I just finished removing the carpet from my "77" and the floor pans on both sides are rusted. I'm surprised my feet didn't go through. What are some options for fixing them? Thanks for the help. Gary

 

The '77 has metal floor pans, obviously from the rust, so you have two options. You can find a donor car with good floor pans, cut them out, and have them welded in, or you can have a set of pans fabricated to fit in your car, where the rusted portions are cut out.

 

how bad are they rusted? all over or just in spots that can be cut and welded back. You can also buy new ones but they are about 250 bucks each!

 

the passenger side has only a quarter size hole but the driver side has a crack along the right side about 8 inches long. I can see the ground. What do you think?

 

If it was me I would replace them both. Or if its ok for now just cut out the rusted spots and weld in a patch until you have time to take it all apart. Check carefully all around the perimeter and make sure it not rusting through anywhere else first.

 

The cheap permanant fix is clean them up and fiberglass them in. Never worry about rust again. Use a brushwheel to get most of it off, vacuume it clean, treat it with Phosphoric Etcher (home Depot $6)
wash it clean, let it dry and glass it in. 2 layers top and bottom, $30 total and you will have material left over.

 

Clean them up. Cut out the bad sections and weld new patches in. Then cover the whole thing with POR15 and don't worry about it.

 

My .02:

What you didn't say was what the car means to you, if anything. If you have some attachment to the car and plan to keep it, then if it were me, I would fix it right. If you want to just drive it some more and then plan to off the car, then patch it but make it safe. Note though that when someone comes to look at it if they have an experienced eye they will run away from a patch job.

A set of pans is over $500 not counting labor. If you have the interior out the job is partially done already. But, it's your car so do what you are comfortable with and can afford. It is a dirty labor intensive job, but there are worse repairs.

Drill out spot welds and cut tunnel (Sawzall is a big help or plasma cutter) after marking with replacement pan.





Test fit new pan then mark and cut with sawzall or plasma cutter.



Tack new pan into position. Don't weld for too long in one spot to allow heat to dissappate and prevent warping.



Check fit from below also to make sure it is seated correctly and everything clears:



Work your way around and add some more tack welds. Easiest way is to dril some 1/4" holes in the new pan and fill the holes with weld creating your own spot welds.

Then spread seamsealer all around both outside and inside:





Drill a couple holes in the front and rivet the pan to the fiberglass toeboard. You can then cover with either a little fiberglass patch or more seamsealer. Prime and paint. Will last longer than the both of us.