Baja rust and restoration

[catzodellamarina]

I researched some Subaru body repairs on rocker panels that use welded patches.  I have similar rust and decided to grind/cut the area and use smc fiberglass.  I removed the entire plastic cover over my Baja quarter panel and this revealed much more rust than patching can fix.  Anyone ever had their entire quarter panel and rockers replaced?  How about a total sheet metal restoration?

[idosubaru]

Buy a wrecked rust-free BAJA, or outback if appropriate to the parts you need (front only) and swap panels or do some chopping and have at it if that's the route you want to take.  i'd suggest finding a parts car you can buy the entire thing and have all the guts you need to replace...i mean rebuild it. 

Do a quality assessment and get feedback from someone very familiar with rust.  Make sure it's worth it, reasonably repairable, not too invasive - rust is easily penny wise dollar dumb.  I'm near the point of saying rust is always penny wise and dollar dumb.  I've gone years now avoiding rusty Subaru's which are the norm here, I'm so done with that debacle of ownership. 

you're next door to rust free subaru glory land - i'd just ditch it and get one that's rust free.  i'm 3,000 miles away and i've bought subaru from just around the corner from you. 

It's rarely done but there are some crazy's out there - search until you find them.  someone on subaruxt.com is rebuilding a cancerous XT6.

It's usually a loosing battle - and is likely to come back sooner than you think even after repair.  

 

 

[Subasaurus]

if he can find another Baja in the first place...

only ever seen 3 in my life, and 2 happened to be bright yellow, probably the same one a few years later. then again im not really in a friendly Subaru city either, and it never snows here so that might explain that too.

[idosubaru]

16 hours ago, Subasaurus said:

if he can find another Baja in the first place...

only ever seen 3 in my life, and 2 happened to be bright yellow, probably the same one a few years later. then again im not really in a friendly Subaru city either, and it never snows here so that might explain that too.

They aren't common or cheap, that's true.  look nationwide or within a sufficient radius to hit rust free areas with subarus.

Way more cost effective than babying a rust bag for the rest of it's usable life.  Rust is a money, time, and joy sucker.  avoid it unless you're just a whiz for restoration work and love a huge mountain to climb.

Edited July 20, 2018 by idosubaru

[xdeadeye1]

some on ebay 13/14 yrs old selling or bidding at 10,900

 

[montana tom]

When I get out of the woods to the BIG city's of Missoula & Spokane I can see dozens of baja's any day.  They definitely are less numerous than outbacks but there is no shortage in the N.W.    I'm sure you can find a rust free body out here, of course it most likely  will have deer damage on a fender... cracked windshield , paint shot , but it will have great tires and run all day at 80 mph , dodging deer of course...

Edited July 20, 2018 by montana tom

[GeneralDisorder]

We are filthy with rust-free Baja's up here in the NW. Just buy one and ship it. Way too much work to stop the cancer after the fact. Get a new one and treat it before it starts.

Shipping is $1k or less typically. Not even worth the effort to address a rusted out uni-body. You really can't stop it forever anyway once it's gone that far. It's just garbage. 

GD

[idosubaru]

airfare also works.  i've flown 1,000+ miles and driven a car home many times.  still less time and money than fixing rust. 

think long term, not short term - done right it'll end up being LESS work, LESS money, LESS time, MORE reliable....win, win, win.  keeping the current car sounds like a guaranteed loss to me.