Hey guys, first time poster and hopefully a soon to be G-Body owner. A guy close to me is selling an '81 Malibu. From the pics he has sent it looks to be a pretty solid car, but the trunk has holes and the bottom of the driver's door has rust as well. I asked about the rear frame rails and he says they are "getting soft". I'm new to dealing with rusty frames and need some pointers, maybe even some pics, of what to look out for. I've heard a good trick is to give the frame a few hits with a 5lb sledge and if it makes a ping, its ok. Is this accurate? Thanks for the advice guys!
Advice on purchase
- Thread starter Swiftness90
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welcome to the site, you have come to the right place for advice...
For me, IMO if someone says the rails are "getting soft", I'd take that as a red flag and give them a good checking when ya look at the car. If you have never dealt with rusty rails and welding in new sections, don't be scared to move on and look for a stronger car, they are out there
For me, IMO if someone says the rails are "getting soft", I'd take that as a red flag and give them a good checking when ya look at the car. If you have never dealt with rusty rails and welding in new sections, don't be scared to move on and look for a stronger car, they are out there
Thanks! I'm going to check it out on Thursday. For now it's just a project, it probably won't see the street for at least a year anyway, so I have no problem replacing them if he and I can make a deal.
The frame would be a deal breaker to me, especially as a first project. This Elk is my 4th project, and I would run away. But, if you are a good welder, or can source another frame, then you'll be fine.
This one just needs wheels/tires and a long drive home. http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/5205214133.html
on the other hand... if you need to do repairs to the rails, maybe a mini tub and some wider tires?? 😉
I think you might consider walking away from this car, unless you get it for a good friendly price, and you're willing to commit to rebuilding the car structurally.
Post some pics of the car here, and we'll give you some further advice and input.
Most times it's worth paying a bit more to get something solid and needing less work.
Post some pics of the car here, and we'll give you some further advice and input.
Most times it's worth paying a bit more to get something solid and needing less work.
welcome ,
to a great site .
the seller says the frame rails " they are getting soft " means they are toast ! and need replacement , be careful with a 5 lb sledge ....you broke it ,you bought comes to mind.
and trust me rust is like an iceberg you can see 5% , it's the other 95 % that bites you.
Dave
to a great site .
the seller says the frame rails " they are getting soft " means they are toast ! and need replacement , be careful with a 5 lb sledge ....you broke it ,you bought comes to mind.
and trust me rust is like an iceberg you can see 5% , it's the other 95 % that bites you.
Dave
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