Midyear endcap rusted out. A hint of serious rust ?

[Grey Ghost]

I have been told of a midyear that is located in the Chicago area and is a one owner. NOM, body damage from a parking lot incident, needs total restoration. My real worry is the frame. Another guy looked at it and said the pass. side end cap of the frame was rusted out, but the rest of the frame looked good. Do you think if the endcap is rusted out that there is more rust on top of the kickup that you can't see ? Possibly rusted through ? I don't really want to go on a wild goose chase from Georgia to Chicago, but I am REALLY interested in this car. I need a good project, but don't want to get involved in a rusted out frame. What do you think ? More rust or just a common rust area ?

What do you think ? More rust or just a common rust area ?

I think it's just a common rust area. The end caps have a hole which will drain water, but after the years go by, if the inside of the frame is not routinely flushed out, leaves and road crud will accumulate and block the hole, and then the rust starts. I had a little rust around the passenger side hole, but it wasn't rusted through.

I cleaned up the rust, sprayed on a rust inhibitor and put a little glass on the outside and painted the inside of the frame with Rustoleum. Now it's like new.

Other than that one spot, the rest of my frame was rust free when I painted it. :smash: