[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Bruce Meyer

You guys live in the rust belt. What do you expect? When I used to live in Chicago my Mom bought a new 69 GTO. It was garage kept. By 1975 is was a complete rust bucket. You could see right through the quarter panels in the trunk area and see light.

I was recalling this as well. During my growing up years the life expectancy of a vehicle around here was four years.

K

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

I wouldn't fix it. Spend money to fix it only with the possibility to get it back on the sale? Nah.

Agreed. Does not make sense at all!

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by 77 Canamman

Agreed. Does not make sense at all!

Thing is, this truck is not a beater at all & its worth putting money into Yes, it's 10 years old but its very nice other than the rockers. It's never even received a door ding in the ten years I have owned it. It's a 2500HD Duramax LT with 85K on it. I ordered it new every with option. leather interior shows no wear & everything works perfect. KBB private party value is 18,000-19,000 which seems too high to me. Before seeing the rust I had hoped to ask $16000 for it. I know I would not pay that kind of money for anything that is starting to rust. I feel like it just turned into $12K truck. Maybe I am wrong? If I can get it fixed for under 2K I feel like I could recoup that. But maybe I should just see what the real market is on the truck & ask a couple grand less. Getting sick of it just sitting in the garage waiting for me to do something with it.

[73 bird]

Can't blame the snow or salted roads here. We got around 3 inches of snow this past winter and we rarely get more than a few inches a year. My 02 is rusting below both rear doors and my friend's 01 that he bought new and has always been in this area has 2 big holes in both rockers. Both also have the clear coat and paint coming off the hood and top. Still like the truck and my 14 year old son wants it so I will probably patch it up and have it painted this summer and keep it around a few more years. No problems with my 96 F250, 99 E350 work van or 98 F700 dump truck.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by 73 bird

Can't blame the snow or salted roads here. We got around 3 inches of snow this past winter and we rarely get more than a few inches a year

While I think the Salt doesn't help anything, I also don't think its the salt. I think our humid climate hurts them, but its just a crap design IMO. I took my borescope & slid it into the hole in the rocker. Its a mess in there, no question the rust started on the inside & is working its way out. I'll see if I can take some pictures, its quite surprising in a bad way.

[mike nixon]

Originally Posted by Bruce Meyer

You guys live in the rust belt. What do you expect? When I used to live in Chicago my Mom bought a new 69 GTO. It was garage kept. By 1975 is was a complete rust bucket. You could see right through the quarter panels in the trunk area and see light.

If that's the case then explain to me how my 93 F250 which has been rolled and the doors don't seal well still has it's rockers and floors in it? It's had a salter on it for the time I've owned it and sat outside before that. It's got less rust on it than the truck I mentioned above and is over 10 yrs older.

[bird72]

Here in Montana, they use that slimey chemical de-icer through the winter, seems at the least bit of snow. It is nasty and corrodes everything.

To me, yes it is the salt you guys fight. The drainage sytem of a vehicle is important, as said. Some vehicles need enlarged drain holes made, or additional ones added. The second part is they need flushed out (cleaned) and air dryed. A air hose is even a tool here on cleaning.

But to me, the best defense is like when I drove my pristine old Bronco all winter here, I did weekly high pressure car washes, spending 10 bucks in quarters, and half that was on the underside. Never letting that deicer tainted dirt sit more than a couple days is key. It seeemed to work pretty well.

After years of watching and looking, I have come to the conclusion that for damn near rust proof, 1970 ish Ford Pickups are the best. Thick sheet metal, evidently drain well, and I see them all the time here, with no rust holes. That will be my next PU 4X4, and I am flying to Arizona to buy one that is the cleanest possible to start with. I am doing that in next year or so, and expect that truck to be with me to the end. (3/4 ton, single cab, 4X4, 4 speed long bed cowboy truck, yippee).......

[Bruce Meyer]

Originally Posted by mike nixon

If that's the case then explain to me how my 93 F250 which has been rolled and the doors don't seal well still has it's rockers and floors in it? It's had a salter on it for the time I've owned it and sat outside before that. It's got less rust on it than the truck I mentioned above and is over 10 yrs older.

I guess that F250 was made much better than a 69 GTO.

[sonjaab]

The WORST thing you can do to a daily driver in snow and salt land is to park it in the garage at night after driving it during the winter!

WHY?
Because its just warm enough in the garage to keep the salt activated and eating the metal !
Remember salt does not work at 0 degrees or below.
Thats why its best to leave a DD outside during the winter!

SAVE the garage for your Pontiac and other summer toys!

[drailed]

Originally Posted by mike nixon

If that's the case then explain to me how my 93 F250 which has been rolled and the doors don't seal well still has it's rockers and floors in it? It's had a salter on it for the time I've owned it and sat outside before that. It's got less rust on it than the truck I mentioned above and is over 10 yrs older.

Or an 02 Camry with 301k on it that gets washed only when it rains and has lived in upstate NY all its life. Not even so much as a rust bubble. I think its a poor design or something on those Chevys that allows moisture to be trapped in that area as they seem to rot from the inside out on the rockers.

[Bruce Meyer]

2003 Silverado. 85,000 miles. No rust anywhere.

[drailed]

Originally Posted by Bruce Meyer

2003 Silverado. 85,000 miles. No rust anywhere.

I would hope not in Phoenix LOL

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by drailed

I would hope not in Phoenix LOL

Ha! I was thinking the same thing Probably 1993's running around with no rust on them!
I bought a 68 GTO trunk lid from Arizona about 8 years ago. No rust whatsoever. Some dry Air that direction!

[455Grandville]

The GM frames from those years is rust prone to the point of being dangerous; I've seen a few that I wouldn't feel safe driving.

[68ragtop]

The frame on this 03 is actually in pretty good shape, but I do spray bomb it every spring, that could be helping slow it down. This truck is otherwise really clean everywhere except the rockers.

[Sirrotica]

It all goes back to auto companies buying the cheapest metal they can buy, Ford car frames from 65-68 rusted out in a few years. F150 72 every panel rusted out including cowl, core support, fenders, quarters, bed, doors, tailgate, within 5 years and ford had a massive recall for rust.

GM 73-74 huge rust problems even in dry states these cars rusted, all they needed was some humidity and condensation and they rusted from the inside out.

Early Japanese cars that were made in Japan rusted as they were shipped here on the ships, and then it ate the cars as they were driven.

VWs always were fairly bad on cars made after the beetle production ceased.

Chrysler has always had a rust problem as far back as I can remember.

AMC and Jeep when they were owned by Kaiser and AMC bad rust problems in Wagoneer and CJ and J series pickups, there were still rust problems after chrysler bought them.

Toyota truck frames, GM truck frames.

To my knowledge they all have had rust out problems over the years, either attributed to poor design and not keeping water out and poor drainage, or bad metal.

[Bruce Meyer]

Originally Posted by 68ragtop

Ha! I was thinking the same thing Probably 1993's running around with no rust on them!
I bought a 68 GTO trunk lid from Arizona about 8 years ago. No rust whatsoever. Some dry Air that direction!

Our interiors suffer bad though. They dry up and get crispy.

[6 Grrrs]

When I was looking for an old truck, I purposely decided against a '99-'07 style truck because they all rust so bad around here. I ended up buying a very clean 1996 K2500 with a bad motor, but the rockers/bedsides/fenders and even paint are all in nice shape. I hate rust and the last truck I had put cab corners, bedsides (wheelwells) and front fenders on since it was rusting so bad. The only rust on my '96 is the front edge of the hood (had a bug guard on it - and hoods rust from where the holes are drilled towards the outside), and the driver's door (which is very minor).

Those '99-'07 trucks are also known for frame rust. Especially when involved in an accident. I know a guy with a salvage yard and only deals in late model GM stuff. He sells 2-3 frames a month for these style trucks.

[400 4spd.]

FWIW, I called my local dealer and priced the outer "rocker". I was told to get the rocker, you have to buy the complete side door opening structure. Top, sides and bottom as one unit retails for $970+, my cost is $729.
It won't be the first rocker I fabricated.

[65blackplate]

you can buy some aftermarket rockers without spending that kind of money