My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
01-13-2010, 07:47 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
Engine: 305 V8 LG4
Transmission: 700R4
My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
I'm the original owner of my 1986 SC. Daily driver through 23 New England winters, and counting.
I had a cheapo rust repair done 5 years ago. (mostly bondo, cheap paint)
It was time for a major job. I found a shop that does rust work. The plan was to sandblast underneath, check it all over for rust, weld, repair, and/or replace parts. Once done, I had them apply RustBullet underneath the car, then they undercoated it.
This shop doesn't do final paint, so next step is to take it to a place to have RustBullet applied on the outside of the car, followed by primer, followed by paint.
Below are pictures. I'll post more as I go. Comments or questions welcome!
I had a cheapo rust repair done 5 years ago. (mostly bondo, cheap paint)
It was time for a major job. I found a shop that does rust work. The plan was to sandblast underneath, check it all over for rust, weld, repair, and/or replace parts. Once done, I had them apply RustBullet underneath the car, then they undercoated it.
This shop doesn't do final paint, so next step is to take it to a place to have RustBullet applied on the outside of the car, followed by primer, followed by paint.
Below are pictures. I'll post more as I go. Comments or questions welcome!
01-13-2010, 07:49 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
Engine: 305 V8 LG4
Transmission: 700R4
Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
More...Check out the rust through the driver's side floor...
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:15 PM.
01-13-2010, 07:50 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
Engine: 305 V8 LG4
Transmission: 700R4
Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
And rust through the passenger's side floor...
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:15 PM.
01-13-2010, 07:55 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
Engine: 305 V8 LG4
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
10-12: Fixing driver side floor...
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:16 PM.
01-13-2010, 07:57 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
13-15: Original Delco speakers in middle pic...
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:16 PM.
01-13-2010, 07:58 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
Engine: 305 V8 LG4
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
16-18: Rust around windshield. I had a new windshield put in too...
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:17 PM.
01-13-2010, 07:59 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
19-21: Before and after door bottoms...
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:17 PM.
Trending Topics
01-13-2010, 08:01 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
25-27: More fixes to driver side floor, and windshield pillar...
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:18 PM.
01-13-2010, 08:02 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
28-30: start of RustBullet pics...
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:18 PM.
01-13-2010, 08:04 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
31-33: More RustBullet pics...
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:19 PM.
01-13-2010, 08:05 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
34-36: RustBullet on Wonderbar in middle pic, and subframe connecters in right pic.
Last edited by johnblacksox; 01-13-2010 at 08:20 PM.
01-13-2010, 08:06 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
37 (if there's a better way to post these pics, lemme know!)
01-13-2010, 08:06 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
Nice work, i love the fact that you saved it.
01-13-2010, 08:14 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
Glad to see that you saved it!
01-14-2010, 08:34 AM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
Nice work! I had one in similar condition that I started to fix before realizing it was way beyond my abilities. Glad to see you were able to save it.
So you're going to Rust Bullet the exterior before painting? Will paint stick to the RB?
So you're going to Rust Bullet the exterior before painting? Will paint stick to the RB?
01-14-2010, 09:10 AM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
Nice work and it is awesome that you were able to save one. Too many are getting crushed.
01-14-2010, 08:34 PM
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Car: 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe
Engine: 305 V8 LG4
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
Yes, I'm going to have the RustBullet applied to the exterior too. According to the directions, you can prime over RustBullet between 24-48 hours. After the RustBullet fully cures (72 hours...) if you want to prime or paint it, you'd have to lightly sand it to get it to stick.
01-15-2010, 10:52 AM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
These winters are so harsh on cars I hate it. You did a good thing by saving that one though.
Glad that my car came from texas!
Glad that my car came from texas!
01-15-2010, 02:41 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
great work man! now that i see yours i realize in HOW good condiction mine is with rost. my only problem is the t-top where the sealing is and 2 tiny holes where the feets are.
good job
good job
01-15-2010, 08:04 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
subscribing... do you have any overall shots of the car? and how much $$ is this project running you? Great to see you saving this one. 
And I agree that too many of our third gens are seeing the crusher. We're gonna regret that in the future, just like with the 60s and 70s muscle cars that are extremely valuable these days.
And I agree that too many of our third gens are seeing the crusher. We're gonna regret that in the future, just like with the 60s and 70s muscle cars that are extremely valuable these days.
Last edited by musclecar70sfan; 01-15-2010 at 08:13 PM. Reason: typo lol
01-15-2010, 09:29 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
subscribing... do you have any overall shots of the car? and how much $$ is this project running you? Great to see you saving this one.
And I agree that too many of our third gens are seeing the crusher. We're gonna regret that in the future, just like with the 60s and 70s muscle cars that are extremely valuable these days.
And I agree that too many of our third gens are seeing the crusher. We're gonna regret that in the future, just like with the 60s and 70s muscle cars that are extremely valuable these days.
The outside will still be totally unfinished though, with primed quarter panels, door skins, etc. This was mostly just about getting the car structurally sound and protected for the future.
I'll post the cost when I get the final bill too. It's not cheap, but this shop does nice careful work. I'm really happy with them so far, they've been great to deal with. And this is my first car, bought new, so I plan to keep it indefinitely.
01-15-2010, 10:38 PM
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Car: 91 Trans Am 'vert
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
Yes...I'll post some overall shots of the car before and after this step. I'm picking it up tomorrow.
The outside will still be totally unfinished though, with primed quarter panels, door skins, etc. This was mostly just about getting the car structurally sound and protected for the future.
I'll post the cost when I get the final bill too. It's not cheap, but this shop does nice careful work. I'm really happy with them so far, they've been great to deal with. And this is my first car, bought new, so I plan to keep it indefinitely.
The outside will still be totally unfinished though, with primed quarter panels, door skins, etc. This was mostly just about getting the car structurally sound and protected for the future.
I'll post the cost when I get the final bill too. It's not cheap, but this shop does nice careful work. I'm really happy with them so far, they've been great to deal with. And this is my first car, bought new, so I plan to keep it indefinitely.
03-22-2010, 07:18 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
hmm get any pictures of the finished product?
01-05-2011, 03:18 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
were by chance did you get your quarter panels? im starting to do somewhat the same thing. btw lookin good man!
01-07-2011, 07:00 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
Also, how much RustBullet did you use to cover the whole shell? I don't want to have half of what I buy go to waste (that stuff is expensive).
:edit: Also, are you going to be undercoating over it, or are you just going to leave it the way it is?
:edit: Also, are you going to be undercoating over it, or are you just going to leave it the way it is?
Last edited by Maverick H1L; 01-07-2011 at 07:05 PM.
01-07-2011, 07:35 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
another 3rd gen saved!
01-07-2011, 07:55 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
Every time I see one of these horror rust threads I'm so glad that I live in the northwest. This guy down the street from me has this truck that has sat outside for the past 8 years. There is zero paint on the top and it still has not even come close to rusting through. I've tried punching though it and it's all just some nasty surface rust. I bet after a year or two in the east the roof would look like swiss cheese.
Glad to see you saved this car though. Looks like it will be in great condition for driving it
Glad to see you saved this car though. Looks like it will be in great condition for driving it
01-08-2011, 12:12 PM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
01-09-2011, 09:14 AM
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Re: My massive restoration/rust repair (37 before/after pics)
Looking good! There is a much better way to post pictures. Register on http://imageshack.us/?no_multi=1 this will allow you to post thumbnails instead of links. It will be much easier for people browsing your threads, and the pictures will stay up for good.. It's simple to upload then copy/paste a link. I've had pictures in threads for years. I dig up lots of old threads, and it sucks when the pictures are dead.
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