1964-1974 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Sonett chassis rust is classic! You have to be careful with any repairs, that you don't compromise chassis strength, since the fiberglass body doesn't add too much. Be especially careful with the rockers- these provide the majority of stiffness for the chassis. Years ago, I saw a guy that riveted aluminum rain gutters over his rusted out rockers and was all proud of the easy fix- until one day his car folded in half when he went over a bump and then opened the door!
The floor boards provide a fair amount of strength that ties the whole car together- remember it's a unibody- so small patchs of fiberglass are probably okay, but not large sections.
In my experience, I've always welded in new sections using metal at least as thick as original. This includes the entire trunk section, rockers, and large sections of the floor. I've never attempted a repair of the rear axle tunnel- I understand that's pretty tough to replace, but can be done. Jack Ashcraft sells replacement panels for Sonett unibody's, but I've never ordered any because I'm too cheap! I have a sheet metal break and have always made my own replacement panels. However, it's alot of work requiring a large assortment of big hammers to make it all fit. Buying from Jack may really be the best in the end, especially for the rockers.
Finally, the advice I always give is to find the most rust-free chassis you can afford and start with that- you can always replace the mechanicals- there's plenty of drivetrains hanging around- I just picked up another Sonett motor and its underfoot in my garage... Unfortunately, I haven't taken my own advice in the past and figured I could fix most anything.
Be more specific on the rust on this car and we can provide more specific advice.
Eric in Vermont
posted by 12.129.98...
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