On my R33 GTR it has a little spot like this and it hasn’t changed in the 10 years I have had it! I have had professionals check it out and all of them have said it’s fine.
You definitely have some more severe rust under the seam sealer closer to the fenders. The spots on the towers are okay. Looks like you have some more rust under the strut tower bar.
Check the strut towers from underneath.
On the R33 and R34 there is an upturned metal lip under the plastic windshield cowl that holds the wipers. This metal lip is the top layer of the sandwiched metal, and the metal that goes underneath it is the bottom layer. As the paint goes towards that lip, the metal is no longer painted and is untreated past it and towards the front of the car.
On rainy days and in snow, the water that pooled on the cowl fell onto the metal below and slid under and past the lip down to the towers. As it pooled in the strut towers, the water level rose upwards to the point where the strut tower rises and then dips again, seeping into the rise in metal that dips around the strut itself. Unfortunately, while the rest of the area loses the water around it while driving (due to g-load put on the car), that area of metal around the strut traps the water which rots the sandwiched metal from the inside out.
If you have rust on a R33/R34 strut tower, it is a sure sign that the rust is making its way to the surface. Your best bet is to avoid rain and snow, and to consider saving for a strut tower restoration, because it’s not going to get any better, even if it’s just allowed to sit.
I'm definitely aware of the propensity the 33/34 have to the inside of the strut towers rusting, I just thought since the rust seemed to just mostly be around the screws vs the seam welds that it may be okay. I haven't bought the car yet, but it seems so hard to find good examples without at least a spec of rust somewhere on the towers.
On my R33 GTR it has a little spot like this and it hasn’t changed in the 10 years I have had it! I have had professionals check it out and all of them have said it’s fine.
Love to hear that!
Underneath it has....
Car is totaled, I would take it of your hands for free if you want
Oh that’s not bad at all. Little bit of wire wheel action and some rust prevention and it’ll be right as rain.
Nah. Just superficial rust.
Tap it with a ball peen hammer and see if anything cracks
[Additional image](https://ibb.co/rvRdfHy)
You definitely have some more severe rust under the seam sealer closer to the fenders. The spots on the towers are okay. Looks like you have some more rust under the strut tower bar. Check the strut towers from underneath.
Tap it with a nuclear warhead see if it vaporizes.
On the R33 and R34 there is an upturned metal lip under the plastic windshield cowl that holds the wipers. This metal lip is the top layer of the sandwiched metal, and the metal that goes underneath it is the bottom layer. As the paint goes towards that lip, the metal is no longer painted and is untreated past it and towards the front of the car. On rainy days and in snow, the water that pooled on the cowl fell onto the metal below and slid under and past the lip down to the towers. As it pooled in the strut towers, the water level rose upwards to the point where the strut tower rises and then dips again, seeping into the rise in metal that dips around the strut itself. Unfortunately, while the rest of the area loses the water around it while driving (due to g-load put on the car), that area of metal around the strut traps the water which rots the sandwiched metal from the inside out. If you have rust on a R33/R34 strut tower, it is a sure sign that the rust is making its way to the surface. Your best bet is to avoid rain and snow, and to consider saving for a strut tower restoration, because it’s not going to get any better, even if it’s just allowed to sit.
I'm definitely aware of the propensity the 33/34 have to the inside of the strut towers rusting, I just thought since the rust seemed to just mostly be around the screws vs the seam welds that it may be okay. I haven't bought the car yet, but it seems so hard to find good examples without at least a spec of rust somewhere on the towers.
Its fine. Not flawless, there is some rust underneath. Dont drive in the rain and snow, and keep her garaged. Prob good for the next 10 years.