For a variety of reasons, I decided to not drive my 2003 Blazer into the ground and plan to do body work in the future. For now, to get through the winter, just planning to do some rust retardation -- wire brush and rust paint (maybe temporary fiberglass pugs to keep salt/snow out).

Anyhow, in the very front end of the passenger side rocker panel, I noticed a small chunk of grey foam -- the soft, spongy kind, not the hard spray-foam kind. Anyone know if that's oem and what the purpose is?

It's dead center in the orangey photo, far right in the other one. Kind of an orange peel texture.

 

I found some foam in the cavity between the inner and outer metal layers in front part of my rear wheel wells on my 4dr. Some water had gotten in there and the metal had corroded from the inside out. The first hint of trouble was the pin-hole in the fender that could be seen with the rear door open.

I suspect it is some sort of sound deadening. But for me, when it got wet, it facilitated rust forming.

These pics will show the extent of the rust damage. I did the fix with fiberglass and epoxy.


You can see the foam I pulled out on the running board. and on the ground.



This is the starting hole I had to patch.


I used rust inhibiting primer on the inner surfaces before I bonded the epoxy to the inside of the bare metal after which I covered the hole from the outside.



First filling with thickened epoxy.


First fairing of surface.


First coat of paint.


Two years later.