Repairing rust

[FyreDaug]

Problem: My 87 is rusted, pretty bad too.
Notes: Plan to fix up the car and make it quick, bought it for 500 bucks, put 400 into it to make it run perfect and I love the car. So before I do anything else there are 3 things that I can do by doing only 1 thing. Here's how:

My trunk was rusted bad, there was something in the back middle of the trunk that was cut out and it rusted, so there was a hole there. There was the drain hole on the driver side that was open all the time and has some rust around it. Both my rear fenders were rusted through, and on the trunk lid where it says HONDA was rusted out, and the emblem wasnt there. So that puts 5 holes in my trunk.

The 3 things that will get better is: the body (obviously, if theres no rust) and the sound will be better from the back without the holes. And by making the car lighter (slightly, but hey it all counts in the end)

I have pictures but I dont have them up yet, hopefully tomorrow night (its not my camera) but this is what I've done:

Removed rear plastic bumper (after having to cut the rusted bolts out) and the metal bumper (which wont be going back on). I grinded out all the rust behind the rear doors and Ive started to rivet in some sheet metal (yes rivets, I'll explain why in a sec). I was going to modify the trunk a little bit and make more space, but its not that important anyways, plus I dont want to make the car flex by reducing some of its structure.

Why I used rivets:
Main reason I dont have my own welder, I went to my old high school and asked the shop teacher if I could borrow/use his. He said I would have to wait until finals started next week, I couldnt wait that long as my car was already apart. (Bad move on my part) but he suggested using rivets and sealing the holes, I said I'd check it out.

So I was at Canadian Tire looking around and the price of everything needed to complete this job was <10% the cost of a welder. So here is my plan on what I'm going to do:

Step 1: Remove rust with grinder
Step 2: Cut out large portions of rust
Step 3: Cover large holes with sheet metal (rivetted)
Step 4: Seal edges of layered sheet metal
Step 5: Body fill everything thats visible (not underneith plastic bumper, who cares)
Step 6: Prime/sand/paint

So far I'm on step 3 of most of the places, the fenders will probably just be body filler because its not that bad, there might be a little metal behind for support, but thats only if I can have the rivets hidden so I dont have them sticking out.

Its going really well so far and I'm very impressed with the way it looks. With just the sheet metal and the rust grinded out it already looks 100% better but this weather is very annoying, its been cloudy and spitting the last few days and today its finally coming down. It sucks not being able to have a car to drive around and have to bum off your girlfriend for rides, but it will be worth it in the end.

Also, step 7 not yet mentioned (and not yet affordable) will be a complete layer around the entire trunk area of B-Quiet extreme.

[Mike87accordlxi]

I was planning same thing basically this week except for the inside of the car ( I just finished gutting everything out and put back in only the drivers seat. My car is so badly rusted. Took out the carpet and there are some holes in spots. I used wirewheel brust and my 18 volt cordless milwaukee drill to remove the rust around the holes, primed and painted the holes and plan on useing thin metal and rivits with auto sealer to repair the holes.


Mike
"I know nooooooooothing"

[FyreDaug]

Instead of a wirewheel to get rid of the rust you should have cut back a little further (about an inch-inch.5) to make sure it wont spread. I got alot more done today, basically finished off the driver side fender with just sheet metal, fixed holes in trunk, patched those rubber things in the trunk to be steel and repaired some of the weather stripping metal. Also fixxed part of the trunk near the latch that was all rusted to crap.

Pics tomorrow I promise (I have to go to work right now)

[carotman]

Rust can be a bitch. Especially in Canada.

I have an 89 Civic sedan that's I plan on repainting. The rear fenders and driver side floor are rusted to the point they don't exist anymore.

Rivets will hold fine but you got to make sure you got all the rust out. If not, it will come back and the rivets will rust, making the body filler crack and look like shit.

[FyreDaug]

I went back about an inch and a half from where the rust was so lets hope its all good. The paint will be flat black, everything will be dark on the car and it will have a beefy motor underneith. But so far with the repairs I am very impressed with my work. I need to do sealant and body filler yet, but just the sheet metal looks much better than it did a couple days ago.