Alfa Tinworm diagnosis...

[kennypinkerton]

Hey Doc... I've got rust. Are the outer sills an integral part of the frame on my Alfa? (like on an MGB) Or can I just get some new sheetmetal welded in place of my rusty bits? It's pretty bad on one side, here's a pic after I ground the rust off the dogleg and primed it to try n stop it from spreading. You can see the bubbled paint along the sill - it's just as bad or worse. The driver's side had on little bubble that turned out to be a single rust spot about the size of a nickel. The rest of the car is fine (except the floorboards in an area about an inch surrounding the rubber plugs I forgot to remove when you told me to.

What's your thoughts?

 

[Banjo]

and so it begins.... the eternal struggle. that's not to bad yet Kenny, but get it now. my old MGB had holes in the rockers you could put your fist into. needless to say if 2 people were going for a ride, you opened the doors one at a time.... what fun..

 

[DrEntropy]

They're very like the MGB. Except with Italian cars when ya stand beside 'em and are verrry, verry quiet you can HEAR 'em rustin'.

Mine is too far gone to save.

 

[kennypinkerton]

So this isn't that bad then? I can drive it and not worry about the car folding up on me? If so, I may be a bad DPO with it and just skim some body filler and glass over the holes.

 

[DrEntropy]

Glass 'em. Drive it 'til it folds in two.

 

[Silverghost]

Doc, I always heard it was Chevy Vega's and Pontiac Astro's that could be heard rusting on the showroom floor!

 

[aeronca65t]

I have been using ~Cold Galvanizing Paint~ on some of my projects....it seems to extend the life of some steel panels.

Krylon makes it (as do others) and I have seen it in Home Depot or Loew's. stores.

 

[JPSmit]

also good for nuclear facilities according to the description, which is very helpful as I'll need to be painting mine soon - thanks for that tip :laugh:

seriously though as someone who may have a Fiat in his future, how would this relate to epoxy primer? use both? interchangeable? thoughts all?

 

[aeronca65t]

also good for nuclear facilities according to the description, which is very helpful as I'll need to be painting mine soon - thanks for that tip :laugh:.......

:lol: :lol: :lol:

We need a Homer Simpson Smiley here. :wink:

 

[JPSmit]

doh!

 

[PAUL161]

I have been using ~Cold Galvanizing Paint~ on some of my projects....it seems to extend the life of some steel panels.

Krylon makes it (as do others) and I have seen it in Home Depot or Loew's. stores.

I'm wondering if that's the same stuff we used to use on steel weld joints when we erected steel buildings? A quart would weigh about 5 pounds and was very expensive.

 

[DrEntropy]

LP used to put it up in aerosol cans too.

 

[racingenglishcars]

The Alfa has double panels and you can be sure the inside panel is just as, or more rusty than the outside panel.

 

[DrEntropy]

That's a typical Alfa. And why I said 'glas it and drive it 'til it folds in two. Only other "solution" is to strip it down, cut it up and chase the rust... a VERY long project. If mine were a GTV I'd ~consider~ doin' it. Not with a Spider, tho.