<VV> Eastern Rust, YES CORVAIR

[Eric S. Eberhard]

I would doubt that any southwestern person would be happy with any eastern 
car, ever.  It is not just about sheet metal.  I bought a 98 Toyota last 
year from Ohio.  As you all have pointed out, it had great sheet metal.  No 
rust, etc.  However, there were actually signs of corrosion on almost 
everything metal.  Where the wires attached to the alternator ... 
corrosion.  On the surfaces of any exposed metal (cross members, 
etc).  Wherever something screwed into the car, if you took the screw out, 
corrosion.  Out this way (AZ) a 40+ year old Corvair will have no rust 
anywhere ... not just sheet metal ... but anywhere.  I sold the Toyota in 
disgust and have renewed my age old vow to never buy anything but a 
southwestern car.  I would advise anyone buying a Corvair to always buy a 
southwestern car even if the price is considerably higher.  Just make sure 
you know the true history such that you can be sure it was always a 
southwestern car.

BTW -- even terms are different between the southwest and the east ... in 
the east when they say no rust what they mean is that the holes through the 
body are minimal.  Here no rust means NO RUST.  None.  Anywhere.  And yes, 
misc. screws and wires count!  I have seen many "no rust" eastern cars that 
here we consider rust-buckets.  It is not that these eastern owners are 
lying, it is just a matter of perspective and degree.




At 06:07 AM 8/23/2004, airvair wrote:
>Having been in the automotive sheet steel stamping business for the last
>30 years, I can say that during that time the auto industry has changed
>over from mostly bare metal to mostly coated metal sheet stock. The
>coatings are zinc based, like zincrometal, galvanized, etc. This is why
>automotive sheet metal is lasting longer in the severe roadsalt areas.
>
>Around here (which is NOT the most salted region by any means) we have
>salt laid down like they were trying to literally pave the road with it.
>The salt paving crews (as I call them) hit the roads at the first
>snowflake fall, and never stop. It's not unusual for even
>recently-repaved BLACKtop roads to be totally white, looking like new
>concrete, and the yellow paintstripe road markings to be totally
>obscured. Just imagine what the worst areas look like! You
>salt-free-area guys have no idea....
>
>Yet despite all this salt, newer cars are holding up remarkably well. I
>feel that all the coated metal now used is well worth it, and is paying
>off.
>
>-Mark
>
>Harry Yarnell wrote:
> >
> > Just went to Norman's the other day looking for some
> > parts for my '78 Eldo, and you know what? All the 'old' stuff is gone!
> > As for the NE rust belt issue, I dare say that the 'better' steel goes back
> > into the early '80s.
> > Anyone in the automotive metalurgy field care to comment?
> >
> > Harry Yarnell
> > perryman garage and orphanage
> > perryman, MD
> > hyarnell1@earthlink.net
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Eric S. Eberhard
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