Body rust fixing

[daniel0]

Howdy Fellas

I've had a bit of a rust spot in the usual place - wheel well, so I decided to take some of the paint and rust off to fix it this weekend. The problem is that the metal was in much worse of shape than I expected. As soon as I got the skirt off and got starter with the rust, chunks of metal started falling off. The entire wheel well is rusted through, I have no idea what to do with this. Any ideas?

If I just replaced the panel...
#1 I'm not sure where to get a new one (and how much $, I'll have to do the same on the other side)
#2 buy used, (protege5s are all rusty in my neck of woods)
though it doesn't really fix the rust inside the wheel well. Can I just cut out the rusty metal on the inside and leave it unprotected? (sounds dangerous)

 

[Jackie chan]

Oh my god! thats crazy, Like the whole fender just rotted.

 

[diss3ntienc]

dont you just love it when a small project turns huge :/ holy i feel bad for you. im going to be starting the same project on my car with the rust, but its' not as bad as yours. i just replaced the rear door window guides on both sides as they were rusted up. next week wheel wells once my shpiment of por-15 comes in.

 

[daniel0]

Here's the plan...

I'm thinking I'll cut out the rusted stuff, then put some wire mesh from behind to get back the form/support in place. Spray it with primer/anti rust. I'm thinking of going over it with fibre glass. Then I'll put some bondo on it.

Then Clean, shave/clean, sand, prime paint.

 

[Kerok]

http://raybuck.com/i-6762843-2002-03-mazda-protege-5-5-door-hatchback-upper-rear-wheel-arch-passenger-side.html

Check this out...

 

[daniel0]

http://raybuck.com/i-6762843-2002-03-mazda-protege-5-5-door-hatchback-upper-rear-wheel-arch-passenger-side.html

Check this out...

**** yeah... this'll make it easy...

I did spend a bit of time googling for it, but thought the panel was too expensive... $41 is not bad at all.

thanks

 

[Kerok]

I've seen a few different sites that carry these panels...

You can also call your local auto parts supplier and ask them to bring them in for you.

I'm pretty sure the catch with these is that the shipping can cost you an arm and a leg because of the size, weight and sensitive handling.

Most sites that I went to order them from when I hit add to cart it added like $200.00 shipping charges on top...WTF!

So I called a local parts supplier here in Toronto and asked if they could get them. They could get them in for approx. $125.00 per panel.

Not as exciting as $41.00 but not the worst price either. It should save you a bit of work.

Although I have looked into this I am still too lazy to pull the trigger and order them and install them.

Order away and tell me how it goes!

Good luck.

 

[daniel0]

I'm pretty sure the catch with these is that the shipping can cost you an arm and a leg because of the size, weight and sensitive handling.

Most sites that I went to order them from when I hit add to cart it added like $200.00 shipping charges on top...WTF!

I'm finding that myself...

www.fixmyrust.com has shipping estimated at cca $75 (more than both sides put together - $34 each)

And in canada, crosscanadaparts has the parts for $127 (each)

 

[tweety2300]

That's not as bad as what's on my Honda I hear a chunk fall off once a week...

Even when you do fix all that how much more rust is there that's hidden? Frame gas tank etc. don't want to be a Debbie downer or anything but if you have rust that bad in those spots you have it everywhere

 

[iamthewheelman]

That's not as bad as what's on my Honda I hear a chunk fall off once a week...

Even when you do fix all that how much more rust is there that's hidden? Frame gas tank etc. don't want to be a Debbie downer or anything but if you have rust that bad in those spots you have it everywhere

I was just going to say this, honestly man I sold my car when I saw a bubble on my fender, I was going to get a MSP and stopped myself because its not worth it to buy from up here in Canada. I am going to do it right and buy one from the Southern US. The whole fender is gone. You will get the rust coming back because its like cancer. If you weld in a new piece the old rusty metal way inside the fender will contaminate the new stuff/make it hard to weld.

 

[Kerok]

Any progress on this? Wondering what you ended up doing to fix this....

 

[opieshuffle]

I'm in the same boat here in Toronto. I have welding skills and a bit of body experience so I'm almost ready to give it a shot, but looking to see what other people's experience is. I'm noticing bubbling around the main windshield frame as well. Took her to a shop and they said this could be minor or major. The problem is, my car only has 130,000km on her and she drives like a dream. I don't want her to rot out from under me and be left with a great engine / tranny and no body.

 

[Fraya713]

Can anyone find the front and back wheel arches along with an under engine weather panel? (Basically all the weather under-plastic
Every time I run through a puddle it steams up my engine and my belts start to squeal.. it's super annoying and probably terrible for my car..

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Calgary sucks for rust. Not as bad as out east mind you, but it still sucks. Good thing my P5 has never seen a snowflake in its life!