Spyder New to DSM, Hi!

[Mmmmrspicy]

Hello everyone!

I just bought a 1998 Spyder GST (120k mi) from my grandparents. It has a lot of sentimental value since I use to drive it when I was 16 (31 now). I have been reading through this forum like crazy and I love the information! I have been using the search bar a ton, so honestly I don’t have a lot of questions! I am planning on doing a resto-mod, with just some light aesthetic touches and mild bolt ons. Very excited for the project, I have lots to do. I love documenting things so I’m sure I will have updates & questions as I go. Just wanted to say hi! Tomorrow I will be getting it all clean, but here are my official “before” pics.

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[SixBolt_16G]

Welcome!

 

[curt-s]

Ah, sentimental value, that will extend the life of another DSM. Good to see! Welcome

 

[Dericsh]

Nice find, Welcome!

 

[steve]

You have your work cut out for you with that rusted out strut tower. Good Luck.

 

[DogWhistle]

Nice to hear about the sentimental connection. Your grandparents will probably be excited in tour progress as well.

 

[Widgmaster]

Welcome to the site @Mmmmrspicy ...interesting username... I thought I was stuttering...
I agree with Steve... get after that rusted shock tower before your project is not worth working on.
Hopefully you can do a bit of wet sanding to get rid of the clear coat fade, but I would not worry about that, bro...shock tower first.

 

[Mmmmrspicy]

Welcome to the site @Mmmmrspicy ...interesting username... I thought I was stuttering...
I agree with Steve... get after that rusted shock tower before your project is not worth working on.
Hopefully you can do a bit of wet sanding to get rid of the clear coat fade, but I would not worry about that, bro...shock tower first.

Absolutely, I was having it taken care of whenever the car goes over to have all of the body work & paint redone, but I’ll just get it sanded today. Good news is that it is very surface level. Looks a little darker in the picture.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Mmmmrspicy]

You have your work cut out for you with that rusted out strut tower. Good Luck.

Well Steve, you were definitely right. I just finished removing all of the rust. It was deeper than I thought, but thankfully confined to about 2-3 inch section.

I got a picture after I used a dremel to clean all of the major rust chunks away to send to my body shop. I cleaned the rest of it with a rust dissolving gel to get the surface level orange rust color stuff away. Then wet sanded and brushed away the rest of the color. It’s all metal now, but I’ll probably end up needing to cut that section out and re-weld in a patch. Next weekend, I’ll take the fender and wheel off and attack the underside of the wheel well area to see what I’ve got going on there.

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[Bud92gsx]

Dang. I love this story. This us gonna be a special car, once you fix the paint qnd that strut tower rust. Can we see more pictures?

You should fill out a vehicle profile > http://www.dsmtuners.com/dsm-profiles/

 

[Mmmmrspicy]

Dang. I love this story. This us gonna be a special car, once you fix the paint qnd that strut tower rust. Can we see more pictures?

You should fill out a vehicle profile > http://www.dsmtuners.com/dsm-profiles/

Absolutely! Car is taking a back seat to the roof right now, working with insurance to repair some tornado/ storm damage, but it won’t be long until I get going on the body/paint stuff. On a bright note, I found an extra Innovative Wideband afr gauge kit brand new in box in my garage in some of my old mustang stuff, so that will get put to use!


The rust spot is currently stripped of rust and filled with jb weld, while I wait to find a replacement panel/car that I can cut the section I need for it.