Rusted Rear Frame Rails???

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roudy4x4

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 18, 2007
6
0
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So I have a 78 Malibu 4dr. The body, and interior is really nice, I like the car cause its different, BUT I was looking into why the rear bumper is sagging, and I found that about the last 12" of the rear frame rails are rusted one, is pretty bad, the other is pretty good...
Heres the thing. I am a welder by trade so welding is no prob, BUT I dont own a welder. Also all I have is a driveway. The extent of the rust is only on the rear ends of the frame. What do you all think is my best bet. I dont have alot of money to pay for someone else to do it.
How hard is it to lift the rear of the body just enough to fix this, if I can rent a welder, and also does anyone know where I can get a set of rear frame rails or do I have to make them myself?

Thanks
 

joe_padavano

Royal Smart Person
Sep 13, 2006
1,151
13
0
Northern VA
roudy4x4 said:
So I have a 78 Malibu 4dr. The body, and interior is really nice, I like the car cause its different, BUT I was looking into why the rear bumper is sagging, and I found that about the last 12" of the rear frame rails are rusted one, is pretty bad, the other is pretty good...
Heres the thing. I am a welder by trade so welding is no prob, BUT I dont own a welder. Also all I have is a driveway. The extent of the rust is only on the rear ends of the frame. What do you all think is my best bet. I dont have alot of money to pay for someone else to do it.
How hard is it to lift the rear of the body just enough to fix this, if I can rent a welder, and also does anyone know where I can get a set of rear frame rails or do I have to make them myself?

Thanks

Here's the source for repro rear frame rails:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/conradlozier/
 

Cole

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Sep 28, 2007
22
0
0
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
It can be done with the body on the car. I saw a detailed report on it somewhere once. From what I remember, the body was jacked a few inches off the frame. The old rails were cut out with a sawzall. New sections of floor were welded in the trunk. New rails (from Conrad) were ground to fit against the remaining old ones. They were butt-welded in with a mig welder. If you're good with a stick I imagine it might work too. New body mounts were slipped in between and bolted down.

I think that was pretty much it. This is all from memory though

Cole
 

clean8485

Comic Book Super Hero
Dec 18, 2005
2,860
2,136
113
Ontario, Canada
I've seen this repair done with the body on the car. The gas tank should be removed (both for better access, and for safety reasons). Then the rear body mounts should be removed, and then body mounts should be loosened up to the front fenders. You can then slowly raise the body up off the frame at the rear, cut out the rusted rails, and wels in the new ones.
 

srercrcr

G-Body Guru
Jun 19, 2006
841
3
0
San Antonio, Texas
Personally I wouldn't just butt weld, but I'd add a piece of flat stock bridging both pieces.
 

Cole

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Sep 28, 2007
22
0
0
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Adding flat stock does sound sturdier. I think the reason this wasn't done on the example I saw was that the rails were curved both down under the trunk and out toward the perimeter right where they were being welded. There wasn't really a flat section.

Probably something to take into account when choosing where to cut. Might be worthwhile to cut out a bit of good frame to give yourself an easier job of welding
 
Sep 1, 2006
6,687
31
0
Tampa Bay Area
You could take all the bolts except for the front two by the firewall and pull the body up with an engine hoist to get enough clearance to do the repair. I did this to replace the body bushings on mine. Oh, just remember that once you remove the bolts, the retaining hardware and bushings may crumble necessitating replacement. It's around $100 for a set from Energy Suspension, last time I checked.
 

GP86

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Oct 14, 2007
10
0
0
London On.
Hi ,i just finished doing this job on my 86GP ,i used Mr Loziers Frame and floor peice (excellent fit and finish :D ) .
Even though i have the rear of the car stripped completly, i didnt have to take the body off the frame and could still do all the welding ( saftey warning! wear a welders jacket when lying on your back and welding ,them sparks hurt , ive placed some of the photos in my album under GP86[/url]
 

axisg

Comic Book Super Hero
Jul 17, 2007
2,685
2,354
113
YYZ
85 Cutlass Brougham said:
You could take all the bolts except for the front two by the firewall and pull the body up with an engine hoist to get enough clearance to do the repair. I did this to replace the body bushings on mine. Oh, just remember that once you remove the bolts, the retaining hardware and bushings may crumble necessitating replacement. It's around $100 for a set from Energy Suspension, last time I checked.

I don't want to stray off topic but just what can you hook the hoist up to on the car ? I mean.... I have done it to wreckers by placing a hoisting strap thru the windows and lifting the car by the roof but I wouldn't want to do that to my Monte.
 
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