[esahlin]

While I have been installing a new rear trunk pan and drop off panels etc....I was removing the original GM sealer between the inner wheel house and the shock tower panel. I found alot of rust under the sealer on the right hand side (passenger side) gap between theses two panels. Upon closer inspection, I found that the RH shock tower panel was rusted all the way through near where the shock mount is welded.....right where the sealer was laid in the gap between the shock tower panel and the inner wheel house....lots of rust.

I went and chipped away the GM sealer between the shock tower panel and the inner wheel house on the drivers side ......and there was no rust.

My question is, is this rust out more common on the right hand side (passenger's side) versus the left side (drivers side)?

 

[dsherw00d]

Never thought about it, but my 68 and 69 are the same way. Mabe it's because the right side is towards the edge of the road and picks up more junk. In NY, that would be salt

-Dan

 

[kmarron]

That's pretty funny, I just said this same thing the other day. I have more rot on the right side of the car than the left side.

 

[HwyStarJoe]

Never thought about it, but my 68 and 69 are the same way. Mabe it's because the right side is towards the edge of the road and picks up more junk. In NY, that would be salt

-Dan

That's my thinking as well. The right side of my car was way more rusted. When I picked up a '73 Nova rearend from the junkyard and got to cleaning it up, the right backing plate and everything else was far more rusty than the left. Even the drum was more crusty.
I just think it's because most rearends are non-posi and the right wheel spins more in the winter snow, throwing more salty slush around. And the salty slush gathers on the right side of the road where you're more likely to drive through it and coat the wheel well.

 

[esahlin]

I think your probably right HwyStarJoe. My car was a peg legger too. My car was never in the salt... CA & WA car but definitely in alot of rain.

My inner right wheel house looked like it wasnt rusty at all untill i removed that sealer between the wheel house and trunk pan....all under that sealer was pretty bad flaky rust and the shock tower was about 1/4 of an inch rusted away.

I thought my car wasnt that rusty before I started restoring it....when i started opening it up and looking in all the seams, nooks and crannys then I found the rust....in short all those nooks and crannys were rusty.