Author Topic: Salt Water Damage? Opinions Please... (Read 2423 times)

Khai · « **on:** January 06, 2005, 03:29:36 PM »

Hi all, my

Shane · « **Reply #1 on:** January 06, 2005, 03:40:55 PM »

I know the salt water beats up our sandrails real bad. No matter how much we wash the rail after, It seems to rust any unprotected part.

Bruce · « **Reply #2 on:** January 06, 2005, 03:44:00 PM »

How rusty was the car to begin with?
Even though you say the ditch had salt water in it, I bet the corrosive salt concentration was far less than the ocean has. Where did it happen?

Khai · « **Reply #3 on:** January 06, 2005, 04:18:32 PM »

I was in Richmond, Shell Rd @ Caithcart. The ditch is on the E side of Shell Rd. As for rust, there was some but it wasn't bad. Found a little bondo covering up some rust thnis past summer which I ground off, a little around the headlight buckets, and some surface rust on the top of the floor pans (I pulled up the tarboard because it was holding water). Overall I'd say the car was a 7/10.

Hansk · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2005, 10:37:10 AM »

Who is saying it was salt water in that ditch? ICBC or... ? From what I've heard if a car gets into salt water ICBC will right it off automatically with no chance of rebuild. Fresh water, they will allow to be rebuilt . IMO every minute that car sits with out being cleaned up or flushed out and dried up is bad news even if it was fresh water. I've seen cars that have been submerged in fresh water, then sit through the whole ICBC process to be finally sold for rebuilding . By then the corrosion damage to the electrical system is allready done and is a huge hassel. Sounds to me like your ghia is worth saving but you'll need to act fast.

Khai · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2005, 11:42:22 AM »

It happenned in Richmond, and as far as I'm aware, all the ditches in Richmond are filled with salt water due to it being below sea level. I can't say that I went down and got a sample and performed a salinity test, but I have been told that all the ditch water in Richmond is salt water. Am I incorrect here?

Mike Scott · « **Reply #6 on:** January 07, 2005, 01:02:18 PM »

I agree with Bruce. The groudwater in richmond is salt laden to a degree. However, most water in ditches is fresh rainwater runnoff. The salt concentration will be low on the worse of days and not detectable after a large rainfall. I dont know about your exact location, obviously the farther inland the better off you are.

Mike

Bruce · « **Reply #7 on:** January 07, 2005, 02:26:35 PM »

If the car is a true rust free gem, I'd strip the car to nothing then take the body to get flushed. You could put it on a boat trailer and find a fresh water lake and back it in. Leave it submerged for as long as it was in the ditch. You could also contact Redi-strip to see if you could dunk it in their final rinse tank. Then you have to figure out how to dry it out in all the sealed chambers. Perhaps drill drain holes before the dunking.

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #8 on:** January 07, 2005, 03:18:40 PM »

Redi Strip has a big oven they can put it in.

Hansk · « **Reply #9 on:** January 07, 2005, 10:14:02 PM »

What ever you do , just keep that thing as far away from ICBC as you can !! I believe ICBC has a secrete agenda to get rid of as many old cars as they can. Keep the car, tell them you want it fixed or take a cash settlement, fix it your self , or sell it to someone who will. Just don't let them crush it

or let months go by with out taking care of it.

Bruce · « **Reply #10 on:** January 08, 2005, 02:41:21 PM »

Quote

Redi Strip has a big oven they can put it in.

All that's gonna do is make things worse. The salt will remain forever until it rusts right through. The salt compounds have to be flushed out first. Then baking is not a bad idea.

Khai · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2005, 01:21:08 PM »

Update: Well, I just got a call from the ICBC inspector and he says there's no engine damage (checked the oil for water and then started it!

) I had him tow it to Rudy Seeg for a proper inspection. Unfortunately it looks like they're going to pin the blame on me, as there was no apparent break-in damage or evidence of a hit and run. The good spin is that it might not cost $$$$ to fix, either. I'll ask Rudy for a damage assessment, and then look into flushing/oil spraying/etc.

Thanks all, for your thoughts and ideas!

Bruce · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2005, 02:10:22 PM »

Quote

Unfortunately it looks like they're going to pin the blame on me, as there was no apparent break-in damage or evidence of a hit and run.

Since you say the car was hit and pushed into the ditch, there should be some impact damage, right? And why would anyone expect to see break-in damage when you say it was hit while parked?

If they are drawing their conclusions on the lack of evidence of hit and run, how can they disprove your claim of hit and run? Got a lawyer?

Khai · « **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2005, 09:48:59 PM »

I don't know how it ended up in the ditch, but my thoughts are:

1) Hit (or nudged/pushed) by another vehicle
2) Bored kids pushed it by hand
3) Someone tried to steal it, and lost control

Although any of the above scenarios are entirely possible, and only a fairly significant impact for option 1 or a piss-poor thief for option 3 would leave marks, the burden of proof lies with the insured - ie, if there isn't a significant body of evidence that point to tampering (ie punched in nose, smashed window/broken door lock, etc) they're going to assume that it's just as possible for me to have parked it without the handbrake or putting it in gear, and it rolled in when I closed the door.

The assessment guy I talked to even commented on how easy it would be to slim jim/bump without leaving damage, but there's nothing I can do to \"prove\" that failing testimony from an eyewitness, etc.

Shane · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2005, 06:20:20 AM »

Gotta love our system...... How old are you? Is it because you are younger??? Try to go above that person....