Body rust: what would you do?

[Granite]

Borescopes that connect to your cell phone are cheap on places like Amazon. Probably a good idea to get one and really take a good look inside the frame.

Excellent idea

 

[wigsajumper]

As mentioned swap the tub when able with a Southern Tub, swap the fenders it is a fairly easy job I have done both sides. There is a guy in southern New Hampshire that parts out jeeps. He is on Facebook and good to work with.

Double check your frame. Mine looked great until a jack stand punched through the frame. Swapped out the whole middle of the frame with Poconos sections.

 

[Granite]

As mentioned swap the tub when able with a Southern Tub, swap the fenders it is a fairly easy job I have done both sides. There is a guy in southern New Hampshire that parts out jeeps. He is on Facebook and good to work with.

Double check your frame. Mine looked great until a jack stand punched through the frame. Swapped out the whole middle of the frame with Poconos sections.

Do you have more details on the So NH Jeep part-out guy?

 

[wigsajumper]

Do you have more details on the So NH Jeep part-out guy?

PM Sent

 

[97' 4 Popper]

I would use an endoscope to examine the inside of the frame rails and body mount channels. If everything checks out, I would try to source body parts from a parts jeep that is clean and get the parts repainted. Aftermarket body components don't always fit 100% perfectly. Trying to rework the existing fenders means the risk that the rust would just come back.

 

[steelhd]

Excellent idea

I had a good one that my FIL accidentally lost. Will be replacing it with this one.
[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GL4465F/?tag=wranglerorg-20[/URL]
Should work for the limited way I use them.

Edit - consider getting one with a variable focus range. Its nice to see what is a few inches in front of the camera and a couple of feet or more in front.

 

[LONGJP2]

Here's a whole jeep (body) for sale.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MidwestJeepthing/permalink/6136612186374425/?mibextid=Nif5oz

 

[GPK03X]

I’ve had some rust bubbling up through the paint and figured I’d tackle it like Chris Fix does.
So I removed the fender flares, fender liners, and rubi rails. In doing so I found some areas that were much worse and some evidence of prior patch work by the PO. As I started wire-wheeling I realized there’s a lot of rust seemingly between the surfaces of the fenders … like I’m worried how much I’ll need to remove.

So now my dilemma … do I invest in doing this right, having a body shop patch or replace panels? Or is this level of body rot inevitable no matter what I do? I’m not trying to build a show Jeep; I just would like to stop the rot if possible.

View attachment 423848
This corner was the worst and had previously been patched. The Rubi rail, fender liner and undercarriage coating were trapping water.

View attachment 423849
This is where I started wire wheeling and realized it was worse under the paint than I had hoped.

Candidate for a JUGGY build ?

 

[GPK03X]

Candidate for a JUGGY build ?

Sorry

 

[Granite]

This guy has been very inspirational … his Jeep looks worse off than mine rust-wise and that doesn’t stop him from building it and learning as he goes! Is he on this forum?

 

[frank1]

This guy has been very inspirational … his Jeep looks worse off than mine rust-wise and that doesn’t stop him from building it and learning as he goes! Is he on this forum?

I thought that was/is one of the best jeep rebuild videos out there.