What does "rust free" mean?
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,238
Likes: 475
I hate seeing "some rust" in an ad and when you go to look at it there's 6 inch rot holes everywhere. I just looked at a 97 f350 this morning that was advertised like that, supposedly just taken off the road. You could tell it had been sitting for awhile by the pine needless and algae all over it, the bed was collapsed, the fenders were half gone and I pushed right through the front frame with a pocket knife. Guy wanted $2000 and wouldn't negotiate. I'm gonna wait a few weeks, and if it doesn't sell, which I doubt it will, I'll go back with $500 cash. I'd like to at least get the axle set from under it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,028
Likes: 890
From: East Central Ia
To me it means no rust between spot welds anywhere, have bought several vehicles from the dry states. Now around here in Iowa it means something that the spare tire will not fall out of the trunk!
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 4
From: West Union, OH USA
Being in Ohio, I doubt someone from California would ever own any of my trucks. And for around here they're in good shape. Certainly subjective.
It does kill me when some here in ohio gets a California truck and then drives it in the salt and leaves it outside. Why go through the trouble to get a rust free classic truck and then not take care of it.
And it's not just the salt. The damp weather here rusts them too.
It does kill me when some here in ohio gets a California truck and then drives it in the salt and leaves it outside. Why go through the trouble to get a rust free classic truck and then not take care of it.
And it's not just the salt. The damp weather here rusts them too.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 966
From: Near Yosemite CA
Nope, I don't have those talents!
My 78 Broncos floorboards look even better! Coming from MO, I truly appreciate how the CA climate preserves our old iron!
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 638
Likes: 36
From: Southwest Missouri
I think zero perforation of the body or bubbling of the paint plus some light surface rust on the chassis is a reasonable "rust-free" standard. Beware repainted autos, lots of "rust-repairs" are just wire wheel plus bondo and paint. I would treat repainted autos as suspect unless the seller can show you process photos. To be fair, the seller usually doesn't even know where all the rust is, especially when hidden by paint or other coatings.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 547
Likes: 11
.I like your answer as well.
Dennis
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More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 547
Likes: 11
It does kill me when some here in ohio gets a California truck and then drives it in the salt and leaves it outside. Why go through the trouble to get a rust free classic truck and then not take care of it.
And it's not just the salt. The damp weather here rusts them too.
And it's not just the salt. The damp weather here rusts them too.
Dennis
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,845
Likes: 2,353
Really it's not subjective. it either has rust or it does not. Where you're at will make a difference on your opinion of how bad the rust is, but not if it exists.
Rust free or nearly rust free rigs are common in several regions. I've seen some of the rigs you rust belt guys save and I'm impressed, most of us in my area would run from them screaming like our teeth were on fire. I have to wonder though if you wouldn't be money ahead to just buy a rust free one out of state even with the shipping factored in.
Rust free or nearly rust free rigs are common in several regions. I've seen some of the rigs you rust belt guys save and I'm impressed, most of us in my area would run from them screaming like our teeth were on fire. I have to wonder though if you wouldn't be money ahead to just buy a rust free one out of state even with the shipping factored in.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 853
Likes: 62
From: Oxnard
Last August 2018 I went back to SW PA and NE Ohio for a week visiting my sisters, relatives and the graves of my parents and grandparents graves. Had a great time and did some things I kind of knew I wouldn't do again in my remaining life time. Walked the rail road tracks, went back into the woods were my buddies and I used to hunt and built a log cabin (1973). Also went to the closed Walton Hills Ford Stamping Plant were my late Father worked 43 1/2 years and went to the local junk yard I used to patronize during ~1972 - 78, before I left and enlisted in the Navy. The junk yard, it's now about 1/5 the size it used to be and was shocked at the amount of rust I saw on the 92-96 inventory of Ford P-U Truck. Forty years has elapsed since I was in that junk yard, I guess I forgot just how bad that region's weather is on vehicles.
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