Why do 60s Mopars seem to have so much more rust than GM?

[verdelaw]

Has anybody else noticed this?

In my search for a handful of classic car models over seven years or so I've looked at several classic cars (both GM and Mopar) in person, been to a few swap meets and car shows, and seen probably thousands of cars for sale on the internet.. and overall it seems like GM cars (Chevelles in particular) are holding up better. I see more overall rust, more deteriorated quarterpanels, driprails, floorboards, trunk pans, gas tanks, and more corroded undercarriages with the B-body Chargers I've seen.

Did GM have some kind of better undercoat? Is it just because there's more of them? Were more Chargers bought by people in the mud/rust belt(s)?

Anybody have an explanation? Or am I crazy.

 

[TekHousE]

I am not sure where you are going with this..I have never noticed anything like this.

 

[super-bee_ski]

My 1970 Superbee is all original and totally rust free...
I did see surface rust underneath the "Rear" window bottom molding...but. I sanded it, cleaned it, prepped, primed and painted it...

 

[kiwigtx]

I've seen and heard about plenty of other non-MoPar branded cars arriving in this country with supposed 'high-dollar restorations' only to fall to peices under close inspection. I know of a Corvette that went in for minor chassis rust repairs, ended up being parted out. Another was a Chevelle with a trunk full of trophies - had bondo mixed with newspaper, nails, gravel and other 'filler' material to make what can only be called a 'Panelbeater's Picasso' Also a Forrrd T'Bird conv' with a floor so rotten, the seat were being held in place off the road by the carpet.

 

[Redhorse719]

If you think MOPARs rust excessively take a look at Fords of the same era.

 

[monaco66coupe]

Mostly because chevys and Ford got repop parts a long time ago. availability of Mopar sheet metal is a recent thing. I can definitely say that I saw more rusted out 60's chevys and fords in the 80's than you could shake a stick at. They filled junk yards, and scrap metal yards. I used to get $17.00 a ton for those hulks, and They were everywhere. I always held back Coronets or Belvedere's whenever I could. Today most rusted out chevys aren't worth much, but any B body, or A body hardtop for that matter that has a chance is being advertised for lots of money. Mopar didn't have a captive market on rust issues. All the cars rusted out, but Until AMD came out with decent stuff, it was really tough to put a Mopar together.

 

[GetX'd]

You're probably not crazy but you definitely need to see a Moparcologist......

 

[coronet340]

Because even oxidation doesn't want to waste it's time on a GM. Boom!

 

[Dennis H]

If you think MOPARs rust excessively take a look at Fords of the same era.

My Dads Falcon disinegrated from rust back in the day. Car was 6 years old. Northeast.

 

[monaco66coupe]

Back in the day all the cars rusted so bad the Manufacturer estimated 7 years and the cars would be gone. They never dreamed a bunch of nuts(us) would restore and treasure the old wrecks!

 

[Photon440]

Back in the day all the cars rusted so bad the Manufacturer estimated 7 years and the cars would be gone. They never dreamed a bunch of nuts(us) would restore and treasure the old wrecks!

Reminds me of a time back in the day...1978 and I was in the credit union looking for a small loan. The loans officer asked me what I had for collateral and I said '1970 road runner'. He almost couldn't believe it, had to go outside to see it for himself. He explained that he had just moved here from the east, and they had hardly any cars that old because they were rusted away. I got the loan.

Back around that time, even on the west coast the 70-71 Torino had a reputation for being biodegradable.

 

[monaco66coupe]

Looks like a 69 Torino I had a few years ago! Mine was worse! The feral cats would come and go through the holes in the floor. Some fool actually bought it from me.

 

[Coyoteduster]

Hmmmmm, Vega's ..., Luv's ... :eusa_think:

 

[Sonny Black]

Has anybody else noticed this?

In my search for a handful of classic car models over seven years or so I've looked at several classic cars (both GM and Mopar) in person, been to a few swap meets and car shows, and seen probably thousands of cars for sale on the internet.. and overall it seems like GM cars (Chevelles in particular) are holding up better. I see more overall rust, more deteriorated quarterpanels, driprails, floorboards, trunk pans, gas tanks, and more corroded undercarriages with the B-body Chargers I've seen.

Did GM have some kind of better undercoat? Is it just because there's more of them? Were more Chargers bought by people in the mud/rust belt(s)?

Anybody have an explanation? Or am I crazy.

Believe me Sonny had his share of Chebbys and remember using buckets of Bondo on them...:icon_cry:
I think Monaco66 is correct that "they" had repop parts a long time ago & the availability of Mopar sheet metal is a recent thing.

:icon_sunny:

 

[monaco66coupe]

For a while I was so desperate I thought about cutting up a good Ford, but it was like Drinking Michelob ultra, "air beer' I called it. all volume and no substance. There wasn't enough good metal on a whole ford to do a job.

 

[verdelaw]

Because even oxidation doesn't want to waste it's time on a GM. Boom!

Love it!

- - - Updated - - -

Mostly because chevys and Ford got repop parts a long time ago. availability of Mopar sheet metal is a recent thing. I can definitely say that I saw more rusted out 60's chevys and fords in the 80's than you could shake a stick at. They filled junk yards, and scrap metal yards. I used to get $17.00 a ton for those hulks, and They were everywhere. I always held back Coronets or Belvedere's whenever I could. Today most rusted out chevys aren't worth much, but any B body, or A body hardtop for that matter that has a chance is being advertised for lots of money. Mopar didn't have a captive market on rust issues. All the cars rusted out, but Until AMD came out with decent stuff, it was really tough to put a Mopar together.

Yeah this passes the common sense test

 

[Xp29h]

Here in Maine, rust didn't discriminate! It hammered all makes and models.

I think as Monaco said, the others got repop metal while mopar got bondo! Which we know isn't good and looks like poo shortly after!

I remember looking at a 68 charger years ago, mid 80's..it was all plastic and I asked the guy why? He stated plastic was all he could get to repair. You could put your hand right through the quarters!

 

[Mesopic]

You all are forgetting one important car in terms of rust. 60's Studebaker's i swear they were painted with salt water at the factory. You can almost see the rust happening

 

[BigBlock61]

I get where you're coming from. I can remember being a teenager back in the early 80's and the joke was, "Oh you have a Mopar, does it have a floor?". It never "seemed" to be a problem with the Fords or GM's.

 

[69roadrunner]

AFAIK Mopar's had better treatment from the factory and less cost-cutting measures in terms of body prep as did chevy and ford, it is probably that replacement panel issue or your just seeing the bad 'uns lol! :icon_confused: :icon_biggrin: