2004 Toyota Echo rust repair - rocker panels - pics!

[MetroMPG]

I forgot to post this:



The reconstructed "pinch weld seam" (or whatever you call it) along the bottom of the rocker panel is good & strong.

Strong enough to do what it was originally designed for: jack point for the back of the car.

Compared to when I got it:

[puddleglum]

Thanks for the write up on this. I'm going to have to do something similar to My Echo but I'm hoping I can limp it through till next summer. Tried to jack it up to install the snow tires and the jack points caved in. Mine has the body kit so I didn't realize how bad it is. One question though, why all the little pieces?

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by puddleglum

Tried to jack it up to install the snow tires and the jack points caved in. Mine has the body kit so I didn't realize how bad it is.

Bummer!!

I do like the look of the RS (?) sill extensions I see on Echos around here, but whenever I see kits like that on ANY car, I always wonder how bad the rust is underneath. Out of sight, out of mind!

One question though, why all the little pieces?

The area I rebuilt is FULL of compound curves. It was just easier to recreate the original shape with a bunch of smaller puzzle pieces than to try making it with bigger chunks. My metal forming tools are: vice, hammer.

[ThermionicScott]

Nice work, Darin. The jacking points on my Outback are starting to get a little soft -- they creaked and groaned and pushed in a little when I mounted the snow tires in December. While the car has passed the 20-year mark and doesn't really owe me anything, I'd hate to junk it over not being able to jack it up anymore, so you're giving me some inspiration to try patching/reinforcing that area in the spring.

[MetroMPG]

Thanks.

It's criminal how many vehicles go to early graves due to rot!

I don't know if you followed the other thread about the car, but it's sold now. And the guy who bought it told me he does body repair, so he got a full & frank explanation of all the repairs I'd done. So in hindsight, I'm glad this was an "all metal" repair job. It could have been done much quicker if it only had to look pretty.

Fortunately, he said the first thing he planned to do to the car was full rust prevention spray.

[oil pan 4]

Next time buy a car from out where I am.
My Camargo was from the south, was almost 20 years old when I got it and only had one spot of rust in the rear wheel well.

[MetroMPG]

Yes it was. And I didn't even get to enjoy it by driving the car afterward. We all love driving some fresh rust repairs, don't we!

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Next time buy a car from out where I am.

Oil pan, if it made any financial sense to bring pristine old beaters up here, that's what I'd have done. Believe me!

War_Wagon (in British Columbia) sent me countless leads on cheap, rust-free economy cars in his neck of the woods. The math just didn't work out to go and fetch them.