Repair Rust Around Wheels: 91 Civic

[Farquea]

My wife acquired a 91 Civic a few months ago from her Nanna with about 120ks on the clock. In general in its pretty good condition, I have a list of few things that we are going to try and sort out if possible but the first one that I'm worried about is the rust along the bottom near the rear wheels.

Can anyone suggest whats the best thing to do here, smash out all the rust and fill it with something? I'm just worried the rust might go a lot deeper than it appears and before i know it half the car is falling out as i hit it out!

I've attached some pics.

 

[daperez13]

You should definitely inspect the underside of the car and any panel from the inside, where paint most likely did not coat the metal properly. Based on what I've seen and heard, most people cut out that piece of rusted metal and replace it by welding that section back in and then grinding the weld(s) smooth.

I'm no expert on this matter but based on the pictures, the rust doesn't look too bad. You should be able to sand/grind all that rust off and fill it with bondo/filler.

Car looks pretty clean otherwise, you should perform any maintenance due. 120K is nothing if that car was maintained properly.

 

[HeX]

@Farquea , that rust looks to be worse than you think. Grind it all down until there is absolutely no loose rust left, then apply Ospho to convert the iron oxide (rust) into iron phosphate. That should buy you time to figure out if you want to have it properly fixed with new metal or rig it another way.

 

[Mr.Baker]

Can anyone suggest whats the best thing to do here, smash out all the rust and fill it with something? I'm just worried the rust might go a lot deeper than it appears and before i know it half the car is falling out as i hit it out!

It's always worse than it looks on this generation.
This is going to be an expensive fix, to do it right and NOT have it come back.
Cut out and replace.

 

[Ep3po]

Yup like said above. The 4th gen.civic is prone to rust issues especially if you live in the north.i had the same civic as above 91 Dx hatch ( in white too ) I bought it in 2006 it was a Florida car with 65,000 miles and to rust!!! Within 2 years in New England it looked the pics in post above. Once it started it spread like wildfire. I eventually sold the car due to the rust and expense of fixing it properly

 

[JRCIVICFORLIFE]

Also get rid of that rubber molding they put around the inside lip of the fenders. That traps the road deicing gunk and helps destroy the fenders faster. They call the stuff they put on the roads around here "Truck-B-Gone" ...and for good reason!

 

[Ep3po]

I'm from Connecticut too I know what your talking about!! That New sodium chloride spray they use the last couple years is awful. It starts rusting your car in the first winter and will eat the clear rite off your alloys too

 

[Cnk]

Please don't use filler or bondo. Cut out where the rust is and weld some patch panels in.

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