rust spots to look out for when buying a GT?

xenophobe · 06-04-2003

i would like to know what places on olep gts most commonly have rust?
places that most wouldn't think to check.

jordan · 06-04-2003

type in "rust" at the photo gallary search..... or "jordan"

greensmurf20 · 06-04-2003

belly pans rot bad, lower fenders behind the front wheels where usually first to go out and they seem to rust alot around the antenna in the fender. seems like the floor pans under the drivers feet like to get rotten along with the bottom of the tail piece.

Dan0myte · 06-04-2003

It's stupid, my Opel is completely rust free, except when you get to the front side panels. Right behind the front wheels, it just starting to bubble near the bottom on one side, and on the other it's got rust pretty bad. Why in this one spot behind the wheels and not others? No clue. But definitely check there. If it doesn't have rust there, it's either a heck of a car or has been restored previously.

xenophobe · 06-05-2003

sounds like the sheet metal wasnt the best it could be.

i think i read somewhere that the battery trays are pretty bad for rust as well. is this true?

xenophobe · 06-05-2003

Originally posted by jordan
type in "rust" at the photo gallary search..... or "jordan"

most of those spots dont look too major. the front looked the worst.

jordan · 06-05-2003

yea but they still werent fun to fix

oldroadiedog · 06-05-2003

The spots discribed above are all common areas to have rust. I think it depends on the environment your car has been in for the last 30 years. I was fortunate that my '72 had been wax oiled in the fender wells probably early on. That and the fact that it was a "California car" means the commom rust areas were in great shape. But at some point 10 or 15 years ago it went into storage. My thought is that it was stored in a metal shed because of condensation rust. Anything that is warm during the day and then cools at night will condensate (if there is moisture in the air). This moisture will start surface rust on exposed iron. I have found this light surface rust in the most protected areas of the car.

Storing in a real garage where temperature and humidity are somewhat more controlled seems to help quite a bit (my garden tractor doesn't rust near as bad in a brick garage as it did in the cheap-o metal shed).

xenophobe · 06-05-2003

Originally posted by oldroadiedog
Storing in a real garage where temperature and humidity are somewhat more controlled seems to help quite a bit (my garden tractor doesn't rust near as bad in a brick garage as it did in the cheap-o metal shed).

so i should try and find a car from a warm dry area that was stored in a brick grauge. then i dont have to worry about it.

xenophobe · 06-05-2003

Originally posted by jordan
yea but they still werent fun to fix

i can imagine the over the wheels looks like it sucked quite a bit.

06-04-2003	#1 (permalink)
xenophobe Opeler Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 55 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Unanswered: rust spots to look out for when buying a GT? i would like to know what places on olep gts most commonly have rust? places that most wouldn't think to check.

06-05-2003	#8 (permalink)
oldroadiedog That '70's Guy Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Near Nashville TN Posts: 153 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Looking for rust? The spots discribed above are all common areas to have rust. I think it depends on the environment your car has been in for the last 30 years. I was fortunate that my '72 had been wax oiled in the fender wells probably early on. That and the fact that it was a "California car" means the commom rust areas were in great shape. But at some point 10 or 15 years ago it went into storage. My thought is that it was stored in a metal shed because of condensation rust. Anything that is warm during the day and then cools at night will condensate (if there is moisture in the air). This moisture will start surface rust on exposed iron. I have found this light surface rust in the most protected areas of the car. Storing in a real garage where temperature and humidity are somewhat more controlled seems to help quite a bit (my garden tractor doesn't rust near as bad in a brick garage as it did in the cheap-o metal shed).

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06-04-2003	#2 (permalink)
jordan Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: corning ny 14830 Posts: 2,105 Classified Rating: 100% (1)	type in "rust" at the photo gallary search..... or "jordan"

06-04-2003	#3 (permalink)
greensmurf20 OPEL-LESS!!! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Gobles michigan 49055 Posts: 2,110 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	belly pans rot bad, lower fenders behind the front wheels where usually first to go out and they seem to rust alot around the antenna in the fender. seems like the floor pans under the drivers feet like to get rotten along with the bottom of the tail piece.

06-04-2003	#4 (permalink)
Dan0myte Opeler Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Regina, Sask. Canada Posts: 93 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	It's stupid, my Opel is completely rust free, except when you get to the front side panels. Right behind the front wheels, it just starting to bubble near the bottom on one side, and on the other it's got rust pretty bad. Why in this one spot behind the wheels and not others? No clue. But definitely check there. If it doesn't have rust there, it's either a heck of a car or has been restored previously.

06-05-2003	#5 (permalink)
xenophobe Opeler Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 55 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	sounds like the sheet metal wasnt the best it could be. i think i read somewhere that the battery trays are pretty bad for rust as well. is this true?

06-05-2003	#7 (permalink)
jordan Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: corning ny 14830 Posts: 2,105 Classified Rating: 100% (1)	yea but they still werent fun to fix

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