The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Is there a way to repair these rusted thru areas beneath the back seat, without welding? I don't know how to weld, and I don't think I want to pay a body shop to do the repair. Any advise would be appreciated!

John

In case you don't know any friend that can weld/ do metal jobs either, I would leave it to a bodyshop, there is not any other alternative that is good or serious enough...

I know you dont want to hear this either but I have to agree with Jimi. There is no other way to make it as strong. Although it doesnt look like it's rusted all the way through is it? If not, a rust convertor may help. (rustbullet, Por-15, ect) although solid metal is the best.

I did a few weeks evening classes on welding and never looked back. You would be amazed how handy being able to weld is.

That's pretty "Solid" advice they gave you, John. You don't want to stick Band-Aid's on a classic.

Thanks Guys,

Since it is a 74, I didnt want to spend more than it is worth. I will find a body shop and get an estimate on the repair. I found another spot in the trunk with a small rusted through hole. I may just go all the way and replace the the floor pan and trunk pan. I will check YearOne and see how much the parts would cost, but its the labor I am worried about. I will see if I can take welding lessons locally.

Take care!

John

Clean it up and see what you have. The body shop will want to see it too in order to give a better estimate.

Hidden and nonstructural areas are not a big deal but the outside finish work will cost more. I would probably have the shop do that work until your welding is perfected.

Check Eastwood. They have a panel replace kit with temp fasteners and a sealer. I think it goes for about $85. Thanks what I'm going to use.

if you buy yourself a fairly cheap mig welder & some sheet metal & just play with it for a while youll soon figure it out mig welding is simple stuff just dont try to run a continuous weld just do spots or youll burn holes & warp the metal see the pic i added its just join the dots till they all meet up just alternate the spots so the heat will not build up in 1 area
cheers ian

John, this advice may be a bit late, but there are two options, one which hasn't been discussed. Obviously to get a body shop to do it would cost a lot- well down here anyway. You can buy cheapie chinese made MIGS (eg GMC or OZITO) for around $180- they are gassless using flux cored welding wire. And then its practice- like Ian said, joining the dots so you don't burn a hole through. The hardest part will be making up a section, so you will have to find the correct gauge metal and shape it up. BUT what i would do if its a budget repair on your 74, is use pop rivets. Not aluminium, but all steel rivets- yes, they are very strong, and if you use a rivet every 10mm into good metal you will be amazed how strong they are. Put a few one sin from the top to hold the section in place and then go up from underneath so the flat part of the rivet will be flush with the underbody, this can then be painted or sealed over and will be virtually invisible. The hardest part is making up the correct shape for that difficult corner so that you have many surfaces lying straight on each other. When its in place use Sicaflex 227 and force it into the cracks and once set it is a flexible polyurethane and the new section will be every bit as strong and waterproof as before!

Before i could weld I had successfully used rivets in several places, eg, holding in headlight buckets on the rad support and now i am using them to hold the centre console front support that goes on the trans tunnel.

Steve