New floor pans or patch 'em up
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Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Lima, Ohio
New floor pans or patch 'em up
So some expert opinions would be nice but I'm pretty sure I know that I cannot JB Weld pieces of metal to these things but just in case.....
What would you do?
What would you do?
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,753
Likes: 721
From: Lafayette Louisiana
on my 76, I did the following...
on my 76, I had a few rust thru's similar to yours. I just cleaned up the rust, painted the metal and then fiberglassed the whole floor pan on the inside. Tape the holes on the outside to contain the fiberglass resin and glue in a number of sections of fiberglass cloth (stronger and you are not worried about it showing since it will be under the carpet. So you are basically using the metal pan as your mold for your new fiberglass floorpan (just do not remove the mold, ha!). Pre 76 was all fiberglass floorpans. Worked great and easy fix.
Hope this might help.
Hope this might help.
Last edited by 20mercury; Mar 24, 2015 at 12:53 AM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 70
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From: Lima, Ohio
Got me curious
Thanks for the reply.
I find it hard to believe that fiberglass will hold better than a piece of metal.
Irregardless, how smooth was your metal before laying down the fiberglass (I thought your surface had to be very smooth in order to work out a lot of the bubbles for better adhesion), how big of an area did you cover, how many layers do you recommend and did you do anything underneath afterwards?
Again thanks a buncho
I don't guess you happen to have a couple pics??
I find it hard to believe that fiberglass will hold better than a piece of metal.
Irregardless, how smooth was your metal before laying down the fiberglass (I thought your surface had to be very smooth in order to work out a lot of the bubbles for better adhesion), how big of an area did you cover, how many layers do you recommend and did you do anything underneath afterwards?
Again thanks a buncho
I don't guess you happen to have a couple pics??
on my 76, I had a few rust thru's similar to yours. I just cleaned up the rust, painted the metal and then fiberglassed the whole floor pan on the inside. Tape the holes on the outside to contain the fiberglass resin and glue in a number of sections of fiberglass cloth (stronger and you are not worried about it showing since it will be under the carpet. So you are basically using the metal pan as your mold for your new fiberglass floorpan (just do not remove the mold, ha!). Pre 76 was all fiberglass floorpans. Worked great and easy fix.
Hope this might help.
Hope this might help.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,453
Likes: 88
From: Easton Pennsylvania
The right way would be to just replace the floorpans with new ones. They are spotwelded on except where they meet the firewall where it it riveted on. And then the all the seams are sealed with seem sealer.
Team Owner
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Last edited by Easy Mike; Mar 24, 2015 at 08:25 AM.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,753
Likes: 721
From: Lafayette Louisiana
My experience...
Thanks for the reply.
I find it hard to believe that fiberglass will hold better than a piece of metal.
I hear you, and generally I vote for stout too, but pre 76 was all fiberglass, not sure of thickness, maybe 1/4"?? I think you already have metal there too, so you really end up with a composite piece this way. Mine do not flex BTW.
Irregardless, how smooth was your metal before laying down the fiberglass (I thought your surface had to be very smooth in order to work out a lot of the bubbles for better adhesion), how big of an area did you cover, how many layers do you recommend and did you do anything underneath afterwards?
I would guess rough might be better than smooth for this to get a good "bite" adhesion. I wire brushed the metal and washed with Dawn to try to make sure I had a clean metal surface. I fiberglassed in the whole floor pan area on the interior. Not sure how many layers, I want to remember about 4 layers of fiberglass cloth in maybe a couple of exercises with roughing up the surface in between. Underneath I painted, POR 15 would be best, but I used Walmart derusto! I would tape it up underneath to prevent resin from dripping out. Also you want to either dob the air bubbles out with a brush or they make a little roller for this purpose too.
Again thanks a buncho
I don't guess you happen to have a couple pics??
I find it hard to believe that fiberglass will hold better than a piece of metal.
I hear you, and generally I vote for stout too, but pre 76 was all fiberglass, not sure of thickness, maybe 1/4"?? I think you already have metal there too, so you really end up with a composite piece this way. Mine do not flex BTW.
Irregardless, how smooth was your metal before laying down the fiberglass (I thought your surface had to be very smooth in order to work out a lot of the bubbles for better adhesion), how big of an area did you cover, how many layers do you recommend and did you do anything underneath afterwards?
I would guess rough might be better than smooth for this to get a good "bite" adhesion. I wire brushed the metal and washed with Dawn to try to make sure I had a clean metal surface. I fiberglassed in the whole floor pan area on the interior. Not sure how many layers, I want to remember about 4 layers of fiberglass cloth in maybe a couple of exercises with roughing up the surface in between. Underneath I painted, POR 15 would be best, but I used Walmart derusto! I would tape it up underneath to prevent resin from dripping out. Also you want to either dob the air bubbles out with a brush or they make a little roller for this purpose too.
Again thanks a buncho
I don't guess you happen to have a couple pics??
Best of luck and hope this helps, lots of ways to do things that work just fine, just this way worked well for me. Hard to tell if the area where your seat bolts is good or not, pre 76 had a metal backer plate riveted underneath the fiberglass floorpan for your seat hold down bolts to fasten too.
Last edited by 20mercury; Mar 24, 2015 at 11:36 AM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 70
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From: Lima, Ohio
Could you pull the seats and carpet out??
JK
Anywho yes it does help
Ima guessing Ima leaning towards the fiberglass. Cheaper by far.
I also am guessing its alright to cover way more than just the floor pan area. Im thinking of going a few inches up the tranny tunnel, firewall and whatever you call the piece directly behind the seats that almost go straight up vertically.
BTW the metal backer plate is still there and holding fast.
Anywho yes it does help
Ima guessing Ima leaning towards the fiberglass. Cheaper by far.
I also am guessing its alright to cover way more than just the floor pan area. Im thinking of going a few inches up the tranny tunnel, firewall and whatever you call the piece directly behind the seats that almost go straight up vertically.
BTW the metal backer plate is still there and holding fast.
Sorry both I did are under carpet now.
Best of luck and hope this helps, lots of ways to do things that work just fine, just this way worked well for me. Hard to tell if the area where your seat bolts is good or not, pre 76 had a metal backer plate riveted underneath the fiberglass floorpan for your seat hold down bolts to fasten too.
Best of luck and hope this helps, lots of ways to do things that work just fine, just this way worked well for me. Hard to tell if the area where your seat bolts is good or not, pre 76 had a metal backer plate riveted underneath the fiberglass floorpan for your seat hold down bolts to fasten too.