[DeTomaso] Undercoating - existing panels inspection

[Cullen McCann]

Thanks Mike, that helps. To be certain I double checked the panels and they
don't appear to have the oval holes. Also, I did finally find some evidence
of the undercoating on the panels down in some crevices. So it appears like
you said that they have been stripped, it was just done thoroughly enough
for me to miss it at first glance.  Also when Kirk Evans came by when I
contacted him for misc sheet metal components (by your recommendation, thank
you) he inspected the car with me and noted only one panel that had been
replaced since the car was new, and that was the driver's side outer rocker.
The passenger wheel house is completely salvageable according to Kirk, as
well as most of the car, it just needs a cool half dozen patch panels here
and there and one driver wheelhouse. That wasn't as much due to rust but
actually the previous owners attempt in fixing the rust. He cut out a
portion of the support beneath in an effort to repair the rust out at the
elbows below the shock mount, where they meet the frame rail, and did more
damage than good. Fortunately with my car ( and I don't know what determines
this, climate I suppose) it is severely rusted in isolated spots, not evenly
rusted all over thereby compromising the integrity of the metal throughout
the entire car. I believe the latter would be much harder to fix, or near
impossible.

 

There are actually, and oddly I might add, many areas on this car that are
in perfect shape that are always rusted on wet climate cars. I have
purchased the necessary sheet metal from Kirk to repair the car in full and
it will be great when repaired, I'm really excited about it. While busy and
hard to get a hold of, he certainly knows these cars inside and out. He
tapped and  all over it and I was very encouraged when finished.

 

Don't get me wrong it's a major project, but I am pleased that it still has
its potential. Thanks for your thoughts on the undercoating! As well as
others who have chimed in on and off list..

 

Cullen

 

 






>>>Only the really late cars (1974s mostly, perhaps some very late 1973s)
came with painted as opposed to undercoated engine bays.  Yours was either
stripped, OR the panels that are in the car are factory replacements,
perhaps because the originals rusted out when the car was still relatively
new?

When I got my car, it had one original (rusty) panel and one factory
replacement.  Interestingly, the replacement panel was for an L-model and
had an oval-shaped hole for access to the bumper shock mounting hardware.  I
subsequently replaced the original rusty panel on the other side with a
good, solid panel taken from a wrecked '74.  So now I have two different
L-model panels in my Pre-L car.

If your panels have the oval cutouts, for sure they are factory
replacements.

Mike