dallasite21

While I am doing all this sheet metal work, Im gonna try to get it all done. So I have 3 other spots that need to be repaired.

1. the front lower (in the curve) door jamb on the driver side
2. rear upper door jamb on the driver side
3. rust bubbling on driverr side curve of wheel well


My plan is to try to cut the metal from another car and have it welded into mine. I have a 71' Cutlass S Convertible. Question is (especially on the door jamb metal) Can I get this metal from a standard 2 door cutlass from 68-72? Or do I have to get it from a convertible car, or the same year even? Same goes for the wheel well metal?

My thoughts are that since i need very small parts of each of these ections that I should be fine, but I dont know. See Pics

2blu442

I believe the door opening is the same on the hardtop and convertible as the doors will interchange, 1970-72. Then the wheel well, I'm not as sure but believe the 1970-72 Cutlass Supreme used the same lip as the convertible.
John

dallasite21

Ok.. thanks.. also.. is that true for the windshield cowls and vent structure as well? any 70-72 cutlass would work for that?

2blu442

Someone who knows convertibles better than I will have to help with those questions. I'm thinking the glass is different, so the cowl area where it fits may or may not be different. I'm pretty sure the vent structures would be the same, but not positive. John

Oldsmaniac

For areas like the door jam etc that dont really show it may be simpler to just cut a piece of metal and form it and weld it in....much easier than trying to cut it from another car if no complicated bends and the piece is small....

nonhog

X2 If you have a set of hammers, a vise with rubber guards and some time you can beat/bend and form what you need.

Lady72nRob71

X2...

As for that small rusty area in picture one, do you know what lurks under the carpet and behind the kick panel?
I thought maybe you had the interior out before, but can't remember...
Looks like maybe the rear rocker drain was/is clogged.

gearheads78

Did you buy those wheels today? I was going you buy some to polish and resell and they were sold before I could get there this morning.

dallasite21

Funny you should ask... No I didnt, but I almost bought the ones your talking about. Mine are 17"s. The guy on CL had 18"s. I drove down there to buy them this morning but when I got there the back side of a couple of them were bent and they were not in good shape at all. I was going to buy them and sell mine and probably break even, but turned out to be a waste of time.

gearheads78

HAHA now I am glad I didn't go.

70Post

Don't want to say it but you REALLY need to step back and make an overall "assessment" of what you are seeing and possibly "getting into".

Of particular concern is the area around your rear wheel openings. It's possible that a lot more of that area is just as bad or will work its way through based on your pics....

>The whole wheel opening lips are a "weak spot" when it comes to rust on these cars. You really need to try and see how much, if any, of the rest of the wheel opening lip has filler, etc and may be hiding more rust. Said another way "where's there's smoke, there's likely fire".

Many times, with an experienced eye (and a magnet never hurts) you can discover these other "filled areas" and then you won't be surprised if that little spot ends up being a complete wheel opening patch job.

The reason I bring this up is you see this situation "develop" many times...

>Guy takes the car in for "a little patch work"

>Body shop starts picking, grinding, sanding, etc and then you get a call..."hey, come on over and we'll show you what we found".

>Get there and they've picked away "weak areas" and you are now staring at a rusty, bondo'd up patch job someone did on the car in the past around most or ALL of the wheel opening lip. Maybe it was some past collision damage (sideswiped panel) or maybe it as an attempt to patch of the commonly rusted/bubbled wheel opening lip....doesn't matter as both can end up needing the same work to fix.

>Then they start talking $$...."we'd recommend removing the whole quarter and putting on a new one if you REALLY want peace of mind" (NOTE: I'd recommend the same thing based on rust I've seen and dealt with). All of the sudden a simple "patch job" has turned into a panel replacement and before you know it the whole thing's getting painted!!

JUST BE CAREFUL and do as much non-destructive discovery as you possibly can yourself or with an unbiased friend that has an eye for spotting this type damage (Richard???)

I say all this as a "warning" of sorts...hopefully it's just my over cautious nature when I see this sort of damage but many of these old cars are hiding the "worst case scenario" under an older repaint/patch job....tread carefully. Hopefully my ideas will turn out to be just that ("over cautious") but I've seen situations like this devolve into experiences the owner would soon rather forget. Get inside the trunk, pull the rear seat and a rear side panel if need be, get a bright flashlight and look for evidence of additional damage or prior work. Poke your head in there as far as possible. Dig around some.

dallasite21

Thanks for the input