First Thread :) Large Rust Hole :(

Hey guys, I'm new to the forums... I just bought a 1992 Explorer for 200$ a couple weeks ago! It's at my school right now in the auto shop, Im doing some work on it to past the safety... Brakes and such... But I've got a large rust hole around the gas cap... The rust rotted a big hole right threw the metal... Im not too sure how to fix it because I've never done body work before... I bought some Bondo-Hair and was told to use spray foam (The insulator used on houses) and fill the hole, once it hardens to shave some off and throw some of that bondo-hair on it and then sand it down ect. Will this work? I was told this from a guy who knows a lot about cars but it seems like a wierd way to do it. Anyways, can anybody tell me if they think this might work or alternitive solutions to do the work? Thanks a lot!

P.S. As you can see in the picture... The gas cap door is rusted... it still works and closes good, no rust holes just rust on the top... How can I fix this? Do I have to sand it and then primer and paint? Thanks!

 

[WizardOfOdds]

Yeah for sure I will take some pics...

The truck is parked in the country right now at a friends farm, its about an hour drive away (because its not road worthy yet so im not driving it around)... I was talking to a mechanic I use to work with at a garage, and he said his rocker panels were really rusted out like mine on a 1990 daytona... He said he just fiberglassed them... Next time I go up to see the X im going to try and do the rocker panels with the bondo and I'll take some pics when its all done... I can't wait

 

[WizardOfOdds]

Ok so here is my work... Keep in mind that this was my first time EVER attempting body work and I had no body to show me how to do it and I have never seen it done before.


Gas Cap Job
Spray foam + Bondo-Hair... Sanding job is not that good but oh well... Taht bondo-hair is very tough to sand by hand and I got lazy


Drivers Rocker
I used sheet metal for the botom and screwed it in to a good part of the rockers with self-tapping screws... I then filled the hole with spray foam and bondo'd the top and around and on the metal.


Passangers Rocker
Same as Drivers... you can see by the door its all lumpy... I didnt want to sane some more and that area wouldn't fit the power sander so yeah


Im pleased with the outcomes

P.S. using the spray foam (for insulation, also called expanding foam) works great! fills the hole and sticks to anything (needs support to hold it up while it dries)... But yeah, it fills the hole and you can just file it down to the shape you want it and bondo on top... It's very easy to shape too.

 

[UKExploder]

Doesn't your school also have a auto body shop? If so, take it to them, much cheaper than a 'real' body shop.....and it gives them the experience

 

[WizardOfOdds]

nope no auto body shop... just mechanics... and my teacher said he knows how to do body work but he said its too messy to do and he wouldnt let me do it.