Various discussions on this site have me wondering about what a really good and useful definition of "rust free" would look like. It's a buzz word used by sellers on every point of the integrity spectrum but are buyers generally able to understand what it means in a particular instance?
On hearing/reading "rust free" the hopeful buyer may think no rust anywhere, not even invisible rust. The hopeful seller may think no rust that I can see (squints eyes). Then there's surface rust vs cancerous rust and the latter may be subdivided between ugly holes and rust that threatens structural integrity. On the latter point, I actually saw a pick-up truck go over a speed bump at about 40 MPH and then fold like a jack knife due to a rusted frame. That was in Miami and the truck was a Chevy.

 

Like you said, RUST FREE is in the eyes of the beholder!

 

Rust free means rust free for all practical purposes. it's unreasonable to think you can find a 40+ year old vehicle that has no oxidation at all anywhere. minor surface discoloration has to be acceptable or you're never going to find a rust free vehicle.

around here in the high desert rust free vehicles are common. I had just my '66 GTO media blasted and there isn't one rust pit anywhere of any kind. it looks like a flawless metallic silver paint job. you can't find a rust flake anywhere in or under it either. this is rust free. like most of the rigs I have bought over the years.

My '76 high boy on the other hand has a couple small bubbles at the bottom of the doors at the seem. I took the door panels off and it looks like new inside but I cleaned and treated it on the bottom anyway. this is the only rust I can find anywhere and I've looked hard. this in my opinion is a rig with minor rust. you could argue it's bad or that it's insignificant I guess it depends on your standards . but rust free means exactly that, rust free. and this rig isn't to that standard.

Does rust free mean there is no rust now or that it never had any then ? to me it means it never had any . or the door, fender or hood has been replaced. patch panels don't cut it. there is still rust somewhere if it needed this kind of repair. this of course is an opinion based on my standards in a rust free area. I can see where that could easily be argued with.

 

IMO rust free means zero rust repair required. No cutting & welding of patches or replacement of panels. Surface rust is somewhat expected for 40+ year old trucks.

 

 

rust free to me means no rust ever that required repair of any kind

 

I'm from northeast Pennsylvania where new cars leave dealerships with visible rust, starting to rot from the inside out, and nearly every vehicle looks like a box of corn flakes held together with bondo and pop rivets after 10 years.

I have no damned clue what "rust-free" is. For me, "rust-free" means its on its fifth cycle of having the rust cut out and replaced with road signs and bondo.

 

In North Jersey, we like to bend the truth a little, "rust free" means, as long as we can hide it we will. I can tell you from experience everything from NJ after 40 years has some type of rust. Between the salty air on the coast, to the salt and brine they coat the roads with in the winter every piece of metal looks like swiss cheese. Unless it has been in a climate controlled garage, which I doubt.

 

I have purchased several trucks and bronco's out west that were "rust free". With that being said, there was still surface rust is certain areas (like frame and driveliine components). Nothing that couldn't be fixed with a little attention and knowing how to properly address those areas.
Were they rust free then...No, not really but in my book, if you start with a vehicle that has rust free body panels (fenders, doors, bed, floor boards, drip rails, cowl, and hood) then you can call it rust free! Me personally, I like "all original and rust free" better than just rust free!

 

"Rust free" means that all the rusty pieces have fallen off.

 

I agree with rust-free meaning no panels, body parts/frame have been repaired or need to be repaired, no rust bubbles or holes. living in CA, all of my trucks are what I consider rust-free, there is surface rust on my 66, I call it character the floorboard in my 77 has some surface rust, I treated it when I rplc'd floormat, I've been spoiled since I've been out west, grew up in Missouri,,, salt just kills, PB blaster on every bolt and nut to get it off, here,,, beautiness haven't twisted a bolt off unless it was on the exhaust system in yrs!

 

Flowney,
Suspect you knew ahead of time this thread of yours was subjective. Though I enjoy reading the various responses and have to say I've actually enjoyed reading your posts. You remind me with your writing style allot like PapaBearYuma, who always comes across as upbeat, making the read enjoyable. Just felt it was in order to complement you as well as PapaBearYuma.
Originally from SW PA and NE Ohio, I remember when I was eight years old delivering papers (the old paper boy of years past) and seeing vehicles three to five years old that I could put my fist through the rust holes and saying to myself how hard it must be to take care of vehcile and keep it from rusting so bad.

 

I call BS. That's photoshopped. 😁😂

 

Mentioned this once before but, years ago I knew a guy near Rochester,NY whose car finally succumbed to the salt. He traded it in. A couple of months later he heard about a car in PA like his old one. Seeing as how he really liked his old car, he decided to take a look and maybe buy it. At that time PA was known for "rustfree" vehicles. Went down and started looking over the car. Turns out it was his old car all full of bondo held in place with wadded up newspapers. Turns out that there were several "dealer" buying crappy NY cars, patching them, then selling to un-suspecting New Yorkers as rust free.

 

Depends on the area, in the mid west when I hear rust free I assume the truck is free from any rust besides surface rust on the frame/drivetrain. Rust can have been cut out and replaced with patch panels. As long as the rust was fixed, I'd call it rust free.

Now if I'm looking at a truck out west and it's advertised as a rust free truck I expect that it's never seen rust in its life (except surface rust/discoloration for frame/drivertrain because that just happens) but no repair work done, no bubbling paint, no "patina", no patch panels... just a clean solid truck.