need advice on frame rail repair

[hatchback88]

I bought a 88 hatch about 6 months ago and i knew it needed patches on each side but as i was tearing it down today i noticed a little more rust than i wanted to see. I pulled the inner fender and my jaw dropped i could see the whole k-member bolts. Im at the point now where im too far in to junk it so here's what im thinking i have a 89 notch with good frame rails or cut the front frame horn off and run a piece of square steel down the inside of the o.e rail and work off of that.The o.e rail has aprox. 8 inches of rot but i have plenty of good frame rail from the sway bar mount forward and from the k-member bolt to the firewall.Any opinions would be helpful thanks

 

[skunk21]

post some pics so we can see what you have.

 

[hatchback88]

so i got the pics on my computer but how do i post them im kinda new at the forum world

 

[citmov]

Photobucket

Then copy n paste IMG code

 

[1993SSP]

so i got the pics on my computer but how do i post them im kinda new at the forum world

Create an account with photobucket, upload the pics to their site, you can then copy the image code for the pic into your reply on this forum and they will show up

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

You need to have some serious metal work done to repair that safely and correctly. I had this problem, but a friend at his shop took care of it. Metal dowels must be welded inside the rail so when you bolt it up the metal doesn't collapse.

You shouldn't need to do any bondo work when this is done correctly. I used 0.00oz. of Bondo. Didn't even have to grind down his welds. They were perfect.

 

[hatchback88]

that looks like a great repair but was it rotted on both sides or just the inner and were the new pieces made from scratch or sectioned out of another rail

 

[hatchback88]

this is bad

 

[hatchback88]

someone did a hack job on patching it

 

[Beasty306GT]

wow that is bad!..good luck with the repair ...not gonna be easy

 

[1993SSP]

No offense, but how in the heck did you not notice that from looking under the hood when you bought it!

it can be fixed, but will definitely need to be done right

 

[hatchback88]

the sad part is im a mechanic and look for these things on vehicle inspections but i bought it from a person ive did business with before and when i looked at it i didn't pull the inners. This just goes to show the cleanest body and interior doesn't mean anything. I did talk to a friend that has a body shop and said he's got room in his shop to start the repairs. I own 2 stangs this one and a notch that has bad metal everywhere but the rails looks like its time to invest in a new spot weld cutter.

 

[GroverDill]

I would go ahead and let that one go....