Rust On Strut Towers

[Steve85]

3 hours ago, toranarod said:

I know this is an old topic.

Is there any re manufactured replacement panels in Australia theses days for the strut towers. Anybody know of a supplier. Best re Rod   

Best way is to find an old POS skyline and take it's non rusted pieces. It's been done before and will continue to be done until we run out of non-turbo automatic models. lol 

A decent front cut chassis will do.

[DaymoR32]

SR autobodies in the UK makes replacement strut tops - check out his facebook

https://www.facebook.com/SR.Autobodies/

[toranarod]

https://www.jdmgarageuk.com/nissan-skyline-r33-r34-strut-top-repair-panels.html

[toranarod]

On 8/5/2020 at 3:26 PM, DaymoR32 said:

SR autobodies in the UK makes replacement strut tops - check out his facebook

https://www.facebook.com/SR.Autobodies/

thanks that will helpful. they a good at what they do.?

 

[DaymoR32]

13 hours ago, toranarod said:

thanks that will helpful. they a good at what they do.?

 

yeah he does some really nice work! i believe the ones you linked are supplied by him to jdmgarageuk

[toranarod]

Looks like I found a cut front section from R34 no idea what it was it's only a chunk off the strut tower driver side at lest i got my worst the side. Not so urgent with the left may just be able to clean it up no panel replacement.  

[toranarod]

Here is some work I am doing on my R34 rust repair Its a problem for the skylines at the age they are right now.

Even the repair panels I got in from a JDM salvage center are not with out corrosion 

[toranarod]

[Shoota_77]

It all comes down to the life they've lived. If they've been well garaged they will have minimal or zero rust. The less time they've been in Japan the better too.

Obviously the further away from the ocean its spent its life will also have a major bearing on rust. 

A car looking like yours I would say has lived near the ocean a lot of its life seeing the rust is under the bonnet and in between panels as opposed to exposed panels or under the vehicle.

[toranarod]

1 hour ago, Shoota_77 said:

It all comes down to the life they've lived. If they've been well garaged they will have minimal or zero rust. The less time they've been in Japan the better too.

Obviously the further away from the ocean its spent its life will also have a major bearing on rust. 

A car looking like yours I would say has lived near the ocean a lot of its life seeing the rust is under the bonnet and in between panels as opposed to exposed panels or under the vehicle.

I think you are totally correct. This is one is going to be my daily driver my fun car being a turbo and It was cheap for a GTT. I purchased the car knowing what was a head for restoration  . My other one is one owner since imported and has low Ks and been garaged for 8 years the difference in condition is chalk and cheese and will remain in the garage as a fine example of what once was.  The Gtt damage from rust and neglect is heart breaking and the rebuilding will be hard work. Working on a car is the only way to make it feel like its your car.

 

Edited September 29, 2020 by toranarod

[Shoota_77]

@toranarod you're a brave man for tackling it. You're balls deep now so no turning back!

[toranarod]

13 hours ago, Shoota_77 said:

@toranarod you're a brave man for tackling it. You're balls deep now so no turning back!

it feels like a aeroplane committed to take off when the front wheel falls off??

[toranarod]

I am only a weekend car fixer up guy just learned a lot of  DIY car repairs over the years. When I started unpicking the spot welds and saw the damage I got a little cold sweat happening this is a bit outside my pay grade. What fazed me was the top plate that needed replacing was under 3 other layers of panels. Just like the JDM guys in the  UK they need to be removed.

That link to the UK Restoration on the R33 was very helpful they have covered the job with so many great photos I was able to plan and get off cuts I might need. Thank you for the links to that page DaymoR32.

I almost purchased the new panels from them but I knew I would need more of the steel around that area and landed in Aus the top panels would be 600 dollars or more and I might f**k it up so best to go with second hand off cut.

[Shoota_77]

Faaaark, that's brutal! 

Yeah rust repairs are a slippery slope. The more you dig the more you find and the worse it gets!

I had a Datsun 1200 ute that I gave up on in the end. It was a bloody rusty nightmare that never ended! 

[DaymoR32]

1 hour ago, toranarod said:

That link to the UK Restoration on the R33 was very helpful they have covered the job with so many great photos I was able to plan and get off cuts I might need. Thank you for the links to that page DaymoR32.

 

No worries mate, i kind of had an inkling at what was going to be underneath when you asked for replacement strut tops and Steve does a brilliant job of documenting and showing the repair process!

[toranarod]

Did some more work today if anybody is interested in do the same thing. started fitting the replacement 

[Shoota_77]

Good job! It would be a relief seeing stuff going back on!

[toranarod]

the left side not as bad as the right

[Kinkstaah]

I legitimately had a nightmare last night about rust in my car due to this thread.

Thanks.

[Shoota_77]

8 hours ago, toranarod said:

the left side not as bad as the right

Yes, not as bad but still f'ing bad!  Not to be too much of a Danny downer but the thing that would scare me is that if its in there, its probably plenty of other places too.