Where do I start?

Posted by Mediocre_Ryan82@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 31 comments

Ok guys (Long post warning ⚠️ Aussie here). I'm finally getting my shit together, (trying hard) to stay sober and sink some money into getting this neglected rust bucket (84 Holden Gemini TG Sedan) back in pristine(ish) condition instead of sinking it into destroying my liver. I just dont know where to start...... I already know there's more rust than these eyes can see over the shitty rattle can respray. The boot/rear body is fucked with pretty bad rust holes either lower side. Passenger front and Drivers side rear doors are rusted thru down the bottom (God only knows what the insides look like) battery tray is another area cooked. Fenders are rough (on the fence weather or not to just replace them with straight ones too. Engine bay rust (apart from the battery tray area) seems very superficial and can definitely be treated with some rust converter, a sand and a prime.

I've attached a heap of pics since I vacumed all the rat shit and dead spiders out last weekend.

This car is pretty sentimental to me. My Grandpa owned it since brand new, (still have the original warranty papers with Grandpa's name on it purchased from Port Adelaide Holden SA. This car hasn't left the family and it was my first car when I was 18.

My goal is to take my oldest daughter to her highshool formal in it. That is in roughly 18-19 months time.

Any advice will be fantastic. I have a rust cut for the last pic from the awesome dude at Gemwreck on the Sunny Coast QLD.

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M0NEYGR1P@reddit

Start with taking it apart and assessing the chassis. You can do it man!

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Catatafish@reddit

Wire wheel to bare metal, spray with rust killing primer, cover with fiberglass, sand it, Bondo, sand it again, primer, paint.

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Mediocre_Ryan82@reddit (OP)

No fibreglass. Im cutting and welding.

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Catatafish@reddit

To each their own. None of those holes are big enough or structural.

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BusyInDonkeykong@reddit

You start with a Turbo.

As stated by the other people!

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_Schrodingers_Gat_@reddit

Eye protection, then ear protection… fuck it full face n95 it is.

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_Schrodingers_Gat_@reddit

Also handy for protests if you are into that.

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CHLarkin@reddit

Attend to anything structural first, with areas like the valance around the rear window not far behind.

To really clean it up, the absolute best way is to unbolt everything that unbolts, get the glass out, and see if anyone near you offers portable sandblasting, and have the rust, old paint, etc. removed that way. A good blaster will also have some kind of product to apply to prevent flash rusting, and buy you a few days to get the bodywork done.

If you think the front fenders and doors are beyond reasonable saving, used parts can be a good option, sometimes your only one. Always try for conservation first, though, as it can be less money, especially if you already know how to weld and have access to forming equipment.

Once you have everything cleaned up and fixed, get the car coated in a good epoxy primer, which offers decent corrosion resistance. If you can get an aluminum-filled urethane like the one Eastwood sells on their website (for reference, not intended to be an endorsement), a coat of that prior to priming is a good idea, as it does a good job of sealing the body, and the aluminum filings will help fill any small imperfections.

You can do it. But if you do run into something you're not sure about, remember, there's no shame in calling a pro.

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lunaticmagnet@reddit

I don't see anything too crazy here, looks like you're getting started in the nick of time!

I'd definitely go for the rockers and pillars first. I don't even know that you're going to have to weld anything until you clean it up. I would remove the doors to get in there good with a flap disc to l to remove the bubbles and surface stuff. Make sure to pull the sills off you need tob chase it under there. Once you have bare metal, hit it with some good rust stopping paint. Not sure what you have there, in the US we have stuff like rust bullet and por15.

If you do find a small hole, I would advise using some fiberglass mat to patch it, and use the rust paint as the binder - not fiberglass resin. It will harden right up and finish as needed. You could weld in patches... But that's a lot more effort and really isn't necessary for structural integrity or anything. Just means more grinding, and more places that paint is going to get burnt off allowing rust to start again from inside. Personally I'd do the same with that door. Do it when you have it off the car and it will be super easy.

Looks like a great solid project to start with though!

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Mediocre_Ryan82@reddit (OP)

Im cutting the rust out and welding replacements back in. Doing it properly once and once only.

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lunaticmagnet@reddit

To each their own. Just keep an eye on it. The rust will come back fast from the inside anywhere you weld and can't get paint on the back side after!

Doing the same job over again 5-10 years later sucks

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CrazyTechWizard96@reddit

Best is to look up repair sheet metal parts for that year, make and model.
Also, something like the door might be cheaper to be just replaced with a used one.

Rest is just, cut, weld, rust convertor, zinc spray, filler, primer, paint and clear.

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Mediocre_Ryan82@reddit (OP)

A place here in Australia called Rare spares does some panels, ect.

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tollboi@reddit

I'd seek out 2nd hand panels you can simply replace! Such as the doors, for the other bits itl just be a slow process of grinding away at the existing rust and then cutting and welding in new bits.

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Mediocre_Ryan82@reddit (OP)

Doors, panels, yeah. There's a guy on the Sunshine Coast Queensland called Gemwreck. He'll have everything and more than I need. It's the scary stuff on the body and near windows that is getting me anxious.

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tollboi@reddit

Yeah perfect. Those little areas are good cos they're small! But you can also see about a pro fixing that

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Mediocre_Ryan82@reddit (OP)

Only one area im thinking about getting a pro to look at and that's the spot near the rear window.

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tollboi@reddit

Yeah that was the one I figured would be a bitch.

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ManufacturerLost7686@reddit

You start with the basic structure. Roof, pillars, quarters, floors etc

Anything that comes off is secondary. Fenders, hood, trunk etc. I dont know how common parts are for these, but my personal rule is not rust repairing anything that can be taken off. If it needs welding, it gets replaced by a rust free example.

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Mediocre_Ryan82@reddit (OP)

Yeah. I can get rust cuts, panels and spares from a guy on the Sunshine Coast called Gemwreck.

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vbwstripes@reddit

I guess start grinding and figuring out what metal needs replaced and if there are panels you can buy or if you need to make them.

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Mediocre_Ryan82@reddit (OP)

Thanks for your input. Panels and doors can be replaced, I know that. It's more the stuff that cant be unbolted and replaced. The scary cut and weld stuff near windows, ect.

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theshok@reddit

I’d say start with the low hanging fruit, the problems you think you can fix in the easiest/quickest to build up some momentum and skills, it could put you in a better position for the more difficult fixes.

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Mediocre_Ryan82@reddit (OP)

Yeah. I like your thinking. Cheers!

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highlander_tfb@reddit

Great job, mate - hopefully having this to focus on will help.

Were it me, I’d be looking at the sills and floors to keep structural integrity - that hole behind the left passenger door could likely come later, my 2c worth.

The doors and front wings unbolt so maybe you can find better options from a drier state (QLD?) and repaint them? You’re going to need a whole-car repaint anyway, right? Once the outer wings are off, you’d have better access to anything in the engine bay.

If you’ve got a dry workspace, I’d pull off anything that unbolts, maybe fab some braces for the door openings to avoid hassle while you’re working on the sills.

I’ve seen worse saved for worse reasons than its value to you - good luck.

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