Fixing up the Supra

[Backlash2032]

So this is my first build thread. Its a 90 Supra, 7M-GE, but here goes.

The not so bad side. (Which is worse than it looks when you get inside the wheel well)

The worse side

Inside, passenger side

It looks really bad, but a majority of it is just surface rust. Everywhere except the giant gaping hole is very solid.

After some grinding..

...Oh well. I have to drill new holes for the 3 pc. anyway.

The 3 pc.

After grinding on the driver side. I think this side was hit. Bent up the metal a bit and it cracked the paint, resulting in surface rust.. mmm..

Like I said, the driver side is a lot worse than it looks when you get to the wheel well.

Passenger side, outer half of the wheel well.

After removing undercoating, you can see what Im talking about.

Mmm... Undercoating...

I was going to just cut it out... But then I ground off the paint and realized it was actually solid.. So yeah. Gotta break out the welder.

Now a real predicament. There is surface rust all along the seam inside the wheel well. I dont really know how to separate these two pieces, and don't know how to get inside there to remove the rust that I know is lingering between those two halves. I know if I don't get to it, it will just come back and start what I will have already fixed. So any help would be greatly appreciated. My dad said to use a torch and have the heat neutralize the rust, but I'm just not sure if that will effectively get all of the rust.

And there is another rusty seam.

Passenger side wheel well, I have all of the undercoating removed, with the exception of around the shock. Would you even bother removing the shock to get to that undercoating aswell? The only reason I would do it would be to have a uniform wheel well when I have it coated again.

 

[Backlash2032]

Just a small update

Cut out the rust in the passenger wheel well

Inside shot

The start of a patch panel

Nearly finished product, just needs a bit more tweaking.

Its just the general shape of a different patch. Needs a lot of tweaking to fit properly.

But I think im going to cut a bit more of the rust out. Looking back at a few of these pictures kind of has me worried, plus it wouldnt be that hard creating a patch panel for the rest of the surface rust.

 

[mrsharp]

My car is equally rusty! I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who is fixing it. Good work!

 

[Ma70.Ent]

Good luck, that's going to be a lot of work. Hopefully I can do that to my rusty ass car one day

 

[Backlash2032]

Got a parts car in! got a rust free rocker panel for the price of a brand new one.. And parts for a turbo swap down the road.. >

Pictures!

It has turbo!!

And back in the garage.. somehow i got 3 cars where only 2 should be..

All of this for only 300 dollars

 

[radiod]

I need to find myself a parts car like that. Unfortunately I don't have a nice place to store it

 

[Chambers]

Wow, a $300 turbo targa parts car, that just made me jump on craigs list, haha.

Very good to see someone not afraid to dive into metal work, keep up the good work!

 

[Backlash2032]

Yeah, but it was closer to 600 dollars when i was done with gas and everything.

and the turbo has a lot of shaft play, and the motor has rod knock, but with my plans, (to drive the n/a 90 while i build the 88 turbo block to the nails) that wont be a problem.

And theres plenty of usuable parts on the 88 (such as the 3.93 lsd and R154) that i will probably swap to the 90 while its still N/A

and as a side note.. I was afraid to dive into it. After I got to the point i am now, i was afraid i wasnt going to be done by my 16th birthday. But it should be good to drive by then... I hope.

 

[moonburn]

Man! You're more ambitious than I am! Good luck! Looks like a pretty sweet deal for $300!

 

[Backlash2032]

Honestly, i was hoping to be done with rust repair by now, and saving up for paint. I havent even welded in new patch panels. Just about ready to make better patches though.

 

[hvyman]

Damn. That is a ton of work gl. I would have sold/scrapped and started over. At least you will have a solid car when your done. Just make sure the rust doesnt start coming back before all the bare metal gets coated.

 

[Backlash2032]

Yeah. That reminds me, any undercoats you can think of?

I was thinking lizard skin myself.. Never checked the pricing on it though

 

[Backlash2032]

I did a little work on it the past couple of days. I have the outer wheel well patch mostly welded in, but still needs a bit of work. I also have the inner patch mostly finished, just needs to be trimmed and I can weld it in.

After this I'm going to purchase some undercoating and torch that seam in the wheel well to neutralize the rust, then re undercoat the front half of the wheel wells. Then I need to rebuild the metal behind the rear bumper, paint that, rebuild behind the wheel well inside the car, then begin work on the driver side.

Then the worst part. I need to pull the rocker panel off my 88 parts car, and swap it with the one on the 90. Im still not for sure how to do this without tweaking the frame.. Since the door will need to be removed, would you weld a couple supports in there and call it good? Along with using about eleventy billion jackstands. Any suggestions?

Sorry, no pictures for now.

 

[Backlash2032]

Well, while welding in the patch, i burnt through a section.. and found out what i thought was surface rust was almost all the way through. So more cutting for me. Gonna cut the entire seam out of the passenger side wheel well and replace with cleaaaan metal.

I hate rust..

 

[Backlash2032]

Okay. I need to take pictures next time i am there. I have nearly all the patches welded in on the passenger side (not the rocker. Gonna have a frame shop do that). I think it looks pretty good. I need to weld one piece a little bit more

Still wondering what i should undercoat it with. I was thinking POR-15 as a primer, then truck bed coating?

 

[hvyman]

Iirc por15 is pretty strong it self. I would like the bottom of my car to be that shiney. Truck liner would be that bad but i have seen some that just fall apart so maybe not the best idea.

 

[Backlash2032]

Yay!!! half done!

Just some Ehhhh pictures, but whatever. I also have the other side all welded in, just need to POR it

 

[moonburn]

Sweet! Keep up the good work. Looks like it's coming along nicely!

 

[Backlash2032]

Sweet! Keep up the good work. Looks like it's coming along nicely!

Just seam sealing and rocker left to do..

I still just dont know what to do about the rocker panel.. Im really afraid of breaking the car in the middle.. I might just cut the rocker out of the 88 and give the car to a frame shop and say "Here, fix it."

 

[Backlash2032]

Just a small update on what ive done.