Re: Rust on body & frame (m) (archive)

I have a 1980 320i since brand new. It has only 85,000km on it, and everything was stock. I was away for a 4-years foreign assignment. When returned recently, it broke my heart to find out very minor rust coming out from the right rear tail light. Before I rush out to get a rust repair (most likely I will do a complete paint job becasue I was to keep it for another 20 years), would someone with experience in this area kindly offer any advice?

Steve

Everything else "can" be replaced, but sheetmetal is about as hard as it comes to get replaced.
SHeetmetal and rust proofing back in the '80s was
very poor to OK, from what I've learned.

Look for rust @
shock towers (4x)
lower rocker panels
below rear tail lights
around trunk molding

Look for wet glove compartment. If it is, window gasket seals leaking

Similarly to the woes of the E28 series, Does the E21 car go down the road & brake w/out any wheel shimmy ? If it does, many have tried to cure shimmy but few succeed the first time out.

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