TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Apr 22, 2007 5:26 am

How badly rusted was your Thing before you started to restore it?
A recent post showed a media blasted body that the owner determined was so bad that it "cannot be saved". I could only dream of starting with a body in that good a shape. I guess it depends on your location. Where I live we get extensive rust. My 74 rockers were gone, floors were missing, lower windshield rotten, fenders rotten at body, all in all MAJOR rust on all areas.

Here are some before shots

After in base paint

Finished

Sun Apr 22, 2007 10:08 am

Nice work Dan.

When I bought my Thing it had a fresh (if amateurish) paint job, so there was no rust visible. It had a homemade roll bar, made from galvanized pipe, attatched to the floor with pipe flanges. :shock:

I removed the roll bar, to discover baseball sized holes under the flanges. Apparently the pipe roll bar replaced an older version that had been welded to the pan. When the old one was removed, no effort was made to protect the bare metal from the elements, so huge holes had rusted through the pan and through the places where the roll bar attached to the package shelf.

After the paint was stripped, I was met with the usual nurgles: a bit of rust through the rockers at the front and rear edges, under the rear seats where the wheel well meets the pan. And the battery tray area.

At the time I was shocked to discover these hidden defects, but after what I've seen recently, I feel like I've gotten away with something. Other than those minor rust issues, the body was straight and clean, with no other dings or bondo anywhere.

I guess the moral of the story is that there will always be more rust than you think.

Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:12 pm

sry for all the pics.. :)

painting it sat :) wish me luck

Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:55 pm

Good Luck.
If any of you start to miss this kind of thing, feel free to have a go at mine! It "should" be easy by comparison.

Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:32 pm

I don't feel as bad now. Looking some other peoples Things.