sambeaux

removed interior seats, dash, carpet, etc...saw that someone put road signs on the pans where the feet rest. short of buying complete new floor pans totalling over $500 I am asking if I can just fiberglass over the holes and put undercoat spray underneath the body. or would a better fix be to put some sort of screen over the holes and bondo over that then fiberglass? or is their a better alternative other than replacing the entire foor pan? any help would be much appreciated.

thanks
sambeaux

Vette Gator

Road signs under the carpet. I thought I had heard it all, but this is too much!

You have several options here and you've already suggested some possibilities using fiberglass. The first order of business is to figure out exactly where and how extensive the rust problem is. Next, can you MIG weld or have MIG welding done without too much trouble and/or expense? If the problem is in the middle of the flat part, it's not so difficult to cut out the bad area, grind down to clean, bare metal, then MIG in a piece of sheet metal in its place. I am not sure what the OEM thickness was, but the replacement pans are 0.050" galvanized steel. If the bad area extends into corners or into curved regions, fabbing the replacement sheet metal is more trouble, but do-able with the right equipment. If the bad area goes clear across a floor pan or along most of the length, you may be looking at a candidate for complete replacement (this was my situation and I'm nearing the end of this job right now).

One point to consider if you go the fiberglass route. If the bad section includes parts of the seat or seatbelt mounting areas, you need to do a very good job of matching to the original pan dimensions and contours, otherwise, this stuff won't fit back in correctly after you've done the repair (my car was exhibit 1A for this problem as a result of a former owner's pathetic fiberglass "repair" job). This is not an issue if you just have to work in the area where your feet go, though

sambeaux

thanks for the info. I believe i have enough room to cut the bad area out and weld steel sheeting over the pan. im trying to do this vette right the first time so i wont be reworking anything on it. thanks a bunches for the info. By the way, im a gator fan in Mississippi. Go Gators....

bobs77vet

i cut my rusted areas out and hand fabricated new patch panels and welded them in place.....even the compound curves are "do able" if you take your time and think about it.....

Nowhere Man

if you want to do it "right" then don't even think about using fiberglass or bondo to repair rust

Vette Gator

Glad to help. There's nothing like hearing from someone who has been down the same road already. I've benefited tremendously from hearing people's experiences before starting my projects. In fact, my very first post dealt with exactly the same subject as yours!

I'm guessing that being a Gator fan in Mississippi is not too popular with all of your neighbors.

Vette Gator

I didn't mean to imply that it couldn't be done, just that it's more involved than dropping in a piece of sheet metal to fix a flat area. I don't have access to an English wheel, but if I could have used one, I probably would have been able to fab replacement parts myself.

sambeaux

Thanks to all of your advise..Your advise has convinced me to use sheet metal instead of the bubba fix with bondo.....My efforts so far have been to do it right and not have to go back and redo. Ive already replaced the brake calipers with stainless sleeved pistons and installed stainless brake lines all the way around. my first of many efforts to make my vette more enjoyable to drive when its done than to keep rebuilding it....

Hey Vette Gator. Most of my neighbors are LSU fans so they dont mind too much

bobs77vet

i did it by cutting and folding the flat steel and then add extra pieces where necessary to cover the holes, and then grind away....

Vette Gator

Yeah, they've had a lot to be happy about for the past couple of fall Saturdays when it comes to the Gators...