Hello everyone! I am a former D2 owner and have had years of regret for getting rid of the beast. I used to use this forum quite a bit back then, but can't remember my old account name! Anyway, I could use some advice. I looked at a '98 D1 the other day. Interior is nice, other than a simple header fix. On the outside, it needs new brakes/rotors, brake lines, tires are bald, dif is leaking and the mechanic thinks that the head gasket is in need of repair. Not a ton to scare me off, all fixable. My concern is some rust. There is moderate rust in the wheel wells, the rockers, and the floor is soft in a few places. In a couple of areas in the wheel well there are small holes in the floor. I am not sure how I feel about chasing rust like this; I imagine what I can see is the tip of the iceberg. Mechanic had it on the left and said the frame looks fine, so there is that. The rust is making me back away. The person is asking 1500 for it, which I think is high for what needs to be done. I thought I'd ask you all and see what you think. I really, really want a D1, but need to be reasonable! I was thinking with all the work, $500-700 would be fair to counter with. I've taken the liberty of attaching some phots. Thanks everyone.

Pete

 

no no no

rust is a non starter

 

Keep in mind that this is the rust you can see, there is most likely more you can't see and once it starts, it doesn't stop unless it is cut out and removed. Your counter offer is about right.

 

Yeah, I figured it was the tip of the iceberg and I passed on it. Thanks for all your input!

p

 

Have you done panel repair before? I personally bought a D1 a few years ago in much, much worse shape and rebuilt it completely on a reasonable budget. Made all my own panels and turned out great. Would I do it again? nope, way too much work, but its possible. Would I buy a rover again? probably not... way too many small issues that are difficult to fix. Nostalgia can be an expensive itch! Check out my pics if you want to see how bad it can be, mine looked a lot like that underneath until i pulled the carpet.

 

Great work! I think that might be beyond my skill set!

 

It all looks fixable, if you're able to do it yourself. The cost to have a shop repair all of that rust would make buying a different D1 much more appealing.

500-700 would be a good offer range, It's worth more than that in scrap currently. The seller could easily pull a few things to net them the 1500 they want then scrap the truck as well though.

 

Probably the sunroof tubes rotted away, weren't fixed, let water in. Moisture gets trapped under the carpet and never dries out. This is a real common scenario.

If you have access to a welder rust repair isn't really a big deal. I kind of like doing rust repair (limited amounts) because it's fun craftsmanship. Slow methodical work. Easy to do, very satisfying at the end. Some guys are engine guys, some are body guys. But I guess if you passed on it, it's a non-issue.