This is the underside of my doors. How can I tell if this rust is too far gone to sand off and paint? If it is too far gone, Do I have to replace the entire door, or reskin the lower part of door, or reskin the entire door?

These pix are of both doors from the underside and the outside.

 

From comparing it to my door and since their is no rust ont eh outside you can probably sand it down and paint it. Press some of the areas on the bottom and see if they are week or you pop a hole. This way you can see if there is rot.

You may have to do more than sand and actually grind it which is up to you.

 

I would take the GFX off and see what it looks like on the outside. Those GFX are FAMOUS for rusting if the drain holes get plugged. To me, it doesn't LOOK like it's rotted clean through, but the only way to know is to pull off those GFX. Even if it is rotted through, you can still replace the doors and have them painted to match the car. Or even get lucky and find a nice door in the same color...

Good luck!

 

Thank you for the replys. Musclecar201; I did plan to grind it to bare metal. Blg0720; I am so scared to do that. I am scared that it is rusted under there. I know I have to do that but was hoping I didn't.

Is it hard to get the GFX off the doors?

 

I think once you take the door panel off, they're just bolted on. It's better to find out now and catch it before it gets too far gone. You have a beautiful car...no sense in letting cancer eat it alive if you can stop it. Look at my GTA repaint thread in the "Body" section, and you'll see that it can be done, but you have to do it sooner rather than later.

Yes, it's a pain. But if it can be saved, SAVE IT!

 

Thank you Blg0720, you are so rite. I know this car very well because I bought it off the showroom floor in 1986, and it is in pretty good shape. It lived in Florida for 15 years. I will have to get brave and do it. It may be a few weeks, but I will post the findings. Thank you again......

 

Odds are good then that it can be saved. I'm glad to be of any help...just sorry I couldn't do more. I hope it works out for you, and please do post any pics after you take those GFX off!

 

Nothing is beyond fix TECHNICALLY. I know of a 57 chevy 'vert that was built around the cowl, build tag, front suspension, trunklid and 1 door. Everything else he BOUGHT or MADE.

take the GFX off, IIRC you have to take the inner door panel off, which isnt a bad thing, since you can get in there and clean out some garbage, inspect your window lifters, replace the rubber parts and etc. if you can use a MIG welder, just sand off the rust and tap on the underside of the door with a scratch awl/ice pick. Any soft spots, you should patch or plug weld. Then skim with bondo, prime and paint as normal. In a word, NO that do is NOT junk, but it MAY need some attention. Id sand it with 80grit by hand and see what you get. You can use a stripping disc but be careful of any welded seams.

Nate

 

Chances are it isn't bad at all. The outside looks great, so I would sand it down and just paint it so it doesn't rust again, I would leave it at that. No need for a repaint unless it is completely rotted.

 

Bullydawg, I sure hope it is surface rust. I just have not had the time to check it out. If you are rite, that is exactly what I will do.

Thank you......

 

from the looks of it . It looks like its comming from the inside out so the only way to get rid of it is cut it out or get a new door.

 

Yeah, take off the GFX. Rot=new door. No point to battle a rotted door when good used one are available.

 

That's really borderline because it looks like it may have gotten through the skin. If so, you would be better off replacing it because the rust will continue to eat the door apart from the inside out. Try to sand it and see how bad it's pitted or if it's gone completely through the skin in places.

If it turns out you need a new door let me know. We have some excellent 85-90 Trans Am passenger doors that would be perfect for you. We're in the south Chicago suburbs so you could pick one up and save on shipping.

If you want to bring the car over I can check it out for you and let you know if it's worth trying to save or if you would be better off replacing it.

 

That definitely looks like it is coming from the back behind the lip where the skin folds over the door frame. Yes, you could probably remove the lower part of the skin, clean the door frame and replace the lower portion, but its probably a good bet to just get another door. For the time you will spend fighting that battle, the new door is the better expenditure of time and money. And when you get your new doors, keep that seam clean or make sure its good and sealed so no more dirt can get in there.

 

Pew, Derth Deboblo, & 89junkyardgta; Thank you. I will try to wire wheel/sand/grind it next week and post pix.

Thirdgen Ranch; You are right here in my neck of the woods. If I need new doors, I will let you know.

Thanks again guys!! ps. I sure hope this is a grind and paint only gig.........

 

Don't be afraid to use the rust treatment route and try using some POR-15 to stop it. Buy a small bottle and give it a try to see if it works. Worst comes to worst, it does nothing. But i'd personally give it a good try at stopping a little bit of rust on the edges then having to replace the whole door. (Been there, done that, no fun)

 

campin1983; I have a por 15 sample kit. I will try that if it is not tooooo far gone.....thx

 

That sample kit will go quite the distance. I had one and couldn't believe how much I covered. Great stuff and could save you one heck of a headache.

 

Something similar to POR-15 but ALOT cheaper is Master Series, I used it on my 69' Frame awhile back and the stuff is awesome!!





Some other stuff that works decent is Jasco

 

Your welcome

 

That's not bad at all.. You should see some of the cars around where I'm from... Just wire wheel it, and touch it up with some red POR 15, should be fine.

 

I have never heard of that stuff. Is it as fussy as POR 15 with the sun and prep work? I like POR, but the prep is tough (won't stick to even the slightest finger print or any other impurity), its tough to scuff to add coats once its dry, and it hates the sun, fades right out. But it IS pretty tough. I had to do some 5lb sledge corrections to a frame that slipped off its stands, and it held up very very well.

 

Are you talking about the Master Series stuff? It's ALOT easier to work with, and if you get the AG111 kit it comes with the primer. You can apply it over rust if you wanted, but I took a wire wheel attached to my angle grinder and went to town doing the whole frame before I coated it. 2 coats of the silver primer and one coat of chassis black (either satin or gloss) will withstand 14000 hours of direct salt spray (normal base/clear paint jobs are about 500). They say it can withstand being submersed in acetone for 90 days too lol.

http://nomorerust.com/ag111.htm

They have different coatings for different things, like they have one for the underbody that will fade in the sun but it's to be used where no sun will ever contact it unless you roll the car lol. The kit I used had been sitting in direct sunlight without a cover for a few weeks at the shop just to test and it didn't lose any color at all.

 

Kevman & RamAirZ; Thanks and I will keep you posted on what I find after I get the gfx off and wire wheel it.....