[PHAT_joe]

have any of you guys been victims of body rot (holes in your sheet metal form un-treated rust)? if so, any recomendations on how best to repair? i was thinking some bondo and paint (for the inside of the hatch lid) - or would this just be too tacky for a saab?

 

[jefspg]

Bondo and paint will only cover up the problem. After a little while the rust will break through the new paint and create bubbles in the paint.

The only way to really get rid of rust is to remove the bad metal and weld in new stuff. If you have surface rust (from not waxing the car and sun oxidation), this can be sanded down and repainted.

Unfortunately, the SAAB is a unibody car, so you just can't go out and buy new fenders and slap them on. You also can't lift the body off of a frame and put a new one on! All this makes for very difficult rust repair.

I've done quite a bit to try and slow the rust down on my SPG. I've got a partial new right fender, new hood, and lots of POR-15 on the underbody.
My doors are showing the telltale sign of rust at the corners... :x

 

[PHAT_joe]

yea that is too bad, rust is one big problem with cars in new england... oh well, ill just have to deal with it until i get a car made of carbon fibre or something

 

[Zelandeth]

Problem areas on my car:

Left rear wheel arch "lip" due to an unrepaired scrape. I've just finished stage one of sanding, scraping, Kurusting, filling, sanding, more sanding and such the area to some extent to put it back together, which is about the best I can do with my resources.

Other one is the doors, the inner bottom lip of the passenger one's all but gone, and the driver's one has a couple of holes in. I've got a replacement door for the passenger's side, but not sure what ot do about the other one yet!

Have a lot of surface rust around the battery tray - which has just been thourghly Kurusted as well, the entire underside will be getting treated once the car's MOT'd. Fingers are crossed there's nothing nasty lurking under there.

 

[Matthew]

There's a bit more information on where 900s rust in this thread:
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284

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[ProfZ]

have any of you guys been victims of body rot (holes in your sheet metal form un-treated rust)? if so, any recomendations on how best to repair? i was thinking some bondo and paint (for the inside of the hatch lid) - or would this just be too tacky for a saab?

There are various methods that work well, depending on the size and location of the rust damage.

If your hatch itself is really bad, another one from a junkyard would be the way to go. But if the rust area is small and not in a stressed location, there is a lot you can DIY to make a decent repair.

If you'd like further advice, please give more details of the damage--or, better, post pics

 

[REDTURBO84]

This is my preference . How I see it If you don't spray paint for a living and want a durable job ....If you want to fix it to last for years.Don't weld it! (Heat weakens the surounding metal and causes more body work)Fiberglass it! Check the underside ,and suspension ,to be shure its sound.I would take out the interior ,sandblast and cut all the rust out .Then use 3 layers of fiberglass ,body filler ,and a body file to reshape .A very nice job can be had if you "take your time" to prep it correctly then and take it to Maco or visit Earl Shieb or a trusted paint shop with a downdraft paint booth to put on the top coats .Base coat clear coat is easy maintence.Reinstall the moldings useing 3m 2sided molding tape and urathane . Then oil spray the whole thing before next winter.And every year in the late fall.My old 84 is going to get this treatment soon . I plan on Black or Dark blue this time! For a change. Pat




http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39625&highlight=fiberglass