DIY RUSTY Trunk Lid Restoration & Rebuild for Under $100 | EP 28 RUSTORATIONS 1972 Nova

This original 1972 Nova trunk lid was rotted, rusty, and basically junk... but I just couldn’t throw it away... Not without trying to save a piece of history first.
In this episode, I take on one of the most intimidating tasks for any beginner restorer: cutting, patching, and saving rusted sheet metal with minimal tools, no prior bodywork experience, and a whole lot of determination.
What started as a quick rust repair turned into a multi-day fabrication battle, complete with relief cuts, welding, warpage management, and even a panic moment when I wasn’t sure it would fit the car anymore.
But after countless hours of trial and error, grinding, hammering, and coating, the lid is restored and functional again and I’ve saved a real piece of this car’s history.

If you’ve ever wanted to fix something that most people would just toss, this is the video for you.
💬 Would you have saved it or scrapped it? Let me know in the comments!

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro: Can This Rusty Trunk Lid Be Saved?
01:00 - Rust, Rot & Regret - The Condition Breakdown
03:00 - Why This Trunk Lid Rusted From the Inside Out
05:00 - Planning a Fix With Zero Bodywork Experience
07:15 - First Cuts & First Doubts - Just How Bad Is It?
09:30 - Frame Coating the Inside - Save It From Future Rust
11:00 - Patching the Worst Rusted Areas by Hand
14:00 - Welding Without Warping - My First Sheet Metal Repair
16:30 - Hammer, Grind, Repeat - Fixing the Outer Skin
19:00 - Relief Cuts & Real Frustration - But We Push Through
22:00 - Moment of Truth - Will It Even Close?
24:00 - Test Fit Disaster… and Recovery
26:00 - Stripping the Trunk Lid - Are There More Hidden Problems?
28:00 - Final Rust Treatment - Epoxy Prep & Ospho Process
30:00 - Refining the Surface - Sanding, Tooth, and Cleaning
32:00 - Why I’m Proud of Saving This Piece - Final Thoughts

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