body and interior My Inside Rot Suggestions?

[Kineticz02]

Hey fellas I did some cleaning of the rust spots inside my interior and ultimately its really not that bad. the rust isnt on anything structural and I feel its not so bad that I have to get all new floor plans 

Do you think it would be a cheaper way to fix this by just cutting out the rust and welding in a new piece of metal? btw i took out the bar that goes across the whole width of the car so i can better clean this up.

 

any opinions will help thanks in advance!

 

Driver side rust

 

Passenger side rust

[jerry]

that is very fixable.  you did the right thing by removing the rear bench support first.  my suggestion is to make your patch panel FIRST before cutting out any metal.  i used old metal shelves for my material.  cheap and available for me.  old lockers and metal cabinets are perfect material.  you'll need to assess the area rearward where the subframe bolt is located.  if it is structurally sound then your repair is limited to the area shown.  you will need to save the mounted square bolt and its location to ensure that you reinstall it adequately.  work on one side at a time so that you have a reference.  i recommend that you butt weld the replacement pieces for a cleaner appearance that wont trap moisture like a lap weld.   use a flattened piece of copper pipe as a backing plate to minimize burn through during weld.  you'll have to tack weld the patches.  don't try to weld a continuous bead.  tack, tack, tack.....

good luck.  post photos of the process.

[Kineticz02]

the subframe bolts in the rear are not rusted like my floor pans. holds weight when used as a jack point. it is structurally sound. Thanks for the tips jerry

 

what gauge steel do i use for welding floor pans. 

the floor pan is not perfectly flat so I am trying to figure out how to make a patch panel with the right bends or do i go along as im tack welding? 

[jerry]

i don't know the actual gauge of sheet metal off-hand.  maybe 18-20 gauge.  don't bother getting thicker gauge thinking it'll be better.  try to get similar to the floorboards.

 

and make cardboard templates first to see the general progression of what's needed to make your actual patch.  with the ridges, you'll have to allow yourself extra material.  it'll take a few tries.  form your patch panel FIRST before welding.  make it fit the form as best as possible first.  it's okay to make your patch using more than one piece.  depending on how much care you take with welding and forming you could make the patch invisible when complete.  it's all up to you and your willingness to make mistakes and learn.

 

if you have a piece of flat metal barstock, you can clamp it in a heavy vise and use it as an anvil while beating your sheetstock over it with a body hammer to make your ridges.  if your metal crimps up, slice some slits into it which you can weld shut to form some tight bends.

[TobyB]

 

I am trying to figure out how to make a patch panel with the right bends

Start by trying to get the bends right before welding.  You CAN form as you go, but it

makes fitting harder, and if you end up being 1/2" short at the other end, there are

limited options to stretch it!

 

I like Jerry's cardboard method- I use cardstock, tape, and formers stood on end

to get the shape right.

 

If you can't get the bends right, just use multiple pieces.  It's not that much more welding,

and makes fitting a lot easier.

 

Good luck- that's odd that it rusted so badly there.  Bad window seals?

 

t

[JackF]

I put new pans in the 72 and spent a bit of time in the Eastwood catalog getting some tools that helped. When you start forming the metal leave a couple tabs and Cleco the tabs into the good metal you are leaving. The Cleo's will allow you to move it around and in and out to get the best fit up. Cut the tabs off as you go and weld them up. The copper pipe backing will make you a lot better at this. I took a piece of 1 1/2" x 6" and flattened it. Hold it or wedge it against the back of the seam. Find some nut who wants to help and have them hold it as you go. Give them plenty of beer before you start. They are more compliant then. The copper does minimize welding nightmares.

[Kineticz02]

wel i finally cut them out now i have to make my template.

I picked up 22 gauge metal but realized its thinner than the stock floor pans which are about 16 gauge.

so ill return it

 thanks for all the input from you seasoned veterans of the 2002. im going to make the template out of cardboard stock and probably weld 2 pieces together instead of one whole one. i want to do butt welds and do it right.

 

now im debating if i should buy a welder or just get someone to weld in the metal.. I cant justify buying a 400-500 welder for something like this.

 

here is a picture of the floor cut out already i only took one pic of the passenger floor pan i did both sides like this

 

 

red outlined where i planned on cutting

 

this is the actual cut i made

[wolf1971]

I got this to do floorpan repairs. http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html

Works fine once you get the power/wire speed set. When I did my repairs, I started out trying to only cut out the rusted metal, but quickly found my metalworking skill were wholly inadequate to shape such odd pieces in. My suggestion is to get as uniform a shape as you can cut out in order to minimize your issues getting the patch to fit. It may take a little more time on the front end, but your installation will be easier.

Also, watch out for the gas line that runs next to the passenger rail!

[Kineticz02]

Oh wow that's pretty cheap.

Thanks wolf .. those were pretty straight I have to clean them up still. Yeh I saw the gas line and I moved it lol!

[2joejoe2]

Remember to protect your glass before welding or grinding. I learned the hard way.

[LarsAlpina]

Hi,

 

I´d like to learn very much why your car is so rusted in exactly that area. Do you know any reason for it? Seems very untypical to me and have never seen it that way before. What about rust on the rest of car?

 

Regards, Lars.

[Kineticz02]

The PO said it was either due to the Sunroof seals or the door seals. He had the car sitting for almost 2 years that way so I do t know im just glad it wasn't on anything structural

[LarsAlpina]

THX for answer! Still looks quite strange to me.

 

At some time at PO maybe the battery was relocated under the rear seat (boiling over and acid leaking out of it)?

 

Regards, Lars.

[Kineticz02]

It's on both side lars. I checked the battery cables and they seem like they were original they really look old ha!

[LarsAlpina]

Learn something new every day. Saved your pictures as a new, previously unknown rust spot for 02.

 

Regards, Lars.