I am just looking for a ballpark estimate on this: I am rusting around my rear window. Not heavy duty, water coming in, small animal housing type stuff, but there is a crack around the chrome up to an inch in a couple of spots. I was told this will have to be cut out and welded back, then ground down to fit. What should I expect to pay? Thanks for the patience and response to a newbies question...Wish me luck, I will need it...lol

Welcome aboard.

You've asked a simple question with a difficult answer. I may not be your best source on this, but I'll take a stab at it.

It's really hard to begin to make any kind of reasonable estimate from the description you've given.

Here's some background. A common problem with our cars is that rust tends to develop in the channel the back window sits in. Over time the rust will spread outside the channel past the molding and on to the body. Sounds like this is happening with you.

What you see is probably just the tip of the iceberg. I Bet if you pull the back window out, you'll find a lot of rust and holes in the channel, along with a big goopy mess from the stuff holding the window in.

The first thing you, or anyone working on it has to do is get the window out and clean up the mess so you'll know what you're working with. The next step is to get all the rust off. You can sand blast it off (carefully), or use a stiff grinder brush on a drill (my way). Once you've done this, you'll probably find that the channel is really bad in a few spots and otherwise basically sound but not great.

From here, you've got choices. The most correct and permanent fix is to cut out the metal and replace it. This can become a big deal if your rust is extensive. And finding a good window channel is an issue all its own ...You can patch the worst places with metal and work with fillers to seal and firm up the rest. Or some people will work only with various filling products - fiberglass, filler, etc. to patch it up as best they can. What is "correct" really comes down to what your plans are for the car. And your cost follows the method chosen. I'm currently tackling a problem like yours, but on a much larger scale. I've chosen to not replace metal, but patch instead. For me, its the right choice, but its not the one others here would make or recommend. Their methods and recommendations are also correct.

Solving this is probably going to be more of a "process" for you than an "event" - unless you just want to take it to somebody and say fix it. And that will assuredly be your most expensive solution.

So it really comes back to you. What do you really know about your problem? How much of this are you willing or able to do yourself? How much do you want to spend?

We can probably help get you started in the right direction, whatever your answers are to these questions.

I'd recommend you dive into it a little further and let us know what you find.

p.s. - small animal housing type stuff sounds like big rust to me...

Jack, thank you for the response. My goal for the car is less than noble by most standards here. I want a hotrod. Not a show stopper, but one that turns heads on the corner. The cheapest "EFFECIENT" way is what I am search of. I will probably find more rust than I care to mention, and I KNOW this stuff is well over my head. I believe I am on a long road to recovery on this car, and I hope to enjoy the process as much as the product.....that having been said, I have zero confidence in my ability to remedy this rust problem...therefore it will be farmed out. I will just have to shop around and compare the cost per procedure and see....thanks for outlining some of the ways this problem can be fixed..that is very helpful to someone who is clueless on most of these problems. If I can ever make it to your neck of the woods, I will swing by and let you inspect the final product...lol...I see you are in Ft. Worth, I am in Okc, and I have a friend who lives in Mansfield....anyhow, thank you once again, Dave

Glad I could help.

Since you're looking to have someone else do the work, I'd suggest that your best bet may be to talk to the guys in the smaller body shops in the bad part of town. They tend to be more creative and willing to take on small jobs like this.

Its been my experience that the bigger guys whose main line of work is late model collision repair will be less willing to touch something like this.

Good Luck.

Honestly if you are having this problem you should get the rear window filler panel and have it replaced. In the long run it should be cheaper because fabricating, welding and grinding a new peice from scratch will be more time intensive (read that as $$$$$) where the panel replacement would take a good bodyman about a day to remove and replace. He may have to fab some where the panel doesn't cover.. but you might just save a few bucks doing the entire panel..

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