Hello TMF! Long time reader, first time poster (I believe that's called 'lurking'?)
I've just started working on restoring my '95 sidewalk which i've had since 2007. We've had some good times and was the location of my first date with my now wife (no... not like that). It has always been mechanically sound and ran like a dream, but rust was becoming an issue so it has been in the garage for 3 ish years while money and time were saved, I now have some of both to start working with.
My first task was to walk the car with a sander, grider, wire brush and screwdriver to work out which panels could be saved and which were scrap when i discovered an unwelcome 'gift' from the previous owner... It appears they have replaced the A panel (without welding that small run up the top) and had sealed the job using painted gaffa tape over the panel behind the door hinge in the picture... no surprise behind the tape has rotted to powder.
On digging through from the door side it went something like: tape > Rotten metal > Rubber?? > Flitch panel(?) > clean air . My question is two fold...
1. can someone help me identify the appropriate repair section for the initial metal behind the door hinge? I can't work out if it's part of the door frame or left over from an old repair
2. what was the rubber section? again, I have no knowledge of any gasket/membrane which should be there?
Thanks!!
