Wedge Saw the yucky Brown TR7 today

[Got_All_4]

Well 2 concerns. First driving it seems to have sloppy steering. Quick twitches back and forth did not move the car and I can see fresh grease on the grease fitting on top of the rack. Didn't check tie rod ends.

Second is the body panel where the left trailing arm attaches. See pic below. As you can see there is some bubbling under the factory sealer in the seam which made me look at the rearmost part of the rocker panel where the molding is. There was some bubbling there too I think I could have pushed the screwdriver through the rocker. I didn't have time to remove the carpet behind the drive seat. He was very willing to do it but it looks like a big job and i had to get. The other side was perfect.

Gas tank was replaced after a RE-New sealer job. AC compressor was removed along with the fans. Not a lot of get up and go with these cars is there? Hazard switch did not work. Haven't seen one that has worked. Fog light didn't work ether.

Car was still in original paint with a lot of small dents and one crease in the driver door. Paint cracking on the front panel.

 

[George_H]

Was the sloppy steering in Wheel? The bushing in the firewall is a common issue. If it hasn't been replaced it will give you all kinds of play in the wheel.

 

[PATR8]

I woudl guess tie rods or the bushing. I saw the first wedge on the road last week (sadly it was not mine). A white one in Washington PA, worst part it was raining. It was the first time it rained in a month

 

[Got_All_4]

I'm sure it wasn't in the column. However I didn't check for up down or side to side moment if that's what you mean. I look at another car after the brown one and the bushing in the fire wall actually fell out while trying to turn the wheel.. The movement was more of a late or lack of response to the turning of the wheel.

 

[Got_All_4]

Is this pic a big concern? The rust looks like it is comming from the inside if the panel. This I think is the area where everone was warning me about.

 

[tr8todd]

Looks like surface rust bubbling under a coating of waxoil. Wire brush, treat, paint, undercoat and it's fixed. If left alone and kept outside, it will blossom into full fledge rot. The problem area isn't on the vertical panels, it's on the lower panels facing the ground just in front of where the lower control arm bolts to the body. That's the lowest point for water to settle inside the car and also the part that sees the most stress under acceleration. The seem that sees the most issues isn't treated from the factory. It's bare or barely primered metal with a permeable seem sealer over it. The seam sealer acts like a sponge and holds the water near the metal.