The Eternal Corrosion Question ....

[ChrisW]

I have a very nice 3.2 Jubilee Coupe which has had no bodywork.
It was in it's day a concourse car so had a full re-spray and has a consistent 350 microns paint thickness.
The bodywork is very solid and it's just flown through it's mot ... but !
Around the door shuts I'm just starting to see tiny blebs of corrosion which are still beneath the paint (I've known the car for five years !) and this is stopping form wanting to drive the car if there is any chance of rain.
I love the car. But how can I preserve it without taking the chance on having to slice out the originality of the car ?
I could just ignore it until structural work is demanded but ?
What options ?
Thanks, Chris

Pics ...

 

[IndischRot]

In my humble opinion...

A large portion of originality was lost when the car was resprayed. Cars don't normally get resprayed without good reason - any idea why yours was done?

Bubbling inside the door shuts usually indicates significant rust that has occured from the inside out towards the paint. I'm afraid it's a bad sign. There are only a few screws holding the sill covers in place - it would be good to see what the sills actually look like.

 

[Beaky]

If its a keeper then the quicker you deal with it, the more of the original car you will detain.

Most IB of this age will have had some paint work or restoration, this doesn't diminish its value, in fact I'd rather buy a restored one, with an unrestored one you never know what lingers underneath.

 

[ChrisW]

Wow, that was quick ... you both mirror my thoughts ... I have a friend who has a lot of experience correcting bodywork issue at this level ... and he still wonders if it needs doing.
The trouble is ... if we go to the trouble if unzipping it, there would be no point in not eradicating all corrosion with the structural engineering that this would require.
On the other hand, so long as it is done properly, I would have a corrosion free car and let's face it, after 30 years only a properly corrected car could claim this ...
Would it have to be done by a big name to retain the provenance ?

 

[GeoffB]

When you say bubbling under paint is it near the sill covers or around the door lock. If door lock check the kidney bowls for rust. You should clean these out regularly anyway as the can fill up with dirt and hold moisture which rots out the panel. If you if you intend keeping car I would wait untill you decide to do a full refresh/restoration, just use it and enjoy it

 

[ChrisW]

Pics posted ...

Tnx,

Chris

 

[Peter_Bull]

Looks similar to the issues I had when I had my 3.2.

The chances are that as this corrosion is showing such significant bubbling I would strongly suggest that the door striker panel will need to be replaced and I would also expect that the 'kidney' bowls will be rotten too. You could patch it but that would not get the underlying rot dealt with.

I had to bite the bullet and have both sides done, door striker plate and sill replaced. But I also had both inner front wings repaired, 4x new wings etc etc etc...…..

The trouble is once you start to take things apart it becomes apparent that, despite supposed hot dipped galvanising, age has not been too kind to ferrous metal and more and more is uncovered.

It needs to be done by someone who restores these cars and not just any body shop.

Best of luck.

 

[ChrisW]

Many thanks for the feedback ... not the best news but useful !

Chris

 

[Peter_Bull]

Sorry to be the bearer of my bad news story - but its just as well the you are prepared for the worst case scenario.

You may be lucky and the rot has not gone too far, but please take it to a Porsche repair specialist that comes recommended.

 

[ChrisW]

Are there any suggestions from the club for specialists in the Yorkshire area ...
I know a few but wouldn't want to discount those known by others ?
Tnx,

Chris

 

[993 C4]

Hi Chris,
Diamond Blue...a lovely colour for a Coupe ! Definitely worth sorting sooner rather than later.
Alternatively, to save you the bother you could always purchase a certain rust - free Guards Red 964 RS with less than 37500 Kms under its belt ????

 

[Beaky]

Once done you should also consider fitting wheel liners to protect the areas behind the kidney bowl, etc.

There's a tread on Impact Bumpers, we had had 3 small production run of these I fitted mine several years ago with no issues. Unfortunately all batches have been sold but there there enough interest (15+) another production run could be arranged.
Occasionally a set does comes up for sale on IB so keep your eyes peeled.

 

[911 targa]

My car was resprayed because the red paint was badly faded after being barn stored for 8yrs but the body was solid (endoscope up every orifice and witnessed )

 

[ChrisW]

Now sorted ... it turns out that it had had bodywork, the Kidney Bowls had already been done and were mostly solid ... but it was amazing how much worse the few rust bubbles turned out to be !

I will post a few indicative pics !

It's been sealed, now it looks like new and I'm told that it will last forever .... !!

 

[ChrisW]

P.S. All sorted with Dave at Strasse ... both sides and both door locks ... with pics to prove the quality of all the work done. Now all I need is to find the "fan-on" light lens from my heater control !!

 

[oldnickers]

P.S. All sorted with Dave at Strasse ... both sides and both door locks ... with pics to prove the quality of all the work done. Now all I need is to find the "fan-on" light lens from my heater control !!

Chris, sorry to be reigniting an old thread, but I'm seeing a little corrosion in similar areas. How much did it cost to rectify? Did you have to have the doors and rear wings painted too to blend colour?

Thanks for any advice!