When is it too late (rocker rust)
 

I've got a hole in my passenger side rocker panel and at the moment don't have money to fix it. Stuff like POR-15 (I think that's what its called) has been suggested but from everything I've heard over the years, it seems like if you want to kill rust you have to remove all of it, and that it works kind of like a cancer.

Its getting increasingly ugly to look at and I don't have any idea when its too late to fix, if it starts getting to the frame and making the car unsafe and what not. Anyone had rust problems? And what did you do to get rid of it?

First 2 pics are passenger side, last one is driver side, driver side is barely starting to bubble. Sorry for huge pics

how far is it into the car? if its just on the first part as seen in the pics I would cut out the rust and weld in some sheet metal, I take it the miata doesn't use alumiun.
IF its just surface rust I would instead just grind it away, sand it down primer primer and put some of the undersealer stuff on it.

Well on the passenger side the hole pretty much eats through the rocker but theres a hole that was not created by rust under it. A perfect circular hole that was probably there from the factory, looking through this hole I can see a part of the car, which part, I'm not sure. But it doesn't look rusty inside. Around the hole, there is some rust though.

Pics to show what I mean.

I have the same shit in my fender where the pinch weld is and also where the sheet metal forms the fender. It's getting pretty bad :(

I had the same problem, it started slowly pushing out, until it cracked. I didnt want to spend a lot of (any) money to fix it, so I hillbillied it. I dug it out, cut the really bad metal away with a dremel wheel, stuffed it with fiberglass, and bondo over that. for paint, i just fade matched a rattle can of red that I had in the garage. I know...its not "proper" but looks better than it did. Ya cant see it from the Brooklyn bridge.


Attachment 13293

Attachment 13294

Your car is bleeding...

So Im assuming that this isn't affecting the structural integrity of the car, and I've still got time before it does? I'm gonna see what some local body shops are charging for this and if its ridiculous I may just be S.O.L.

In my case it was not structural; theres 2 panels there. The one that rusted out (exterior painted metal) and another piece behind that, I dont know if that inner panel is structural or not, I would lean towards saying it is. In my case only the exterior panel was rusted out...and you shouldnt be s.o.l., believe me I'm no body man, though I tried to act like one by wetsanding the paint, hence the "blood".

Yea, to me it looks like whatever is under those 2 panels is whats structural for sure, I'm not too sure about the second panel though.

you can use some bondo products to patch it.

Id rather run around with a giant hole than let the rust get worse

It's not the right way, but you can fill large holes with fiber strand tiger hair filler using tin foil (from the kitchen) as a mold. Just peel the foil off as it is setting up. Works great and won't rust and is surprisingly solid. (I did this many times on my gf's MKIII VW Golf.)

The only other option is to fix it the right way and cut out the rusty metal and weld in new sheet metal.

Rust never sleeps, hey hey my my. somebody had to say it.

Anyone else look at: https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/att...52536047-m.jpg

and think... "it looks like that car has been disemboweled"?

Makes me sad. :/

Fuck. Gonna go to some shops, and if the prices are way high I'm gonna pull out the die grinders and go to town on this. At least cut the rust out. I just really need to know if I'm giving up significant structural integrity of the car.

you can use "rust fix". Turns rust into primer. Then you can fill with bondo "body filler".
Go youtube and search for "bondo"

Are you talking about POR15 by any chance?

YouTube - Bondo Auto Body Repair - 1 of 5

Kragen, pepboys, autoparts stores sell it.