rust next to gas door

[lynn37]

I have heard Bonnevilles are prone to rust right under the gas door. One of the guys at
Intense told me there is some sound deading material inside there that gets wet and will rust thru.
Can that meterial be taken out and how much of a job is it to repair the holes once it has rusted thru?

[00Beast]

Material can't be removed without cutting that metal out and getting at it from the inside. Whoever does it will have to cut that metal out, weld new metal in and blend paint in to the rest of the car.

[tata455]

Is there anyone out there that has a photo of the area behind the panel that shows why this area is rusting? It would be interesting to see what is going on.
I am looking at buying a car with rust in this area and would like to better understand why it happens.
Somebody out there must have something they could post.

[tata455]

Is there a way to cut from the back side and get at it to clean it out?

[00Beast]

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=21288&p=222386

[enslow]

I noted that the root cause was water getting in from the gas filler tube area, and that there is a drain tube that can often get clogged up. I would assume that keeping this drain clear would go a long way to keeping the water out. Could one also use a rubberized paint over the seal area?

I'm going to check out my 99 and see if it could have the same issues. I did notice that the drain tube was blocked.

[golfyeti]

I don't think there is a drain tube on the 2000+. If I'm wrong then mine is definitely plugged.

[Bonneville since 1984]

Does anyone know if there are repair kits or full panels still available for the Bonneville? My current love is a 2002, SSEI, Granite Gray with 148,000 miles. I plan to take it to 300,000 so I have redone Upper Intake manifolds, Suspension all around, brakes, HID Headlamps, Sound insulation on the roof to take out the "Buckling" noise when going through a car wash. Transmission work and ZZ Performance Tuning. It runs Great. Now to the Cosmetics. Gas Door Rust is taking over. I live in Grand Rapids, MI and the Dealer says no parts are currently available. Finding a rust free panel out of a yard is probably not going to happen either. Does anyone have experience with another source?

[Archon]

As you're in Grand Rapids, check out West End Body Shop on Leonard west of Walker. They order a right front fender, and use that to fix the driver's side rear fender. They cut out the bad section, and weld in the new fender. They did mine, and it looks great. It is not inexpensive, however.

[Bonneville since 1984]

Achron: I have already talked with Chris at West End Body. He is very knowledgeable and willing to take on my project. I know that rust will always come back. How long ago did you get the work done and is it still in Good Condition? I would just like to have a time frame in which I might need to get more repairs. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[Archon]

I'm afraid that I can not give you much information regarding the longevity of this repair. I had it done earlier this year. I have taken my vehicles there for repairs for many year, and I have been happy with their work. They repaired the "hood herpes" and repainted the front fender for me about 10 years ago. The herpes has not returned. If there is a problem, they stand behind their work. I didn't like a couple of runs and "fish eyes" on the fenders. They redid the job and polished out the front doors as a goodwill gesture. From his description of the repair, I expect it to last for quite a while. I'm confident enough in the work, that I'll be having them do the right rear fender for me later this year, as that is starting to show some bubbling, also.

Just so you know, I am not affiliated with them in any way. Just a happy customer who would like to see others benefit from their work.

[Bonneville since 1984]

Archon, thank you for taking the time to follow up on my question. I am an "Old Guy" and "Word of Mouth" advertising is what I still look for. Although I do recognize that "Results may Vary" and "No Warranties or Guarantees" are expressed or implied by your statements. When working with someone new, you always have to make a judgment call and then hope for the best.

Thanks again.