Can anyone off any basic advice on a DIY fix to some corrosion on my Mk1. The symptoms are that the boot is full of water on the near side after rain and the cause seems to be water ingress from some corrosion.
The area around the hard top bolts looks to have blown and the trough running to the lights has a crack all the way down the paint and I think water is also leaking here.
Im guessing I could simply sand down, treat and then repaint this small relatively unobtrusive area but does anyone have any recommendation on what products to use for the treatment/repair.
Many thanks in advance.
My model of MX-5 is: __ Mk1 1991
I’m based near: __ Manchester
I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __
I’d say take that plate off that the hardtop fixings attached to and have a look under there. Let’s hope nowhere along that seam is holed. Get something like a Dremel and grind all the grot away (rust) treat with something like hydrate 80 prime and paint in the finish colour. Before doing the finish colour I’d use some seam sealer in that joint all the way down it.
If you have holes through rust it’s either cut it out (difficult in that location I guess) or use some filler, not ideal but needs must.
Alternatively take it to a body shop for an estimate.
That’s a strange place for a crack to appear. Looks like it has had a replacement panel at some point in its life. I would try cleaning the joint up & using some seam sealer on it.
Hi before taking the chrome cover out try and get a socket on the welded nut underneath. It can turn if not and be difficult to remove on the rusted shank of the machine screw. I think it is 14mm from memory.
Due to the location and once cleaned back if I was not going for welded parts I would use a glass fibre repair paste first to bridge the rust gap and it seals the rust in. Something like David’s P40.
Thanks for the replies so far. Ill probably take the hard top off this weekend which will expose the bolt area anyway as im hoping its getting towards top down weather Ive borrowed a dremel and im going to get some product and have a go as its in a largely unobtrusive area - if it was an exposed panel then I would probably take it somewhere.
There could have been a panel repair but it must have been in the first 10 years of its life as I know where this car has been for the last 20 years.
Ive borrowed a dremel and im going to get some product and have a go as its in a largely unobtrusive area - if it was an exposed panel then I would probably take it somewhere.