Dog leg replacement

[jchris]

So I had the right rear wheel off while adjusting the valves and decided to probe around for rust. When I reached up between the dog leg and the fender I could feel the unpleasant cruchy-ness of rust on the dog leg. So I guess the question is...now what? From the looks of it the fender would have to be cut to get in there. How soon does this need to be addressed? How important is it to the structural integrity? The car is a driver and I intend to keep it that way. It is not my all weather machine. Thoughts?

Thanks!

[962porsche]

2 door cars like the 911 do not have a dog leg area because they have full QTR panels that run from the door opening to the wheel opening .

as for the rust I know the area all to well that is rusting and I have seen so many super clean 911's with rust in that area . the sand and dirt sits on top of the little ledge /step on the rocker end and holes moisture then over time rusts it out .
you are right the repair has to do with cutting the bottom of the front area there of the QTR off and then repairing what is behind the QTR .

there has been times were we could repair the rust there with out cutting the bottom of the QTR off . we got our spot sand blaster in the little area and blasted the hell out of it .
with a dremel tool with there little cut off wheel cut the top of the rocker end out . the dremel will only make two cuts across then with the plasma cutter we make the two long cuts . again with the dremel clean up the cuts from the plasma cutter .
make a patch to fit the opening then weld it in etch prime the bare metal and seam seal .
then chip guard the area .
your working blind for most of the repair as you can't get your line of sight and hand in there at the same time but if the rust spot is not to large it can be repaired with out cutting the QTR .

if the rust is just let to keep on going it will get into the door pillar rocker seam area and that when the cost of the repair goes way up .

[jchris]

Thanks! I guess I will start planning the fix. What a suprise to find behind what looks to be othewise clean!

[962porsche]

many people are shocked when they have a clean car and they find out there is a rot spot there .
but there and the battery tray is were you start to see rust 1st on the 911 chassis .
most of the time if you fix it as soon as you see it then it will not turn into a big headache .

[jchris]

Great. Perversely it is nice to know that I am not the only one! Still sucks though.