Paint blistering on Aluminum panels

Let me assure you that FoMoCo didn't save any money by the use of the aluminum panels on the Lincoln LS.

KS
 
substituting aluminum instead of steel is never about saving money :cool:


I dont really know how a steel panel would outlast an aluminum panel... all i see around here (where they also use a lot of salt) is rusted out cars, dont have that problem on an LS I've ever seen.
 
Did not say I wanted to put steel fenders. Just curious to see if they are
available. If so, may be an option.
My car has 85000km(53000mi), and the front fenders need to be replaced. If
the aluminium fenders are so great, they would not have corroded to this
point.

There may be other reasons for such early corrosion. I don't have the whole history
of this car, and, perhaps previous owner....much older gentlemen....may have had
a few nicks and bumps, and had the fenders fixed. If prep was poorly made, this would
explain my situation quite clearly.

It's a shame since the rest of the car is in pristine condition. The underbody looks great
for the type of climate/weather conditions we are exposed to.
 
My car has 85000km(53000mi), and the front fenders need to be replaced. If
the aluminium fenders are so great, they would not have corroded to this
point.

I heavily leaning to an outside factor causing such a problem, other than the very minor superficial blistering on the trunk lid (thats more of a manufacturing problem, not a problem with the choice of material) I have over 150k miles on my cars body and other than the paint looking a little beat up, the panels themselves are in perfect condition (with the one exception being the OPs blistering on the trunk lid...)

what does your hood look like? it should see all the same road conditions as the front fenders (probably more with rock chips).
 
I heavily leaning to an outside factor causing such a problem, other than the very minor superficial blistering on the trunk lid (thats more of a manufacturing problem, not a problem with the choice of material) I have over 150k miles on my cars body and other than the paint looking a little beat up, the panels themselves are in perfect condition (with the one exception being the OPs blistering on the trunk lid...)

what does your hood look like? it should see all the same road conditions as the front fenders (probably more with rock chips).

The Hood looks great. Inside and out. I'm beginning to lean on your side with this. I've put a little more time this morning to check the fenders a little closer, and noticed very light fumes of paint in the engine bay.

I also have rust in the rear passenger wheel well. I removed the bottom door seal, and the seam is rusted out. This one is an easier
fix. Good sanding, primer, and what looks like a rock guard type paint, and it's done.

Quick question if you would. Are all panels aluminium (doors, fenders, hood & trunk) ? and lower body is steel ?
 
AFAIK, aluminum parts are the hood, trunk, front fenders, most of the suspension, and most of the engine.
You could always check with a magnet.
 
More details for my particular car:

- Front 1/4 panels (inside bottom edge of wheel well)
- Hood (underneath and bottom edge below grille)
- Trunk lid (everywhere)

'03 LS, winter driven in Ontario, Canada. The worst is my trunk lid, which is getting painted right now.
 
trunk lid repair and paint for me also. getting it all back next week.
 


Some time ago, I pulled the trunk lid off my LS due to corrosion.

It sat in my basement since mid summer ... and when I pulled the plate surround off,
I know for a fact that some was hidden by the surround but I'm very sure the corrosion
got worse as it sat in my basement.

1.jpg

There is no way it was this bad when I took the trunk off the car.

2.jpg

I'm very convinced it got worse sitting in my basement because the surround never
covered that much where the Lincoln emblem sits and as you can see, it had spread.

3.jpg








It got soda blasted and cleaned up, a lot of pitting which needed to be filled in.

Here's a pic of it nearly completed.

4.jpg

I regret ever getting into this. such a money pit.



1.jpg


2.jpg


3.jpg


4.jpg
 
Might have been less expensive to just get a new rear deck.......
 
Might have been less expensive to just get a new rear deck.......

That would have been too easy, little challenge in that.

it went in with all the other stuff and I honestly didn't think it was THAT bad.


here's a pic of where I still have the surround on it and you can see, the blistering is not past the Lincoln emblem.

I'm convinced it got worse quickly sitting around.

22.jpg

22.jpg
 
Might have been less expensive to just get a new rear deck.......

Id be afraid of the same thing happening with a used panel... might cost a little more but with the other money being put in, probably better off to make sure its done well and right and won't come back.
 
All in all, the hours didn't get burned up on the trunk lid so much as it did on the bumper cover, McLaren grille and the rear deck spoiler.

Bumper cover needed a major over-all and was previously repainted, it was not done right and was showing signs of blend in.
Bumper cover had plate hole, chips, scratched, lifted paint, also wanted tow hook cover molded in and side marker deleted.

McLare grille is Mlara's old grille, recall he left airplane remover on it too long and it chewed away at it ? (he posted pics, I can't find them) The grille was repaired by Mlara, he sure did salvage it but it needed a lot more work in detail to get it perfect again.

LSE rear deck spoiler I bought from a salvage yard, shipped from the USA, it had been keyed across the top, left a deep scratch and there were wobbles in it from a heat reaction of some glue that someone used to fasten it to the trunk lid. the wobbles and scratch got removed.

at the end of the day, it's only money! can always make more.

could it have been done cheaper getting new parts, I don't think so. I'm getting a bit of a deal on the labour rate.
 

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