Early 911 has a bit of experience with rusty cars so I thought I would share a few of the horrors with you. Now you should know what to look for before parting with a load of money for a rusty car. Anyone that tells you there is no rust in his 911 just hasn’t found it yet.

Most corrosion in early 911s is caused either by mud thrown up into sections of the inner wings or water coming through dry window seals and sitting in the carpet and sound deadening materials.

Here is the result of mud thrown up by the front wheel getting trapped against the wing joining plate (removed in this picture) and on top of the inner wing further forward

The same problem in the rear inner wing

The next 2 pictures show the result of water ingress through dry screen rubbers

Here is a Targa where water has got in through the roof seals and sat in the carpet, allowing rust all around the floor/chassis edges

Although the chassis rail has been repaired here, below the torsion bar tube, the tube itself has rusted away

The kidney bowls are another problem area. Here the bottom of the B pillar has been cut away to show that the kidney bowl.

The front suspension pan is another common rust area.  Here the top part, the tank support, has been removed to show the corrosion inside this important chassis section

Rust in the chassis rail below the rear suspension mount.  Corrosion here usually means there is lots more yet to be found

Here is a 1986 Carrera 3.2 with rust in the usual areas on the driver’s side.  The kidney bowl and outer sill have been removed to reveal serious corrosion in the inner wing are. The inner sill and jacking support plate will also need to be replaced.

This is the front of the same sill. The base of the A pillar hinge post has rotted away, along with the inner sill. Beware 3.2s!