Advice on body rust.

[harryset]

I just removed the fenders on my 72 beetle, engine removed, wheeled her outside and pressure washed her pretty good. Although it shows some signs of some loose paint, very little rust or pitting except for two spots. On both the RF and LF wheel wheel, behind the tire down at the very bottom, on both sides there is a fairly large hole rusted through, but I don't know what piece this is affecting and what the correct repair procedures might be. Any suggestions? I'm only guessing that these might be the very front of the heater channels. This is rusted through from the outside of the wheelwell into the channel.

[Jowlz]

Thats not the worst place to have rust. I say this because the fix is pretty easy if I am reading you right on where it is. You can cut the old rusty metal out and put in sheet metal. No need for panels. It is a good flat area. Another bonus is its not an area that you can see easily with the body on..Also alot of people run undercoating down there. It will hide and welding seams.
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The honey-do list put my project on hold.......

[Pennywise]

Sounds like where the heater channel meets the wheel well? If that is the case, you might have a deeper rooted problem than just what you can see. To be rid of the rust completely you will have to investigate more to see where it ends and remove all the rust. All the way back to good metal.

[harryset]

we'll be ripping carpets and breaking out the wire-wheel tomorrow.

[Pennywise]

Good luck, and I hope the rust is only where you see it now.

[harryset]

Thanks for the great answers. I didn't have time to do any serious work on it yesterday due to family maintenance day. I did go out and rip out some of the carpeting along the wheel housing and front heater channels, just to see what might be hiding there, and it looks very encouraging. All of the metal I see, so far is clean and strong.