Rust on 3200 GT wheel arch - How much of an issue?

[davy83]

One of the first things I have done on all my cars when I purchase them is to seal the vulnerable areas and colour match, even if they haven't started going yet...Prevention rather than correction!

View attachment 81097

That looks good, what exactly have you done there?

 

[ecco123]

On closer inspection, doesnt look to bad. Thoughts?

 

[Ianed0]

That'll need new metal letting in or a new wing might be a better bet as cutting out and welding new metal may not the best long term solution, shame it wasn't caught when it was in the arch lip otherwise it would been a much easier job. I have a Gransport so not sure of panel availability with 3200, see if any of the specialist breakers have a sound one.

 

[allandwf]

That has been left a while to get like that.

 

[philw696]

On closer inspection, doesnt look to bad. Thoughts?

As soon as a grinding disc goes on there you will see how bad it is.
Personally I would cut it out and make a new piece and weld it in.

 

[Vampyrebat]

That looks good, what exactly have you done there?

Cheers Davy

1. Key all your wheel arch inner fills with W&D or anything just to key the clear coat.
2. Masking tape to approximately a third of the inner part of the cill to give it a clean line.
3. Apply a vehicle Silicon seal to inner part and around lip and remove masking tape once you are happy with the finish and before Silicon goes off.
4. Take the car to your trusted body paint person (I'm not sexist) who will have your paint code and have your cills painted and lacquered....(£100)

 

[lifes2short]

As soon as a grinding disc goes on there you will see how bad it is.
Personally I would cut it out and make a new piece and weld it in.

agreed, i certainly wouldn't be chopping off a complete panel just for that bit, at worse may need a small piece professionally let in

 

[blangoman]

Selling so quickly its only a little rust ? https://www.shpock.com/en-gb/i/YBPphRqGtF19Rwzy/maserati-3200-gt-3-2-v8-rare-low-mileage?

 

[SteveM]

Hi - been there - must be something about Sebring Blue paint! My body shop found metal actually fairly solid below rust and locally blasted to ensure clean surface before he started. As one earlier posts mentioned, the seals on wheel arch liner fail and then water is trapped on lip - particularly in front of rear wheel where stone chips the paint and with constantly damp muck behind caught on bolt that secures side sill it is ripe environment for rust. 3 years on and no sign of rust returning. I did replace all the arch seals (packed with grease) which are surprisingly still available.

 

[ecco123]

Cheers Davy

1. Key all your wheel arch inner fills with W&D or anything just to key the clear coat.
2. Masking tape to approximately a third of the inner part of the cill to give it a clean line.
3. Apply a vehicle Silicon seal to inner part and around lip and remove masking tape once you are happy with the finish and before Silicon goes off.
4. Take the car to your trusted body paint person (I'm not sexist) who will have your paint code and have your cills painted and lacquered....(£100)

Thanks! Can anyone recommend a good body paint garage?

 

[Moz1000]

Looks awful to me. Get it fixed!

 

[Scaf]

Thanks! Can anyone recommend a good body paint garage?

Where are you located

 

[MRichards]

Rust is especially serious on these cars as the steel is very thin. A repair is not as easy as other cars if the steel is badly rusted or pitted. The panels are treated with an epoxy paint on bare metal,then primed before colour coat applied. The corrosion inhibiting epoxy is essential to prevent further corrosion.
Colour matching is always difficult but is usually more difficult with the colours used by Maserati. Almost impossible to blend,so the entire panel needs to be painted.
Pick your repairer with the utmost care and pay him well.

 

[Lozzer]

Rust is especially serious on these cars as the steel is very thin. A repair is not as easy as other cars if the steel is badly rusted or pitted. The panels are treated with an epoxy paint on bare metal,then primed before colour coat applied. The corrosion inhibiting epoxy is essential to prevent further corrosion.
Colour matching is always difficult but is usually more difficult with the colours used by Maserati. Almost impossible to blend,so the entire panel needs to be painted.
Pick your repairer with the utmost care and pay him well.

I was under the impression, rightly or wrongly the 3200 bodywork is galvanised?, should maybe let a body shop know that, it does make a difference.
I wouldn't be cutting any of that out either, there's no need, unless you're going for a full on resto.

 

[ecco123]

Where are you located

London

 

[davy83]

I think I would chip the rust away and see if its solid underneath. scrape and sand it down until you see shiny metal and treat it with several coats of a rust treatment, that will stop it getting worse and also let your body shop see what the metal is like underneath when you go to get an estimate. I quite often touch up small areas manually, and even use small brush touch up paint to just to stop them getting worse while I am waiting for a slot at the body shop (seems the good ones are always really busy)

 

[Scaf]

Probably a bit far out then unless you are North London, but I use Custom Exotics in Harlow for anything special.

 

[safrane]

Not wanting to burst the bubble, but that rust will have travelled over the lip and to the underside of the arch, both painted surface and rear surface will need attention and that will thin the metal.

 

[davy83]

Not wanting to burst the bubble, but that rust will have travelled over the lip and to the underside of the arch, both painted surface and rear surface will need attention and that will thin the metal.

Yes what he said, you need the arch liners out and the rubber seals and clean up the inside too. its a given. However you can get more carried away treating the inside because it does not have have to look good later.