# Body work questions



## jigaway (Jul 2, 2011)

If I have some rust on my deck lid and hood, generally along some seams, is it best to toss those items and try to find newer ones with no rust apparent? 

To better clarify this, it was suggested to me that I do replace since the rust may be within the metal seam and will continue to come out even after painted. 

The deck lid has some rust showing along the trailing edge, running from one side to the other.. Other than that, the lid is mint in shape and appearance. Can that rust, seemingly from inside, be repaired?

thanks in advance,

Dan


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## BForbes (Sep 11, 2011)

Anytime there's rust, you want to get rid of it, especially before you paint. If it's repairable, I would try that before replacing whole panels.


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## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

Got any pics of what you are talking about? How bad it is decides if the panel needs replaced or patched. Also what some people would toss is perfectly ok to start out with to me, but even I have limits. 

Depending on where it is you have a few options, including POR, rust converters, sandblasting, and patches. Take some pics of it and post them, then we can tell you how best to proceed.


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## jigaway (Jul 2, 2011)

Thanks for the response. I will take pics. Right now she is with the resto-man who is pulling/repainting the einge/trans/engine bay. He knows I want to do things right, so he mentioned he saw rust along the trailing edge of the truck lid. He seemed to think it might be systemic and moving along the seam. 

I figure, the alternative is to seek out another 40 yr old deck or hood and see what problems and rust it has or doesn't have?? Which doesn't seem right. Good gosh I've seen pictures on this board and others of completely rusted out frames that people have rebuilt. Hopefully I am overreacting. 

Dan


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

pics would be needed. are you talking about some orange color and a few bubbles or do you mean holes. most of the panels on these old cars are put together without primer so some rust is gonna happen in the seams especially. dont panic it sounds like you are talking to someone thats used to working on newer cars.


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## jigaway (Jul 2, 2011)

I'm looking at orange color, splitting below the paint along the trailing deck edge. My resto guy seems to think it needs to be replaced. I think he might be an over perfectionist.. I tempestsearched for hood and deck lid and found a few rusty odd looking ones hundreds of miles away. Def not worth the trip. Will post a few shots of the rust tomorrow after I visit the car.

Still wondering if this dip/curl on the leading tip of the hood can be straightened?


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## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

What I would do to fix the hood is make a cut or two, recontour it so the lines match, and refinish it. That is only something I would do if I were building a car that simply had to have perfect gaps, and everything lined up exactly. If its a driver, that isnt a problem like it is, since its a 40 year old car now. The T41 front end never fit well when new, and getting one perfect is going to take time, patience, and money. If I can get my daughters 72 with a 71 front end to line up as well as yours, I will be happy.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

i would try to lower the center of the bumper a little. i agree it probably looked about like that when it was new.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

A good metal man could fix that hood curl. Rust is NOT magic. Find it, cut it out, replace the metal, seal and continue to march! I have just gone through it all.......:cheers. The hardest part of the fix, is matching the paint at the repair site. Eric


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## jigaway (Jul 2, 2011)

My car was is in a garage so the camera couldn't pick up real well expecially against white paint. Photoshopped the contrast and brightness best I could. 

Here is the back edge of the deck lid. It is bubbly, along the length on the inside (of trunk) edge. About 2-3 inches wide running the entire length of the lid. My resto guy thinks whoever did it was poorly trying to hide a bunch of rust which is seeping through. It is full of putty and rust bubbles etc.. Other than this crappy area, the lid seems mint.

Any body/rust experienced members think this lid can be saved or should I seek another?










And yes, it's not as bad as I thought... 

Thanks

Dan


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## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

Depends on whats under there, no need to throw stuff away until you see if there is a reason to chuck it. Even if it is rusty under there, it can probably be fixed easy.


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## freethinker (Nov 14, 2009)

jigaway said:


> My car was is in a garage so the camera couldn't pick up real well expecially against white paint. Photoshopped the contrast and brightness best I could.
> 
> Here is the back edge of the deck lid. It is bubbly, along the length on the inside (of trunk) edge. About 2-3 inches wide running the entire length of the lid. My resto guy thinks whoever did it was poorly trying to hide a bunch of rust which is seeping through. It is full of putty and rust bubbles etc.. Other than this crappy area, the lid seems mint.
> 
> ...


depends what you want. if you want a quality restoration replace it. it will cost you as much in labor as a replacement will cost. they do make those new now. cant say how nice they are. i would replace it.


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## jigaway (Jul 2, 2011)

Thanks for the replies. I'll have my paint/body guy look at it. And yes, I guess it is all about what you want. After I calmed down, I remembered that Hell, I want a bad ass GTO that I can drive, enter a few shows and have fun with. I think I have been getting balled up about making the car (dare I say) Barrett-Jackson like. 

I think I need to put the Ames and Performance Years catalogs down and back away :lol:

Dan


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

jigaway said:


> Thanks for the replies. I'll have my paint/body guy look at it. And yes, I guess it is all about what you want. After I calmed down, I remembered that Hell, I want a bad ass GTO that I can drive, enter a few shows and have fun with. I think I have been getting balled up about making the car (dare I say) Barrett-Jackson like.
> 
> I think I need to put the Ames and Performance Years catalogs down and back away :lol:
> 
> Dan


if thats the biggest concern with your car life is pretty good!:cheers


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