• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Bought a junker, want to resurrect it, what to do!

binky_rutledge

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Wisconsin
The pictures tell as much as I know, I started removing the floors due to a major rust problem, ordered some RuffStuff Frame Stiffeners and am planning on a rull sheet metal (16ga) floor replace. Am I making a mistake trying to resurrect this car? The engine is strong, albeit high mileage, I don't plan on pushing it too hard, more just a winter fun car. It has obviously been rolled on it's side, it looks straight and drives straight, some wear to the inside or the front right tire. Should I just junk it before I put all this time and effort into it? This is my first car and first project, I am doing this for fun, I paid a few hundred for it. I am not 16, I feel it's worth mentioning, I just have never had a need for a car before (I am a bicycle mechanic).

Well you tell me what you think........

45622d1303472988t-rust-out-how-bad-first-car-forumrunner_20110422_064945.jpg


45621d1303472977t-rust-out-how-bad-first-car-forumrunner_20110422_064934.jpg
 
I think I paid too much, but it is a running, driving 4x4 for a few hundred. I am having second thoughts about the floors (and mainly the frame stiffeners). I am still going to do the floors but maybe not with as nice materials as planned and I may skimp on the stiffeners and substitute some cheap angle iron instead. I am really doing this for the experience more than practicality. I don't really care that the doors won't properly seal, I was thinking about making half doors anyways (and buying some snap on canvas boat doors).
 
What are you going to use it for? You're in Wisc so I assume you're not going to use it in the winter with the doors off, meaning it won't be streeted very often. Is it just going to be a woodland beater, a trail vehicle, a farm vehicle, or something like that? Bent up body panels and pillars are fine for that, you'll be adding your own dents anyway. At that point all you should really care about is whether the frame is intact and that there's not so much rust in the floor that somebody will fall through on a hard landing.
 
Back
Top