New & Old

[06goat75]

I would have sworn I was a member years and years ago, but couldn't find my email, so signed up again!

Not new to W-bodies, owned a 93 GP SE w/3.4, 91 GTP with a 5 speed, and a 95 CS Convertible.  Enjoyed them all.

Been into Fiero's for awhile now, have had a 86 GT (sold), 87 GT (scraped), 88 GT (sold), another 88 GT (sold), and currently have an '88 coupe (Formula tribute) T-top.  

Looking for my next project, found a 95 CS Convertible for a decent price.  Looks like it needs some work, but has decent mileage, and an LQ1.  Most of my time in the W-body has been southern cars, this is the first northern one I'm going to look at.  Currently in Ohio so rust is going to be an issue.  Hoping to find some good info on where these things rust at.

Anyways, hoping to be back in the community soon!

Edited December 19, 2019 by 06goat75

[digitaloutsider]

Welcome back! Be sure to get some pictures of the car!

[jiggity76]

Man, you've had some incredible W's!  Yes, would love to see any pics of them or your current project.

[55trucker]

Not really sure I'd want to invest in a salt belt car unless it has been treated to a pampered life.

an untreated car = rust?  = stay away from it

where do we begin?

Gen 1 car

Rocker boxes, bottom of the doors, rear quarters (especially drivers side in & around the fuel filler), rear suspension up behind the fuel tank, rear brake lines, fuel evap piping at rear of vehicle, engine cradle suspension bushings, rear trailing arm chassis boxes, rear bumper rebar, heater core return piping (passenger side in behind wheel), radiator support (bottom of rad), bottom of the front fenders behind wheels, front strut spring seats rot, exhaust rot.......

anything else?    

[06goat75]

7 hours ago, 55trucker said:

Not really sure I'd want to invest in a salt belt car unless it has been treated to a pampered life.

an untreated car = rust?  = stay away from it

where do we begin?

Gen 1 car

Rocker boxes, bottom of the doors, rear quarters (especially drivers side in & around the fuel filler), rear suspension up behind the fuel tank, rear brake lines, fuel evap piping at rear of vehicle, engine cradle suspension bushings, rear trailing arm chassis boxes, rear bumper rebar, heater core return piping (passenger side in behind wheel), radiator support (bottom of rad), bottom of the front fenders behind wheels, front strut spring seats rot, exhaust rot.......

anything else?    

Thanks for the intel.  Hoping to go look at it this weekend and will pay attention to the specific areas.  Not sure what kind of life it has had, first owner owned it for 17 years, but since then, it has been through 3 other owners, which is a bit worrisome.  But who knows, won't know anything until I get a chance to look at it.

Wouldn't mind finding a good (and cheap!) one farther south, thats for sure!  Stuck on the '95 though.

[jiggity76]

8 hours ago, 55trucker said:

Not really sure I'd want to invest in a salt belt car unless it has been treated to a pampered life.

an untreated car = rust?  = stay away from it

where do we begin?

Gen 1 car

Rocker boxes, bottom of the doors, rear quarters (especially drivers side in & around the fuel filler), rear suspension up behind the fuel tank, rear brake lines, fuel evap piping at rear of vehicle, engine cradle suspension bushings, rear trailing arm chassis boxes, rear bumper rebar, heater core return piping (passenger side in behind wheel), radiator support (bottom of rad), bottom of the front fenders behind wheels, front strut spring seats rot, exhaust rot.......

anything else?    

 

37 minutes ago, 06goat75 said:

Thanks for the intel.  Hoping to go look at it this weekend and will pay attention to the specific areas.  Not sure what kind of life it has had, first owner owned it for 17 years, but since then, it has been through 3 other owners, which is a bit worrisome.  But who knows, won't know anything until I get a chance to look at it.

Wouldn't mind finding a good (and cheap!) one farther south, thats for sure!  Stuck on the '95 though.

Great info for sure 55trucker!

06goat75, here's a clear example of where these 1st gens like to rust.  It's my 89 Cutlass Supreme International Series coupe.  I bought it specifically for parts as it's like Swiss Cheese underneath.  It's been an awesome donor car for my 91 International coupe that I'm fixing up.  My 91 Cutlass Supreme International Series coupe was an original Oklahoma car so I wanted to show you the difference between a non Winter salt region and a region that uses WAY TOO MUCH Winter salt.  This is what 55trucker is talking about even though this is on the extreme side.  It was a Wisconsin or Minnesota car all of it's life and that's why it's no longer road worthy.

 

[jiggity76]

More rotted out parts car pics.

 

[jiggity76]

What's left of the driver's side torque box/support rail areas under where the driver's feet would be.

 

[06goat75]

That's some serious rust.  If this CSC is anything like the above, I'll be passing!   

I'll check all the standard areas for rust, anything hidden that I can easily look for, especially being a convertible?  I'm used to the Fiero world, and know where to pull carpet/panels to look for serious rust issues.  Most of the W-bodies I have dealt with were not rust belt cars.

[55trucker]

You & my son would get along famously,

 

he eats, breathes, lives for Fieros.

[jiggity76]

4 hours ago, 06goat75 said:

That's some serious rust.  If this CSC is anything like the above, I'll be passing!   

I'll check all the standard areas for rust, anything hidden that I can easily look for, especially being a convertible?  I'm used to the Fiero world, and know where to pull carpet/panels to look for serious rust issues.  Most of the W-bodies I have dealt with were not rust belt cars.

I'm unfamiliar with the verts concerning any other specific areas prone to rust.  I do know all W-bodies, no matter what variant likes to rust in the pics I posted.

[06goat75]

Well, it was a bust.  While not quite as bad as the pictures above, it still had some serious rust issues, and holes.

Not to mention the current owner broke the drivers door handle, and tried to pry the door open.  So they put a new dent in it in the rear quarter panel, nice of them to share that before I made the drive out there...

Guess I'm on the lookout now for a good one!

[jiggity76]

27 minutes ago, 06goat75 said:

Well, it was a bust.  While not quite as bad as the pictures above, it still had some serious rust issues, and holes.

Not to mention the current owner broke the drivers door handle, and tried to pry the door open.  So they put a new dent in it in the rear quarter panel, nice of them to share that before I made the drive out there...

Guess I'm on the lookout now for a good one!

That's a bummer, sorry it didn't work out but it sounds like it wasn't a good one to get.  You'll find one, maybe in the Spring when more owners are willing to let go of them.  You want a 95 yes?

[06goat75]

Prefer a '95, as that is what I had before, and I like the '95 interior much better.

[jiggity76]

Ok, I'll keep a lookout.  By the way, since were talking about rust issues.  Get this, my parts car is so rotted, the seat belt bolts that are mounted to the floorpan, they completely tore from the body due to the rot!

 

[94 olds vert]

I have seen that before in MI. I used to pull on the seat belts at cars in the junkyard just to see if they would pull free. A lot of them did. Pretty scary. 

[jiggity76]

I figured they would since the bolt head was so rotted.  If this car was in an accident with belted rear seat occupants, it wouldn't be good.

[94 olds vert]

Was that an Iowa car its whole life? I didn't think you guys got that much rust down there? Or am I wrong?

[jiggity76]

Now I just need to figure out how to get the rotted metal out of the seat belt mount, LOL!

[94 olds vert]

16 minutes ago, jiggity76 said:

Now I just need to figure out how to get the rotted metal out of the seat belt mount, LOL!

soak it in vinegar with some salt in it. The rust will fall off and only clean metal will be left. Then you could probably just push it out. I would be afraid to cut a seat belt mount. One small cut or scrap and you reduce its structural integrity. 

[jiggity76]

14 minutes ago, 94 olds vert said:

soak it in vinegar with some salt in it. The rust will fall off and only clean metal will be left. Then you could probably just push it out. I would be afraid to cut a seat belt mount. One small cut or scrap and you reduce its structural integrity. 

I would have never thought of that!  How long should I soak it for?  The 91 car has good seatbelts in it, just wanted these as a spare since they are damn near perfect ones too.

 

[94 olds vert]

2 minutes ago, jiggity76 said:

I would have never thought of that!  How long should I soak it for?  The 91 car has good seatbelts in it, just wanted these as a spare since they are damn near perfect ones too.

 

I have let stuff sit in salt and vinegar for a month it does a great job. It will only attack the rust not the clean metal. A week should give you very good results.

Just as an example a couple of bolts that were very rusty on my 50 year old cub came out great after a week sitting in that solution. 

 

[jiggity76]

14 minutes ago, 94 olds vert said:

I have let stuff sit in salt and vinegar for a month it does a great job. It will only attack the rust not the clean metal. A week should give you very good results.

Just as an example a couple of bolts that were very rusty on my 50 year old cub came out great after a week sitting in that solution. 

 

That's amazing, I'm gonna try this.  Just plain old white vinegar?  Thanks man!

[94 olds vert]

Just now, jiggity76 said:

That's amazing, I'm gonna try this.  Just plain old white vinegar?  Thanks man!

Just plain white vinegar. Then just sprinkle in salt till you see bubbles. You might not want to do it in a container you care about. The rust could turn it yellow.