[redeyedtreefr0g]

I had two cavalier convertible RSs, one red and one green. The red one is being used now, so my options are a bit limited.

The green car has rusting doors. I don't know if they can be fixed. So far as I know, the red one did not, but the drivers side got mashed in a bit from some idiot backing out of a space, looks like.

So, do I try to fix the lower portion of my own doors, or go find replacements? Or tell the guy that has the other car to give them up? Find better ones in a junkyard? Mine doesn't really have convertibles that I know of, and that is even assuming if they did, the doors would be in better condition.

What have you all found that works for this situation?

 

[cavalierdude]

Geez,can t really tell by the picture all that much,but what i do see is that it can be repaired.You should see mine--alot worse.I d say repair it but thats just my opinion.

 

[Aphytex]

Looks like simple surface rust. Sand down to metal, then ike 320grit, then primer and paint.

 

[barrok69]

Looks like simple surface rust. Sand down to metal, then ike 320grit, then primer and paint.

^ x2

on top of that I put some ashphalt undercoating along the bottom of hte door seam so that no more water sits in between there, and it only drains out the factory precut holes now. (i masked the area off with tape and then spray the stuff on) looks real good. you could also paint over it too i suppose, but i left it black because it always gets dirty under there anyways.

 

[scott0999]

thats nothing but fix it before it gets any worse

 

[redeyedtreefr0g]

Alright, thanks.

 

[glivorsi]

On mine I put a wire wheel on a drill and cleaned all the crud off the bottom. There's a seam on the bottom where the skin of the door wraps around the bottom of the frame. The factory puts caulk in the seam to keep water from accumulating there. Over time the caulk falls out and your left with an open slot the length of the bottom of the door that fills with water and starts rusting. The wire wheel works great for getting all the old caulk and rust out. Be careful when using it as it can snag and wrap under the door, scratching the paint on the front. Once it's cleaned slop POR-15 over the bottom of the door on the inside and let it fill in the gap. Once the stuff is cured it doesn't stick to painted surfaces so you can just peel the excess off. I did this to my doors 2 or 3 years ago and no rust came back after driving all winter.

 

[andystepper]

sorry to say guys, but that ain't no surface rust. that is rusted right through. might look like surface, but when you work in the autobody industry long enough you know what surface rust looks like and that ain't surface rust.

and YOU CAN USE A NON-CONV door on a convertible. done it before. takes time but can be done. just cut the pillars and insides(yes the inside metal panel of the door is different). install old stuff off old door, prep, paint..done.

 

[sleeper]

tho it may have rusted from the inside out, (hard to tell just with a picture) it may be able to be saved.

a wire wheel definatly would be the thing to use. then try some body filler that has fiberglass in it. it goes by a million different names, i won't even try.... :roll: and top that off with some regular body filler, prime, prep and paint.... you should be good... but i would definatly recommend some rust inhibitor for the inner door.

 

[redeyedtreefr0g]

So far as I can tell, none of the door rust is on the outside. There may be one spot in the panel behind the door in front of the back wheel... if I'm thinking of the correct car, I'd have to go look. Either way, I think trying to repair these would be the best option for now, and I have a lot to work with thanks to you guys on how to get that started if I can get some time.

Thanks!

 

[redeyedtreefr0g]

Ick, what about fenders? On the back, where the metal bends in and stops, that part looks bad to me.