'96 Tracker 2dr 4wd 5spd, 100k mi., runs good and is now a box-stock DD.
The problem is that 10 years of Chicago winters and 8 in Ohio have not been good to it. It looks OK from the top, but underneath it is one big ball of rust. The brake and fuel lines and fittings are not leaking, but are badly corroded. The tubes holding the tank shield are almost gone. The rockers are almost gone. There are holes in the body behind the rear wheels big enough to stick your fist through. The frame is rusting out where the round crossmembers go through the frame in the rear. Whenever I try to turn a bolt, it breaks off.
I am a pretty decent mechanic, but I am not a welder or fabricator. I really like the vehicle, but I don't know if it is worth the effort or the expense.
Would you recommend even trying to save this truck, or should I give up on it?