Gerald Nickels

I have never done rust repair and just looking for help. The back window of my 65 Cutlass is rusted real bad but I have a rust free parts car. Do I cut all the way thru the roof or just the top part that is rusted out maybe 2" back.
I killed the rust using Rust Mort but need help on repair. the bottom shelf looks good just the shelf the glass sits on.

olwreckman

Hello Gerald, That looks like a fairly large project even for a professional
Two ways to attack this. First fiberglass ,(not filler "Bondo" type)cheapest and easiest . Second (and best) metal. You will need proper equipment/tools to do this right. I can advise you with pictures and list.If wanted let me know. John

oldcutlass

There is not much left there for fiberglass, metal is the only way to go. That is a serious repair for even a professional.

joe_padavano

The real problem is warpage of the relatively flat roof panel from the heat of welding.

therobski

Hello, you van get some ideas from my thread on Major Builds and Projects, titled "update post on 64 Post". I did 90 percent of this build myself and hope to get it on the road soon but I did not do the body work. However, had the same issues, Phil used all metal in the window channel repairs. Kinda old school but it worked well, he had a scrape hood with almost the same bend angle and cut pieces to replace what he cut out in the window channels with some massaging. Very slowly tacking welding the pieces in place with thin 25 gauge wire on a mig welder. I helped him but he was the expert. When are you getting started?

jaunty75

Can we see photos of the parts car? Maybe that's the one you should be restoring.

Gerald Nickels

The 65 parts car has no rust around the windows and that's what I want to use. The body is toast. The driver side was hit from fender, door, 1/4 panel.
I was thinking of cutting out around window maybe a 2 inches and doing the same with the rusty car them spot welds all around. I am using the glass from the black car so just the trunk brackets are going to get me in trouble. I was thinking of leaving the glass in place and cutting all around the window about 2".

2blu442

Gerald, if you don't want to strip the black car I can help you with the portion along the roof. Here's a few photos. It does have a hole through near the pass side sail panel. The drivers side sail panel channel has some usable portions. John

Gerald Nickels

The black car has no rust around windows. Just need to know where to cut.

olwreckman

Ok, here we go...You make the cut on the flat surface about two inches in. Stay away from any bends. ridges.Top and bottom should be no problem but the side panels I would cut over the sail panel bend, again about two inches.Make a trip to harbor freight and get a cutoff wheel. For the wheels use Norton or 3m ,(auto paint store) expensive but they last,others do not.For the bottom (part under the glass) You have to clean with a drill wire brush to expose the spot welds and drill them with a special drill bit / or cutter.Only drill through the outer layer.This instruction is for the donor car piece.Do not cut your car yet. I will get back to you. John

droldsmorland

Shame to sacrifice the black car, it looks nice? I'd search for a car already cut up. Hell, you could sell the black car to a rust-belter for a pretty penny and get a decent return on investment then buy a take-off roof from a desert dry car already hacked up shipped to your door and pocket the profit. Just my 2 cents. We "belters" hate to see good clean rollers sacrificed.

Gerald Nickels

I had to take the inside side panels off even the door panels. They both have putty holes on the inside so they used bondo on the side panels. I got all the side moldings off what HELL that was for me. I have all the seats out but the driver power seat just got the back bolts off. I'm going to hot wire the seat to move it back to get to the seats. Any brown steering wheels out there for trade on a black one. I know I have lots of work coming maybe a friend or two will help. Even my Brother has helped me so far just to much to do. I think I need pics with red lines and arrows will help on rust repair around back windows.

brick

How much for the shifter & the console

Gerald Nickels

You want one not broke this is broke sorry. I have some shifter parts if needed.

Gerald Nickels

The first track the small one was not bad but the long one was a BITCH getting cut out. I had to use a sawzall to cut the support out but a job I didn't want to do as they make repos for $75. Now putting it in a box to ship out.