does anybody else have rust/rot on their rear hatch right where the two ends of the hatch weatherstip meat? how do you plan on fixing it? i thought of cutting out the rot and then cutting out the same piece on a junked camaro. obviously the new metal would be rust free. then i'd weld in the new metal. does this sound right? are there any other ways of going about it.

 

*meet
not meat-it's not beef [sm=oopssign.gif]

 

yea, I do...I plan on fixing it by buying a hatch from a junk yard that isn't rusty and cutting off what I need. I can use some sheet metal to patch any spots on the new hatch I need. If your hatch isn't too bad, you can probably patch spots with sheet metal too...just like body work...it definately wont be easy but I think it can be done.

 

......just like body work....it IS body work.
Is the metal rotted through and weak? If not you can strip it clean and treat it and repaint. If it is rotted bad and weak then cutting and welding you go.

 

i got a hatch from a 87 camaro

 

yeah, its in the early stages of rot going through the metal. it is not extremely weak yet but it will probably be soon.

 

just so you all know if you didn't i am not talking about that actual lift up hatch. i am talking about the place just above the license plate holder.

 

I figured you were talking about that area. Who would talk about cutting a hatch to do that instead of replacing it.
If its pitted but you can poke at it with an icepick and not go through just get a strip pad for a drill at homedepot and clean it out with that, fill and repaint. But if it breaks through or does not have that solid sound then you may just be abble to cut it out and bend any piece of sheet metal.If it goes down into the lock then it gets tricky and a part from another car makes it easier.

 

no its not at the key hole. it's only maybean inch or 2 big. i'm guessing that with any force and ice pick would go right through it. i haven't tried very hard, but i pushed on it and it did move. i'm guessing that with pressure you could probably push through it.

 

ok. But I still think then you can get away with any piece of meatal if a cut out piece is not availble. I have had to do this before. The hard part is making nice tight creases without a brake.