If you can poke a hole through it with a screw driver, I would recommend at least getting a patch welded in to retain some of it's integrity. In the process of that, use POR15 (POR stands for Paint On Rust and is used heavily in the jeep world). It should stop it from rusting any further.

The unibody is pretty sturdy on these, but you don't want to drive a car with a rust hole in it.

 

If you don’t feel okay jacking on it, unless you can get it to a point you do feel okay, then I wouldn’t keep messing with it. Just my opinion though.


Coop

 

some information in this thread about another 3s that had lots of rust, to much in my opinion.
http://www.3si.org/forum/f1/rusted-frame-809578/
I suppose it may depend on your fabrication skills or how much money you are willing to put into it. Often times with rust, it's not what you can see during a visual inspection, it's what you cannot see until you start tearing it down. I've done a restoration on a muscle car before so in my experience, if you are trying to make a decision on a visual inspection, it helps to do advance research and know where the common rust areas are and check those first. In the end, I suppose anything can be fixed.

 

Cant really tell without pics but all my previous 3000gts were Non turbo new england cars. All had rust, never seen it so bad is was unsafe to drive that was not fixable.. My 1st 3s the front sub frame A members were rotted out but they were easily fixed with new pieces. I've had really bad rust where yes prolly wouldnt drive on it but it was easily fixable. Hell my 94 I had to basically re build the whole rear end everthing you can name broke due to rust. Both trialing arms (welds broke) Both upper control arms ( rotted in half ,broke) all 4 lower rear control arms (centric bolts seized).

I called it quits on that car when the fender started to rot out and then the gas tank started leaking due to rust.

 

Here are pics. This is in front of rear driver side wheel, and is only place that is significantly rusted. The rusted area is really easy to bend, doesn't seem structural to me, but I'm not sure what's what over there.

Is this car a goner?

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That does not look good IMO.

 

Ya That doesnt look to good. Would take alot to fix

 

yikes, that would scare me away for sure.

I got under carriage pics of my car before I bought it, I'm lucky i guess that mine is solid underneath, just surface rust on the rear subframe that I'm going to clean up over the winter.

http://www.3si.org/forum/f12/do-these-1993-stealth-rt-tt-undercarriage-pictures-look-ok-645250/

 

I can repair the brakes and put it back on the road for probably another 300 bucks. Worth messing with this anymore or should I just garage it and part her out/swap shell when I have time? (Few years at least)

I'm really bummed out because I recently repainted it, redid the interior, and it's running well otherwise

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I'm really bummed out because I recently repainted it, redid the interior, and it's running well otherwise

yeah, another member that frequented this site would part out these cars and folks got angry because the car looked fine inside and out, but underneath looked like the Titanic, and not worth saving.

 

Generally if the rusted out parts are near suspension or subframe mounting points, they're considered unsafe. (I've seen subframes, control arms, steering racks, etc. rust-rot out of cars on a regular basis over the years)