tail pan for 57 9 passenger wagon

[57barnwagon]

What remedies are there for the obvious water and dust trap between the tail pan and cover?
The surface below the cover is covered with rusted pock marks from the trapped water and dust. I have the new cover yet am hesitant to re-weld it over this surface without first finding a way to make it water/dust proof or at least very resistant.

[WagonCrazy]

Im not sure if you can order a repop tailpiece like that, but looking at your pics...it seems like with some sheetmetal bending tools...you could make a new one and cut that center piece out and replace it.

[Custer55]

Clean it up and remove / repair any rust that is there. Then give a good coat of epoxy primer or similar. Using a brush works well to get it in all the nooks an crannies. If your like most of us the car will never be driven in the rain (or rarely driven in the rain). I rarely even wash my car with water. In case you do get the car wet make sure there is drain holes for any water to get out.
Rust should never be an issue again if you don't drive on dirt roads or in the rain very often and never in snow.
😎