308 rustproofing, When did it start?

I think they started to use galvanize at around Sept.of 83 for their 84 and 85 models

 

At this point, I think the bigger factor than original rustproofing is stresses in the body joints (body-on-frame cars flex) and deterioration of old paint and zinc coatings. Remember, it only takes a "crack in the armor" and rust starts.

The only way to be sure at this point is to take it down to bare metal, or buy one that has never been wet.

What I can say, from having looked at a lot of 308s and 328s in person, is that the 328s seem less rust prone. I've seen several fairly rusty (door bottoms, around window seals, around fender louvres) early 308s in southern California, probably just from normal driving and washing.

 

It started ?!

 

I think it was definitely after the car in your post.


PDG

 

That's the FleaBay roller...a 1977...LOL!

It's not rustprooofing in the undercoating or Ziebart sense at all, as alluded above it's just a pregal coating on the sheet metal itself, which was burned off/damaged by every weld, screw, rivet, or inadvertant scratch, during assembly..

1984 at the earliest, IIRC..........

It helped I suppose but not as much as inside storage!!!

There's some merit, to that old 'never seen rain' selling description......

 

Well, the factory DID spray the underside of these cars with a rubberized coating of some type - can't recall the name of this substance, but it is in the archives.

These cars can, and often do, rust not-because they were left in humid/moist environments, but from being washed. Water leaks down the door-windows and drips down into the insides of the doors all the time. Sometimes, it drains out of the holes in the bottom sill, sometimes it collects along the outer seam and rusts a door out from the inside.
Some folks 'might' get lucky and catch it early, but 'early' might have been before POR-15 made it to market....

 

I have also read 1984 MY. Anecdotally, I have seen 83s with rust, but none later. We live in a dry climate which is also a factor. I imagine cars in HI rust no matter when they were made.

Dave

 

1983 is when they started, as stated, and when Ford also licensed the technology, unbelievably enough.

Replaced both the door skins on my Euro 78 308GTS in 1982. Pretty sad.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Galvanize doesn't last forever, I remember my old galvanize trash can did rust bad enough where it became a trash itself.
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There is an upside to rust in a 308.....that is, it's usually not a structural issue as it is in a monocoque car. Think about other rust-prone Italian cars like alfas or fiats or later maseratis....they're monocoques, and as soon as rust sets heavily into the sills and wheel arches they become structurally compromised and they're generally doomed to be parts cars (unfortunately). Not so with a 308 because of the body-on-frame design. While there are plenty of 308's with rusty panels of one sort or another, I haven't seen a whole lot of rusted frames. The frames seem to have relatively heavy gauge metal, and have some sort of protective coating. However, getting the body panels and fit and finish right on a 308 can be a very expensive undertaking indeed if you can't do it yourself.....

 

So whatever happened to Ziebart, etc?? Is it possible to get an older car rustproofed like I did with my Fiat back in the good old days??

 

Ziebart is still around down on the Gulf Coast and if you pull your interior to get it done it decreases the number of holes they punch/plug in the car...

I'm not sure of the benefit if your car is already as old as our 308s tho.......

It has a noticable smell too........

 

I believe the substance you are thinking may have been called ...Dynol (sp?).

 

That would be correct...nasty stuff that Dynol but it works, at least for the chassis frame.

 

I bought an 84 with rust in the bottom of the passenger door (just starting) and a rust bubble (just starting) in the front left qtr panel in front of the door. Both now fixed. Yup, they rust...