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Old 06-19-2020, 09:29 AM   #1
WhiteZombie
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PSM 05 WRX WGN 5MT
95 Caprice 6spd Track Rat

Default Best approach for tiny GG quarter rust spot?

Despite my best efforts of washing after every salty winter drive, and spraying Fluid Film in the known Subie rust zones, I've started to develope the tiniest little rust spot on the left rear quarter of my wagon, still smaller than a dime. Barely a bubble, but I'd like to take care of it best as possible as soon as possible to keep it from spreading and making the repair job tougher.



I've done some real hack DIY bodywork on previous (much rustier) cars of mine, so I'm dangerous with a dremel and spray can, haha.

My plan was to dremel the bubbly paint away, dremel polish the rusty metal smooth, patch with something? if needed, and treat with some kind of rust preventitive primer and paint. Doesn't have to be perfect, but it'd be nice to keep it looking as decent as the rest of the car.

Open to any tips, procedures or product recommendations you guys have. I know this will be an ongoing battle with a northeast car that is daily driven in northeast winters, but I'd like to do what I can to keep it clean.

Thanks!
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Old 06-19-2020, 06:28 PM   #2
subaru_gc8
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silver

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i think body filler would be the best and easiest
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Old 06-20-2020, 01:57 PM   #3
samb
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2002 WRX Wagon

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Got the same thing starting on mine. Similar plan here followed up with some rattle can WRB paint. It won't look perfect, but it'll look better than bubbly rust quarter panels
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Old 06-21-2020, 07:36 PM   #4
blobeyewagoneer
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Use some of the rust converter/primer spray to tidy it up. I'd hit it with some light sandpaper first, tape out the area, and spray the converter/primer onto the spot. From there you can do some filler if you'd like
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Old 06-22-2020, 03:37 PM   #5
Ernest
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2004 Stg 2 wagon AT
16 BRZ. Both silver

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If you spray you need to feather it and not tape. I fixed a bumper once and taped it, well the difference ended up looking like a piece of duct tape on my silver car because of the line from the tape.
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Old 06-23-2020, 09:27 AM   #6
WhiteZombie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ernest View Post
If you spray you need to feather it and not tape. I fixed a bumper once and taped it, well the difference ended up looking like a piece of duct tape on my silver car because of the line from the tape.
I know what you mean about the hard tape lines - definitely not sweet. I'll have to look into the feathering technique you mentioned, since I definitely don't want hard tape/paint lines on my otherwise clean wagon.

I'm really hoping I don't have to do any filler, but I know the little rust spot is usually just the tip of the iceberg....

I had to repair both sides in the same manner on my GF OBS wagon a few years ago, one of the "hack jobs" I was referring to. It was nice and structural in the end, but looked a little ugly. Removing the rear bumper was a huge pain too, especially with those buried plastic fasteners on top of the rear bumper and tail light sealing goop. Are the GG wagon rear bumpers and tail lights the same setup?
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Old 06-23-2020, 10:11 AM   #7
cdska
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Have you checked your rear strut towers from the inside? The gd impreza wagons are notorious for their design flaw of holding in moisture from the undercarriage in the sound deadening on the inside that wicks in from panel gaps, and completely destroys the strut towers. Might want to take a look... Search up strut tower rot impreza wagon and you'll see what I mean. Requires removal of the rear interior
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Old 06-23-2020, 12:58 PM   #8
Ernest
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdska View Post
Have you checked your rear strut towers from the inside? The gd impreza wagons are notorious for their design flaw of holding in moisture from the undercarriage in the sound deadening on the inside that wicks in from panel gaps, and completely destroys the strut towers. Might want to take a look... Search up strut tower rot impreza wagon and you'll see what I mean. Requires removal of the rear interior
I have rust in mine. I need to address that soon. So far it’s surface but it only takes time. Plan was to address at my next shock change.
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Old 06-23-2020, 01:06 PM   #9
shagfagon
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Buddy that bubble comes from rust from the BACK SIDE of that panel. Its just now made it through to paint. I can assure you the spot is actually much larger, probably a 1-2 inch patch on the other side of that paint working its way through that sheet steel.

You need to cut into the metal fender liner and grind and treat from the back, and weld it back up. Or go through the trunk and cut an access hole.
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Old 06-23-2020, 01:07 PM   #10
shagfagon
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Body filling and painting the front that you see will do NOTHING to stop or even slow it down.

The ONLY way you can fix this is from the back side.
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Old 06-23-2020, 01:43 PM   #11
DieselDorf
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I would get a quote from a shop. They will do a much better job and since it is so small it probably won’t be super expensive.
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Old 06-23-2020, 03:10 PM   #12
WhiteZombie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdska View Post
Have you checked your rear strut towers from the inside? The gd impreza wagons are notorious for their design flaw of holding in moisture from the undercarriage in the sound deadening on the inside that wicks in from panel gaps, and completely destroys the strut towers. Might want to take a look... Search up strut tower rot impreza wagon and you'll see what I mean. Requires removal of the rear interior
I'm aware of the issue but to be honest, I've been too ignorant in pulling the interior to check.... I've assumed that passing the poke around test from the wheel well and low mileage/very clean shell for a northern car rendered me fairly safe for a few years. But, now that I've had the car a few years, it's definitely time to do the real inspection.

Quote:
Originally Posted by shagfagon View Post
Buddy that bubble comes from rust from the BACK SIDE of that panel. Its just now made it through to paint. I can assure you the spot is actually much larger, probably a 1-2 inch patch on the other side of that paint working its way through that sheet steel.

You need to cut into the metal fender liner and grind and treat from the back, and weld it back up. Or go through the trunk and cut an access hole.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shagfagon View Post
Body filling and painting the front that you see will do NOTHING to stop or even slow it down.
The ONLY way you can fix this is from the back side.
Now that you mention it, it's so obvious. Ugh.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselDorf View Post
I would get a quote from a shop. They will do a much better job and since it is so small it probably won’t be super expensive.
I'm going to have to agree. Gonna check the strut towers too.
I've seen that Subie Savers does make very reasonably priced patch panels. Has anyone used them before?

https://www.subiesavers.com/home
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