I didn't think this could happen. Rusted frame never fixed? Amazing (and no air bags...)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.2379940

 

wow

 

I agree. Wow is accurate. I can't see how a Z in Florida - if it grew up there - got so much rust to the frame that it would just snap like that. There was a lot of steel holding those two sections together. In New England they still salt the roads in winter and over time that rusts the heck out of everything underneath. No way to wash it clean every spring. But no ice, snow or salt in FL. Makes no sense to me. That driver is lucky enough to buy a lottery ticket with some confidence now. He is living a charmed life

 

Yeah, in New England, the rust is ridiculous. I bet I spent over $25,000 in rot / rust / paint repair on my 85Z over its 30 years and 19 New England winters as my winter car, to get the car to look like it does in the signature picture below. In contrast, my 93 Z32 has never seen winters up here and I have spent $0 on rut / rot / paint repair in 23 years of existence.

My sister's 85Z NA frame rotted so bad that if finally sagged just in front of the firewall and became junk. Mine would have had the same fate if I did not do a Frankenstein to the front end.

The Frankenstein operation:

 

Sorry for the thread bump!

This happened pretty close to me, and as I drive a rusty 85, it terrified me.
I got to see the car, and surprisingly there didn't appear to be much rust. The man got away with a broken rip and some bruising. He's doing okay, last I knew, he wants another Z.
Sadly, a lot of our cars are super rusted here in Florida. It's super humid, and a lot of the cars are driven on/near the beach. =/

 

Good bump. I would have wondered about this for another 10 years but I'm gonna accept beach/shoreline rust as part of the cause. I didn't think of that because Northeast salted roads have been the bane of most of the Zs I know well. I didn't want to believe a Z could come off the line in Japan with primary welds so weak - and I'm glad to have another explanation. Thanks, Florida!