can someone help me with surface rust question?

[Pharmgrrrl]

Hello -

I'm new to the forum & am considering purchasing a 97 sahara wrangler from ebay. I had inquired about rust & the seller did indicate that there is some surface rust on the undercarriage, but nothing too concerning. I live in the southeast, so rust isn't really something I've dealt with & also, since I'm new to jeeps - i'm not sure what is usual & to be expected with rust. The jeep spent most of it's life in the upper midwest.

The seller emailed me some pics of the rust & I'd like to have someone who knows more about it take a look & let me know any thoughts on how bad or concerning it really is. I've tried attaching them to the post, but not certain if it will work.

If not, can someone contact me with maybe an email address, etc so that I can send the pics to you to take a look at for me? I'd greatly appreciate it! Or you can can email me directly at Gcyonex [at] aol [dot] com

Thanks!

 

[TerryMason]

I'd consider that normal for a 97. That appears to just be surface rust, and not a big problem (from what I can see in the photos). If you were to sand it down, you could spray it will a rattle can and have it looking good in no time.

 

[TerryMason]

if you don't mind me asking, how much do they want?

 

[Pharmgrrrl]

just sent you a private message b/c I had another question regarding a different jeep as well! thanks.

 

[jps4jeep]

rust.. thats not rust. Come up the north east.. I see vehicles as little as a couple years old that are starting to rust. for some reason or another, they like to salt the crap out of the roads up here when it snows and it eats away at vehicle.

That is better than most 97's up here. Buy and enjoy

 

[TerryMason]

another Jeep that Pharmgrrrl is looking at. This one has a 4 banger and an auto.

 

[TerryMason]

If you're looking for an automatic, I'd suggest that you stick with a six. You could probably find a four banger, but when you couple that with an auto, it's a real dog.

 

[Pharmgrrrl]

TerryMason thanks for posting the other pics. However, please keep in mind... the 2nd set of pics (with exterior pics) is actually another Jeep I'm considering that also has a little surface rust. The 1st pics are a 97 sahara on ebay (6 cyl), the 2nd pics are a 97 sport (4 cyl). the 2nd jeep is about $1500 less than the sahara.

I drive a 4 cyl wagon (auto) daily & it has enough pep for me - just not sure how this will fare with a jeep. I'm also just using it for driving around town on nice days w/ the top off....not doing any off roading or towing, etc.

 

[signgrafix]

If I was going to take the time to paint the frame, I would paint it with Por15. That stuff is awsome.

 

[JohnnyO]

rust.. thats not rust. Come up the north east..

Dittos. Pffft....that ain't rust.
Seriously, the frame is pretty thick and that's nothing to worry about.

 

[TerryMason]

More photos

Pharmgrrrl sent me more photos to post

 

[54cj3b]

that dash has way to much going on for me .Ill just stick with my plain jane dash

 

[yo momma yj]

Hello -

... rust isn't really something I've dealt with

that isn't rust...it's fuzz.

you could just oil that occasionaly and run it for decades...or you could wire brush it and paint it with any of the POR15 type rust paints. they act like thin flood cover, yet have body enough to build, then dry like glue...sort of like a plastic roof coating and a throw away brush.

rust is when you use Egyptian stone cutter chisel techniques thru multi layers to level accretion to a painting surface and can't breathe thru your nose for a week.

the best way to handle rust is paint the stuff with oil like farmers do with implements that sit out for generations...which also gets a head start on the threads that will taunt you down the road. locomotives trucks and bus fleets use to spray the crankcase drain underneath pre EPA and planned obsolesence

someone can jump in here and call me a liar, but rust is when electrons leave the ferrous atoms and merge with the free O2 setting up an electrical current. to stop it, all you need to do is seal/isolate the ferrous atoms and the electrons stay put.

 

[Crazy4diesels]

Surface rust on the frame doesn't look too bad but the one brake line you can see there is a little rusty. Probably OK for now but I'd check over all the lines at some point just to be safe. Jeeps are a blast - get ready to have some fun. Beast of luck - John

 

[54cj3b]

OIL????? what to turn it into a giant dust magnet

 

[signgrafix]

Hello -
locomotives trucks and bus fleets use to spray the crankcase drain underneath pre EPA and planned obsolesenceQUOTE]

I remember when my grandfather would take 55 gallon drums of used motor oil and pour it on his gravel road.:shock: EPA would have sh!t fit and lock him up now.:x

 

[buckshot500]

that dash has way to much going on for me .Ill just stick with my plain jane dash

Those are some sweet seat covers!!!


They don't even need duct tape to stay on yet.

 

[Pharmgrrrl]

thanks everyone for the input! i'm actually going with a different jeep that i found locally (the other two were sight unseen buys). however, the one i'm getting is a 4 cyl. so, hopefully it will be powerful enough for my purposes! i'm looking fwd to joining the jeep owners club!

 

[54cj3b]

Those are some sweet seat covers!!!


They don't even need duct tape to stay on yet.

thats the old look before my rebuild that started over 4 years ago
now that its almost finished I broke down and sent those great looking seats out to be recovered

Get them back on mon $800. later
had them done in a soft tan cowhide cant wait to see them .. in the willys

 

[buckshot500]

I was just kidding with you, mine in the YJ look only slightly better.

Gonna be sweet when you get them back!

I just took delivery on some JCW racing seats, but they need some coaxing to end up being usable.