need advice on frame rail repair

hatchback88

New Member

Jan 10, 2011

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Mar 30, 2011

#1

• Mar 30, 2011

• #1

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

Active Member

May 22, 2007

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Taxachusetts

Mar 30, 2011

#2

• Mar 30, 2011

• #2

post some pics so we can see what you have.

 

hatchback88

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Jan 10, 2011

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Mar 30, 2011

#3

• Mar 30, 2011

• #3

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

 

citmov

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Sep 25, 2009

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Mar 31, 2011

#4

• Mar 31, 2011

• #4

Photobucket

Then copy n paste IMG code

 

1993SSP

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Sep 5, 2001

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Ky

Mar 31, 2011

#5

• Mar 31, 2011

• #5

hatchback88 said:

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

Click to expand...

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

waiting for the next hack atta

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Nov 22, 2001

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Mar 31, 2011

#6

• Mar 31, 2011

• #6

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

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Jan 10, 2011

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Mar 31, 2011

#7

• Mar 31, 2011

• #7

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

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Jan 10, 2011

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Mar 31, 2011

#8

• Mar 31, 2011

• #8

this is bad

 

hatchback88

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Jan 10, 2011

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Mar 31, 2011

#9

• Mar 31, 2011

• #9

someone did a hack job on patching it

 

Beasty306GT

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Dec 19, 2002

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Mar 31, 2011

#10

• Mar 31, 2011

• #10

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

 

1993SSP

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Mar 31, 2011

#11

• Mar 31, 2011

• #11

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

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Jan 10, 2011

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Apr 1, 2011

#12

• Apr 1, 2011

• #12

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

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Apr 1, 2011

#13

• Apr 1, 2011

• #13

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