly. The customer deserves a good job, and I deserve to get paid.

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Thanks for the replies. I'll have to shop around for estimates in a few weeks. Probably will get it fixed right after graduation. Thanks again for the advice, will keep everyone updated.