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TR2/3/3A Rust under flanges

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Frank Canale

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I am curious how everyone deals with rust under flanges. I know that there is rust between some of the flanges that have been repaired but not everything can be taken apart cleaned, primed, and put back together. I am a little concerned with joints that are spot welded. The metal is sound but the mating surfaces have rust when I have to do a repair so I know all the joints have rust to some extent. Comments are appreciated. Frank
 
I hear you Frank, the pinch weld rust story. For me it slowed me down how meticulous I do repairs and freed me up from some of the perfectionist worry. I use wax oil in a spray can after I am done in some places, but in some places I simply let go of concern and look to the temporality of life.
steve
 
Great response, that is what I was hoping to hear. Frank
 
I get what I can and try to make sure that any hidden/ unavailable rust spots are sealed from getting any moisture to them. Living in California that is a lot easier to do than most of you guys have.
 
Try to seal them as best you can. Not exactly the same but, effectively the same, I had some rust starting at the bottom of my door skins where they folded over. I wire wheeled them to get as much out of the top as I could and sealed with a non-porous body filler. In hindsight I probable could have used POR 15, or paintable seem sealer, either something that got down into the seam better or something more flexible, but ten years later no problems. The cars generally lead a much more pampered life than their used car days, which certainly helps.
 
My ache lies heal is to try and make it back like new or better than new but i also have to keep the project moving. I started with a basket case( rust bucket) and it will be a great car some day, just going to take longer than I thought. I also have to keep in mind I don't have a dozen guys working on it to get it finished in an hour long episode. Thank you all for your input and for joining me on this journey. Frank
 
I wouldn't touch one of those "1 hour" cars with a ten foot pole. If you look closely, when the light hits just right, they cut a lot of corners. Pictures can be very forgiving. I cringe watching them assemble parts with an impact wrench.

The best answer to your flange question is that you do the best you can. If the metal is still not rusted through, then do your very best to get ample paint into the seam. It will coat the flange to prevent water and oxygen from causing further rust. Figure that you are doing a much better paint job than the factory did...combined with the fact that if it has not rusted through in that area in 60 years, you should be good for at least several decades.
 
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