[bigdog7373]

You can predict that there's major damage all you want but the truth is that nobody know what kind of damage the car actually has. Cars rust in florida too guys, especially when you live 2 miles from the ocean. I've been in under around the car for hours, remeber I owned this car before this too, and noticed no rust underneath or on the subframe or rear frame rails. Its actually pretty clean underneath. Its getting stripped down until I decide its clean. I'll update with pics when I start taking stuff off. I'll maybe pull the back bumper off tomorrow and see what's up like one of you said, but again I doubt I'm gping to find anything major.

On another note, all these cars are supposed to have the build sheet under the back seat, I think that would be pretty cool if its still there

[farna]

Just look it over real good -- nothing wrong with that! Hopefully it's as you say and reasonably solid, especially if it's been in Florida most of its life. It may have been driven up north on a couple winter trips and not washed off, with a damaged or missing wheel well liner (assuming that model had liners) and got a lot of salty slush just in the one side. It happens! Or too many beach runs and that side got more slung up into it. Hopefully that's the case.

I've seen stranger things -- rear pillars rusted through and the rear roof with lots of flaking surface rust UNDERNEATH in a 64 Rambler wagon that came from FL. The fellow used it for a fishing car for years. I believe what happened was he had buckets of fish with a little (salt) water in the back a lot. On hot days water evaporated and got in the head liner, then condensed on the cool metal roof at night. That ran back and down the insides of the rear pillars...

[Slapz]

Sometimes helpful but can be a pain is to take the ol magnet with you and go over the usual rust areas. Maybe you can send Guido and Vito to pay this dude a visit and rearrange his face a little.

[1971BB427]

Originally Posted by bigdog7373

You can predict that there's major damage all you want but the truth is that nobody know what kind of damage the car actually has. Cars rust in florida too guys, especially when you live 2 miles from the ocean. I've been in under around the car for hours, remeber I owned this car before this too, and noticed no rust underneath or on the subframe or rear frame rails. Its actually pretty clean underneath. Its getting stripped down until I decide its clean. I'll update with pics when I start taking stuff off. I'll maybe pull the back bumper off tomorrow and see what's up like one of you said, but again I doubt I'm gping to find anything major.

On another note, all these cars are supposed to have the build sheet under the back seat, I think that would be pretty cool if its still there

Rust is a structural issue if it's in certain areas on these second Gen F body GM's, but it soounds like your's is solid in the areas I'd be worried about like the subframe and rear frame rails. If it's an important car to you I'd fix it. There are so many patch panels for Camaros that will mostly also fit Firebirds.
I've had my '71 Camaro for 39 years, and I'd fix anything on it to keep it going if it needed it. Fortunately mine's been a West Coast car garaged all it's life, so no rust at all.

[bigdog7373]

Found a guy parting out a 77 trans am. It's rusty in all different places than mine lol. I'm gonna grab the front fenders, front bumper and air dam, and the flares that go in font of each wheel so i have a "trans am" All i need to do then is cut the hole in the hood and find a shaker.
As for the rust in the quarters, i'm gonna order skins for both sides. That takes care of the corner by the lights and the other spots down low. I'll just make a patch for the top. Hopefully i won't find any more when i start pulling it apart but if i do then whatever i'll just have to fix it too.

Also getting a mostly the complete interior with gauges. And getting an m22 rock crusher to replace the th350. All this from one car! I think i'm doing pretty well

[1971BB427]

You'll need more than just a hole in the hood for the shaker scoop. Need to figure some way to roll the edge on the opening, or it will not look finished.

[bigdog7373]

Originally Posted by 1971BB427

You'll need more than just a hole in the hood for the shaker scoop. Need to figure some way to roll the edge on the opening, or it will not look finished.

The guy has a fiberglass shaker hood for $225

[panman54]

Back in the day when I was building my 76 TA I found a company that sold the shaker scoop that was around. 5" tall, fiberglass. It had an extension. Off the. bottom and mounted rite. to the hood. looked cool. I. will look. for. a. pic.

[st3gamefarm]

Question is not; "is it repairable", because anything can be repaired, or re-built.
You can buy patch panels, or whole panels, and make them fit (kinda), or you can fabricate your own panels.

Question is; "Is it worth it?"

All it takes is money.

[farna]

More importantly, "is it worth it to you", and since this is a car you've owned before, I think you've answered that already! I think you've conveyed that you already know you[ll have more time and money into the car than it will be worth on the open market. Lots of us do! Those who fix cars for profit are just darned careful (or lucky!) what they buy and know how much they will have to do to get anything back out of it -- and sometimes fail even then. It can be done, but it's a gamble!

[bigdog7373]

Didn't get anything for the quaters but i did get both trans am fenders, a bumper, dash, gauge panel and all the gauges today.



Getting the spoiler, m22 4speed, and the wheel flares tomorrow.

[Austin Powers]

As the old saying goes, if you can do it then it shouldn't be a problem for me. Unlike you, my 1950 Austin was loaded with rust but I knew it when I bought it. As this was my first 'Project Car' I had no idea what I was up against. My buddy, who has built several Rods warned me against it, advising me to "cut my losses" but I was already too deep into it. Besides, I enjoy a good challenge. Well, 2 months later and progress, although slow is being made finally. As welding with a MIG is new to me it remains the biggest pain in my grinding wheel. Unlike others that have gone before me, I have most of the tools I need to build entire fenders if i choose, but I am patching as I go instead. The biggest problem has been trying to remember how it all goes back together. One piece of advice he gave me that I'm learning quickly, the 'why' factor. He told me to take plenty of pictures. It seems my memory isn't as dependable as I believed it would be. Thank gawd for photos! and good advice.
The biggest issue with this is the fact there is so much rust it is damn near impossible to figure out what it used to look like when metal was more commonly present.
Plug away my friend. It may seem like it should take a miracle to get through but all of a sudden one day, something will make a difference to everything so that you can move on confident in the fact that there are more hidden treats for you around the next corner!!!
I'll send you some pics of my fiasco if you need some inspiration. That big hole you keep talking about would be a considered minor sandblast pitting on my car. I know this isn't a contest to see who has the worst project car, but as the saying goes...if I can do it, you most certainly can too. Oh yeah, one last thing. My car used to be a four door. I wanted a two door so now I have one, and a back seat that will fill a stadium with speakers. If that wasn't enough, as a final test of my patients, I am going to be cutting the car in half lengthwise to widen it. I'm nothing if not a beggar for punishment! With the fenders pulled forward off the front of the car I am now contemplating making the whole mess a bit longer too, about 8" longer