Projects Is a car with a lot of rust out a manageable custom build?

Hey, I am new to this forum and decided to post here for the first time instead of bugging my friends because I have already learned so much from the knowledge and tips you all share...thanks! I would like to make an attempt at my first custom build. The car I am looking at states that it has "a lot of rust out". It is listed at $600. Question: is it worth the hassle? Is rust manageable to deal with (I know surface rust is, but I am guessing this is more than just surface rust)? Here is the pic of the 53 Buick:


My inspiration is this 51 Buick (I know that most likely this one is just a Patina paint job and not real rust):

 

Pictures of the rust out help a lot in any meaningful input

Generally it's a good idea to start with the best condition car you can find or one that is bad in the places you plan on cutting up. Being able to fabricate and weld yourself make HUGE projects not so bad.

 

Look at it this way, you have to cut the rust out and replace it with solid metal, where are you going to get that replacement metal? Some cars have a lot of aftermarket support with all kinds of patch panels and complete 1/4's and such, if it's not a mainstream car, then what? Cut replacement panels off of another car or make your own? There are many guys who could build an entire car from a drawing on a piece of notebook paper, then there's others who couldn't cut a straight line using a straightedge, where do you fall in these groups?

Like 32 Vicky said, start with the best car you can afford, you will be days and dollars ahead.
Rust goes a lot farther than just outside body panels, usually inner panels and braces will be rusted away also. You might get lucky if the rust through is spots smaller than you fist, and you might not. Rust repair is not always easy or cheap if done right.

 

If you have to ask that question.....my guess is you may be a little shy on skill sets and general knowledge...

 

#1 change your Avatar '65 is cutoff year here - as for rust, most anything can be restored/modified with a lot more work than you ever imagined - if you have built rides from the ground up, real good at body work/welding/fabricating then your $600 deal might be right for you - if not, spend more money for a truly good candidate as your project, as stated above

 

Rust repair is NEVER easy or cheap. If there is a small hole on the outside, there is a larger area behind it.

You need to know how to weld, cut, bend and fit sheet metal, how to properly prepare the metal to HELP prevent future rust.

It is a lot of work to do it right.

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What they said: Start with a project with the very best body you can afford. Metal work is not cheap, even if you do it yourself, but if you have to pay to have it done, buy a very nice nearly finished car.

Major rust repair is not for the faint at heart. Its difficult, time consuming, dirty work that requires (or builds/teaches) a lot of metal working skills and requires some specific equipment that is mostly not very cheap.

Weather or not its worth the hassle is your decision, no one can answer that question except for you, and I suggest you hold judgement until you can drive your project. About midway through major projects, the effort already invested and that will still be required to move towards the finished product causes even seasoned metal workers to question if its worth the effort. There is a level of accomplishment in completing a difficult job that is pretty appealing, and it carries with it some bragging rights. Repairing rusted areas always creates challenges and requires a thought process not everyone has.

Manageable is another hard question. Everyone's ability to manage issues is different, The level of how in depth the repair will be (be it rust repair, mechanical repair, or electrical repair) before it becomes unmanageable varies person to person.

Building rust buckets is the only way I can afford to have an old car to drive, but as I get older, the projects are requiring less work. My definition of "less work" is much more then many peoples definition is, but is truly less compared to what I've done in the past. Gene

 

Buicks are great cars but there is limited support for rust panels on some models, do your homework on availability and cost of floors , inner and outer sills and a boot floor/lower rear quarters or pick something easier/less rusty for a start

 

I believe floor panels are available. The were for my '50, and not much difference. But the guys are right, we/you need to SEE the rust out. The price is right, but that is only the initiation fee.

Ben

 

If all of the side trim is with that car yet, it's worth more than the asking price for the whole car. Buy the car, sell the side trim, have a project for free. Sounds good to me. If you get in over your head, no loss, really.

You'd have to go and see the car, what some people call lots of rust is what we in Wisconsin might call a solid creampuff. But if you can't even open and close the doors, it might be beyond saving.

The 2 door hardtop '53 Buick is a really pretty car and would be worth more effort than many other 50's cars, I would say go and check it out.

It's not so much about how much skills you have or how much work it needs, but how much you're willing to learn and how much time you can honestly invest into it.

 

x2

 

If title is all good, that send the VIN tag are worth the asking price. Plus parts, and if it turns out to be decent, then I'd say go for it. It looks killer.

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If you're ready to put the body panels you see on to a whole different car, consider it. Frame and floor could be too far gone.

 

GypsyRose...
We're all pretty much in agreement here: start with as good as you can afford; don't "over reach" unless you have the skills, have the time, and, can get the parts you need to finish it.

If you want, check-out my '53 Special 2Dr. (Model 48D) in my Albums Section. I paid a lot more for it in 1995...but it was well worth it as it was a mostly original car. I added about 350 hours of my time, found many NOS parts on my own & many more through the National Buick Club, plus got some help & parts from my R&C friends locally, to get it, and it's super-smooth, 263cu. Straight-Eight, all put together and on the road. And, I literally almost drove the wheels off that car...loved it !

Good luck on whatever you decide,

Jonnie
www.legends.thewwbc.net

 

Guessing you haven't even seen it in person yet. For $600 you better believe it's worth the hassle to go look it over.

 

Had a 53 Buick at one point. They are so solid. Love them.
Metalwork is fun,,, you shouldn't need a patch panel to make a car whole. Get some metal, a welder, grinder and a hammer. Have fun.


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Before above After below. and this wasn't the worst of it. What else are you going to do? Watch TV?

 

gypsyrose is a gurls name, Are you a gurl? Have you looked at what brandonberkoski01 is doing with a1960 Chrysler?

 

$600 car sounds like the perfect car to practice on. you need to learn somehow and a cheap car is better to learn mistakes on than screwing up on an expensive car only because you lacked previous experience.

I say go for it.

 

X2


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Are you prepared to cut out all the rust and weld in patch panels?,do you have all the tools required to do metal work? or do you have a friend to help?

If not listen to Clint. HRP

 

A lot depends on what is rusted out. Floorboards are nothing to repair for example that are mostly flat metal, but fenders and rockers may be a little more difficult, as you may not be able to buy patch panels to replace the rusted metal.


Most of what we find these days is going to have some rust and we mostly find a way to deal with it, some of us are batter at it than others but it still gets dealt with. The general rule of thumb is this, "Find the best body you can to start with, the end result will be better."

 

It is always best to start out with the best car possible. one thing to consider is that one persons interpretation of "rust out" is not another person's. I have looked at cars with friends that instantly turn down a project because it has one fist sized hole in the floor, where for me it is a relatively easy fix, for them it is not. So the first thing to do is put eyes on it and decide for your self.

Rebuilding a rusty car, no matter the make, requires a specialized set of tools that before you even think about starting on you need to have in place. T the very least you will need a mig welder(gas shielded not flux core) grinders, sanders, metal cutting tools (tin snips, hack saws, cut off wheels on a grinder, chop saw, maybe a band saw) Drills, and at least 5 or six sets of vice grips of varying size and jaw configurations, a bead roller if you are making your own floors. you cant do much till you have the tools to work on it. Floors and rockers, floor supports, trunk pans are great place to learn how to do all this. you can make is solid and if looks a little ugly, its all covered so its ok. Fenders and quarter patches need more finesse to have the finished product come out looking good with out a shit ton of bondo.

That being said, if you feel comfortable doing that stuff, go for it! The thing to stay away from is a car that has major rust in the roof, A pillars and high up on the firewall. Look at the windshield and back glass openings real close. if thereis big chunks of metal missing, walk away. Those repairs are much more difficult, and if not right you will have a car that leaks and may be structurally unsafe.

Surface rust is an easy fix. but deep rust is tough, look at the surface rust closely and make sure it is not heavily pitted. that would require the panels to be media blasted free of rust and thin a skim coat of filler over the pits or layer after layer of filler primer to get the surface smooth.

You gotta start somewhere. whatever you do, before you start working on it. make a good solid plan on what you want to do to the car and stick to it. So many projects never get finished because someone keeps changing their mind of a build and no progress ever get made. post your project here on the HAMB and ask advice. You will get tons of info that can help you on your build and get things done faster and easier than you think.

 

I recently finished cutting out and replacing all floor pans, toe boards, driveshaft hump, floor braces, and a bunch of metal that I had to fabricate.

I will never do that again, but I'm glad I got it done.

Something to think about: that pretty Buick next to the rusty one probably has all the good parts off the rusty one.

 

Get busy with that 53 Buick they are great cars and customs. JW

 

Go for it.

Want a car that was truly a rusted broken in half thing but still saved then check out triman62's Hudson:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/51-hudson-hornet-project.1033922/

 

My story on 40 Ford coupes. I bought two less engines/trans, one for myself a $650 rust bucket and one for a customer that was nearly rust free for $6500. He ended up with a way cheaper build price.

 

Bingo

 

^^^ you can spend the money up front or along the way. choose as your budget, timetable and schedule allow.



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Glad you guys are being so helpful (as usual.)
OP has not been back since her one and only post last Wednesday (typical.)