Hi Guys
I am aware that coupes can suffer corrosion that is hard to spot and difficult to rectify. I'm hoping to see a coupe soon and already have one in the barn, is there a quick way to lift the seat squab at the back or boot area to check the floors etc? Any advice appreciated.
Rich

Front wheels on full lock and inspect the inner arches. Check the sill returns at either end. Inspect below the pinin quarter badges. Lift the boot carper and check the seams running both edges towards the rear seats.

Hopefully that should cover the most. However as with any old car, you need to get your head under the car. Unfortunately the cars have got to the age where rust could strike anywhere.

You definitely need to get under the car - floorpans, inner wings, wheelarches (all four), sills, bootfloor can all corrode

generally, the later the car, the more rust-prone they seem to be

Seaside cars also seem to suffer more

Thanks for the info guys. It's a 99 20vt, allegedly rust free.

I am always rather sceptical of ads that say 'rust free'. I tend to assume that this is based on no visible rust on the body from a cursory top-side look over, without getting underneath, lifting carpets and peering behind wheel arch liners. I doubt there are any truly rust free coupes out there.

I have seen maybe only two or three genuinely rust-free Coupes in the last ten years

I'll bet I could find some rust on it...

Wheel bolts

definitely get into the boot with a torch. My cheap 20vt some time ago had no visible signs on arches etc. Lifted spare wheel and holes in seams of boot floor. An easier one to spot.

Has anyone else had any corrosion issues with their doors? For some reason the very bottom edge of my passenger door is going - right on the very edge. I've never seen another Coupe have door issues. I'll be taking it over to PMS this summer hopefully to get sorted.
Anyone any idea how much a door respray would cost approx?

Only when I had a 16v..the puddle light let in puddles..the 20v had more filler under the pinifarina badges than metal

+1 for the same location. Luckily Nigel had a spare door in his clearout, which does not have this problem. As its cheaper to exchange a door complete than fully refurbishing the current bubbly door.

That's very strange about the door isn't it ?

I would say (regarding rust) that 'most areas' can be rectified with 'domestic' gauge intervention, but a few specific spots may require more professional attention.

Might be worth taking a mirror and a torch to inspect the real jacking points- behind & underneath the Pininfarina badges. Those spots are probably indicative of the rest of the car.

A trick I use for inspecting a potential purchase: is to set my phone camera to 'flash-on' and take as many underbody shots as I can- letting the thing pull focus every time- don't rush it.
You can get about 40% of the benefit of a ramp inspection like that.

Thing is its only the very bottom outer edge thats affected in front of the seal. Underneath the door itself is perfect.

Take two phones, attach one to a stick and run Periscope on it, watch the live rusty feed on the other handset. Much easier

Some great advice in this thread. I've always relied on "The Force" and apart from one purchase when I was 17 it's served me well.