I found rust!

[Matthew]

I took my doors off on Saturday and found rust between the hinge plate and the door luckily it's only surface.
I treated it with Ranex rust converter and will paint it, but now I have to search for other "secret" rust, so far it there doesn't appear to be anymore.

Looks like I don't have one of the cleanest Sierra's around anymore.

[gwagensteve]

That's pretty normal. The cars were painted with the doors on so there's never any paint under the door hinges, only the seam sealer keeps the rust out. even normal condensation/humidity will cause some surface rust under there. I think if you took the doors of one at a year or two old you woul still have seen some light surface rust depending on how thorough the guy doing the seam sealing was.

Pretty much everywhere else is at least painted.

Steve.

[Matthew]

Cool, I had a look and didn't find any other "secret" rust yet.
Still not sure if I like driving with the doors off though.

[gwagensteve]

It's a pretty strange feeling - feels a bit like your walking a round naked. You do get used to it though, and off road it's a massive advantage.

1/2 doors are cool though - just like having a giant window.

Steve.

[Matthew]

It's a pretty strange feeling - feels a bit like your walking a round naked.

Yeah, and everyone looks at me like I'm driving around naked.

I have been thinking about half doors, might look at building some at some stage in the future.

[gwagensteve]

Best thing to do with removed doors is to drive to where you air down, take them off, hide them in the bush (with maybe a bike lock to a tree) and put them back on for the drive home. An old Greg trick.
Steve.

[andrew_wale]

Best thing to do with removed doors is to drive to where you air down, take them off, hide them in the bush (with maybe a bike lock to a tree) and put them back on for the drive home.

Ah yes. But you need to be able to find them on the return trip.

[Matthew]

And remember that you actually came with doors, knowing my memory I would get 20km past the doors then remember.
Sounds like a good idea though.