Is there a way I can fix the hole? Same on both sides
am I able to just buy a new plate or whatever it’s called? Or should I patch weld it

 

that plate needs to come off and get patched, and then you need to patch the panel(s) behind the plate

 

It's called vehicular cancer, and if you have it there (*very common place for it to form), you have it elsewhere, as well. Remove the storage bins from inside the car, remove the sheet metal surrounds, and you'll be seeing daylight, and likely more rust. From there, you can decide how best to handle it. Good luck,

 

"behind the storage bins, rear wheel rust" <---<<< called
drill the welds out
remove plate
grind the rust out, prime paint.
gets some 1/8 steel plate from home depot (for example)
shape it with a saber saw
drill some holes
fit bolts/washers/nuts
bondo
assemble plate bolts/washers /nuts (weld that **** together if you know a welder)
primer and paint
undercoat it with underbody undercoat
congratulate yourself on passing a rite of passage for owning a +1/4 century old sports car by correcting a design SNAFU

 

thank you sounds like a lot starting to regret buying it

 

So is that plate welded on how does it come off

 

where I drilled out the spot welds. And get a face shield. Safety goggles are nice, but suppose a tiny piece of metal that was on you face, in your hair, finds its way into your eye when you shower? That happened to me in the 70's. To this day, when ever I do metal work, I keep thinking something got into my eyes for the next two days.

 

it's a pain, but you will feel like Clint Eastwood, Vin Diesel, James Dean, or a bad *** metal working Harley riding outlaw biker..... >>>----> I will have more testosterone than all 3 combined. OR WHERE THE TRAILING ARM ATTACHES TO THE BODY IS KAPUT....AND THAT CAR IS A DEATH TRAP....that is one rusty scupper you got there....Michigan winters are a bitch!

 

wait so you’re saying that it’s a death trap and that I should get that fixed before any driving? Am I able to just buy a new plate aswell? Funny thing is it’s never seen snow says the owner was only driven in Indiana then moved to Michigan and sat for 6 years

 

tough to say if it is a death trap? better drill out those welds and have a look.

I drove my rx-7 through 4 new jersey winters. And I did the repair 8 years after moving.

that plate was added by mazda to meet DOT crash standards. Mazda left a 1/4 inch metal seam in back that corrosion nests. If your car is going to rust, that's where it will start. The rest of the body was designed well.

 

so I’ll remove the plate and then clean all the rust out just patch the hole into the storage bin and either get new plate or cut out the rust on them and patch the hole then weld the plate back on

 

sounds like a plan, but you put the metal plate on from the wheel well, not from inside. I'd like to see the place where the trailing arm attaches to the body.

sounds like you are a welder or have access to one?

 

I will eventually get into welding thank fully my dad has some welding buddies I will post some pics in this thread when I remove them but I don’t know when I will. I meant from the wheel well sorry. Also stupid moment is the trailing arm the thing that looks like it goes behind the plate?

 

that's what I meant, trailing arm goes behind the plate.

 

Here’s my drivers side, all I had time for today. Dosent look too bad was expecting worse. A guy on the face book group said I could keep the plate off and weld a plate over the hole like he did any thoughts on this I just want to make sure I’m doing this right and not putting myself in danger

 

Doesn't look too bad😱???

Brother..... DON'T DRIVE THAT CAR....either fix it or find another shell and swap it.... That is definitely a death trap ....

 

I do not see any reason why is is not easily saveable. I have seen worse fixed. A plate to replace the removed one and possibly one on the inside and it will be stronger than new.

 

That is what I just said.....fix it or get a donor....

Also said DON'T DRIVE IT LIKE THAT ....it's a death trap.....because he asked if he could drive it.....

 

i drove it with the rotted plates all summer LOL it will be getting fixed

 

Bro.......you are a better man than me ... With a rust damage like that I won't even fart inside the car let alone drive it .......😂🤣

 

This post lead me to look into my own vehicle: I have signs of corrosion in the same area, inside the storage bin. I will investigate before putting more miles on the car.
I understand this is a common 1st series problem?
It is in an area which is very easily accessible, it looks like a relatively simple fix.

 

it'll buff out

 

This issue is not so common on SA's but semi common on FB's . The FB's have storage bins.

 

The issue of rust / corrosion in this area is the same for both SA's and FB's and it is a common area to have problems surface. FB's have storage bins to remove to see to the inside, SA's have larger metal panels that have to be removed to gain access to the same area.

Not sure about it being a "death trap" or not. Probably a matter of some opinion and the extent of the damage. People who don't live in rust prone area's can react more sharply than those who have grown up with the long term effects of salt and chemicals used during the winter.

 

Fixed! thanks everybody for the help