OK, for some reason mazda decided to use cheap painted metal to strengthen the convertible license plate surround.

Now now every convertible has a rusting problem under the trunk lid. Luckily it doesn't extend into the body.

I guess I can either buy a new one from mazda or have something fabricated & painted to replace what's rusted.

 

WOW, I have never seen one rust like that?
Consider yourself special, lol

I just got thru painting one last week, its a 1988, and the center was actually perfect, I have another vert as well, and that one is perfect too.

Seriously- maybe someone got some acid of something on that at one time and corroded the metal because its kind of like pot metal in that area.
If your car is white it could actually be someone used something corrosive to clean the car to brighten it. I know I used to wash cars in some funky acidic crap back in the day when I had a detail shop. My guess is thats what happened. I see it everyday when people use acid to wash the bottom of thier boats when its on a galvanized trailer, the acid eats the trailer and it ends up rusting.

In this pic you can see how nice that area came out,even though the outside of it has 2" masking tape on it.

 

hmm.. every vert I've checked so far has at least some surface rust on the plate frame.

My vert came from a coastal town in South Carolina, so it's probably salt. I haven't seen any other surface rust yet, but I'm sure I'll hit some when I strip the car.

 

I guess I have gotten lucky then, both cars not a speck of rust back there