N2FHL Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5024&stc=1&d=1183392124 Is this even safe to drive? Might be a parts car available soon. '87 GL 3-door Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 It's bad but It's still driveable for awhile. I had an 86 that was way worse and drove it for about 5 years like that, all the time getting worse each winter. The engine finally gave out(turbo car) and would have needed an overhaul. The amount of rust at that point made me decide it had lived it's life. But as long as you're car is running good otherwise you can keep beating on it. I did tons of rough road driving and snow bashing with it and never had any fear it was going to break or anything. Just don't jack it anywhere near that rust. Use the crossmember for the front and the rear diff to lift the rear if you need to jack it up. Check your center driveline for rusty U-joints as that is a typical problem for cars rusted that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoodsboy Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 There was a car like yours I passed up buying becasue of rust like that. I thought it was un-fixable. The guys over in the next holler bought it, and JUMP it in the fields!!! Those unibodys are stronger than I thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 There was a car like yours I passed up buying becasue of rust like that. I thought it was un-fixable. QUOTE] It is pretty much unfixable, without major panel replacement and welding. But they are plenty strong to keep driving for quite a while like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoodsboy Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 ...welding fixes everything! It is the proverbial fountain of youth for rusty subies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subyrally Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 looks like some of the underside of the brat i am getting, its fixable, but its not going to be easy or cheap to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 i've seen simular rust fixed. the best way to go about it is grind off all signs of rust, prime the heck out of it. then get some steel together and make some caps to cover the rusted area +about an inch overlapping. weld those on the best you can (or pop rivet, but i doubt thats as strong) then get some rubberized undercoating and coat the heck out of it. this will not be as strong as original, but definatly preserves the car just a little longer. its still safe to drive for a few years. its fixable, but probly not worth trying to make it original again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealleyboy Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Hard to say from just one pic... I've found that Subes don't rust uniformly, so looks can be very decieving. The only way to really know is to remove the carpeting and interior trim covering the lower portions of the underbody. With good access to backside of the panels, you can make an educated decision. A good rule of thumb is to check the area where the rear seat belts bolt onto the uni. If you don't feel confident that the metal around the belt anchor is strong enough to hold up during a collision, then you have your answer. Assuming the rust in the pic is representative of the corrosion throughout the car, you've got a year or two {tops} before it's too dangerous to drive. Rust treatment and patching may extend it's life a little, but I wouldn't go overboard. Structural integrity doesn't come out of a Bondo can. Yes, you can weld any basket case back together, but unless you have the equip and knowledge, this may not be realistic. If on the other hand, the rust is mostly sperficial, and the floorpan rust in the pic is the worst of it, it may worth be worth neutralizing the rust, and maybe some minor body work. I'm working on one now (write-up and pics coming soon) that definitely did not pass the look test, but turned out to be a reasonably solid car. PM me if you want see some "before" shots, and the decision process I went thru in deciding whether to save it or not. good luck, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 If you start eating axles, then its time to send it off to the great parking lot. Mine had less visable rust then that, but it started pulling axles apart from the unseen frame rot. Its not what you can see that you should be worried about, but what you cant. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I wish my XT6s rails looked that good...But I am willing to have it fixed.. You have a few more years in there..I would just use some POR-15 or something to keep it from getting any or much worse anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N2FHL Posted July 2, 2007 Author Share Posted July 2, 2007 If you start eating axles, then its time to send it off to the great parking lot. Mine had less visable rust then that, but it started pulling axles apart from the unseen frame rot. Its not what you can see that you should be worried about, but what you cant. nipper That's interesting. The axle on this side has started to make some noise when turning. I didn't think it should be due for replacement yet; the opposite side is older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 If you start eating axles, then its time to send it off to the great parking lot. Mine had less visable rust then that, but it started pulling axles apart from the unseen frame rot. Its not what you can see that you should be worried about, but what you cant. nipper The one I had I saw it all. I had the entire dash and carpet out, along with the windsheild. Pulling up the carpet to look is best but really, most all the bad spots are externally visible. The rears a little less so, but still I don't think that's too bad to drive for a few more years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 My 86 3-door was missing the whole of those strutural members and most of the floorpans (the carpet would lift through puddles) I was afraid that the radius rods would rip off, but they never did and I beat that car like no other (well mabe the 92 legacy had it worse...wait.. the f150 that was killed... and the izuzu.. well nevermind) So keep an eye on it, but don't panic. You could always weld something in, like a bit o box channel. The axle that's clicking was probably a POS remanufactured axle right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N2FHL Posted July 3, 2007 Author Share Posted July 3, 2007 The axle that's clicking was probably a POS remanufactured axle right? Yep. What's the point? Should I get a new one from Subaru? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 the very same spot on my car, in your picture, where you see the bolt that holds the triangle shaped strut rod bracket, does not exist on my car. to reiterate, there is no bolt there because there is no metal there for it to go into! but my car has been to iowa nad back and baja'n in ohio. i have actually seen worse. generally with these cars they look all rusted out on the outside and are clean underneath. wheras another car looks clean outside and rusted out underneath ever see under the hood of an older low miles car vs an older high miles hood, the lo miles car is rustier because it hasnt leaked anything to keep a light film of oil on anything if your car leaks, its kind of like rust proofing i know of farmers that spray the undersides of thir equipment with diesel fuel once a year to prevent rust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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