Whoops. Jumped the gun there.

So the undeerbody sheetmetal on my car is coming off like gangbusters. Big chunks, like 8" X 14". Is is possible to remove the whole sheet and reattach a new one without draining the fuel line and removing all of the suspension and so on? Both rocker panels need replacing too. It looks to me like the rust started at their pinch weld and then move up and across. The floorpan which the rugs are attached to looks marvelous from below, and feels solid from above, so I think that part of the car is still useable.

It sounds like your car has lived in the north... sorry, been there done that. If I am understanding the rust damage you are describing correctly, you need to find a southern car with a trashed drive train... then do a drivetrain swap! The cost of this approach will be lower and will result in a much safer and cleaner solution. Rust sucks, and it can be a serious safety hazard during a crash.

jorrell

I have to agree with your advice. mid 80s 240s are available with no rust in the Carolinas for $100.00 up. A rust bucket with a good driveline can be transferred into a beauty queen for a couple of hundred dollars and two afternoon. I know, I just bought a cherry 89 244 GL. White, tan leather, no rust, runs good. It had wiring issues which turned out to be a loose battery connection. I bought 5 740s and one 760 for $800 a few months ago. None of those cars had any rust, although I scrapped 4 and kept two wagons.

Regards,
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Will Dallas, www.willdallas.us, www.willdallas.org, 86 245 DL 205K miles, 93 940 250K miles, 88 765 GLE 149K miles, 87 745 , 86 244 DL 200K Miles

Thanks guys! I don't have the money to get a southern car here, and I'm not very interested in paying for one that's already here (I got this one for $1.00). I broke through to carpeting insulation tonight, so I think the next time it goes on the road will be on the back of a truck. although I do have half a mind to enter it in a demolition derby.

ericbh:

I would not recommend the demolition derby "although it sounds like a lot of fun!" With the floor pans chewed up by rust, the strength and safety of the car is gone. If it is in good running condition, I would recommend offering it up as a parts car, sell it, and then add a few bucks and buy a rust free southern 240.

When people see a 240, they think its safe... this is true unless the chassis has been eaten away with rust. Sorry to sound like a safety "freak", but my wife and our dog are "Volvo Saved My Life" members from an accident back in 2001. It was a 50MPH impact into a creek bank... the car was three feet shorter afterwards but the engine still ran. Yes, all four doors still opened fine! The floor, however, absorbed so much energy that there were wrinkles as tall as one inch from front to back of the floor boards. The car had no rust and did it's job.

Jorrell