So I finally decided to pull the carpet up and see how much rust there was under my carpet. It's one of those things where I kinda didn't want to know, not happy by what I found, but glad to know it's gonna get fixed.


I pulled out the carpet (which was wet, and I've never driven it in the rain, so water is leaking in from somewhere), and then pulled up the insulation, to which most of the floor pan metal (rust chunks) came out stuck to it.


I vacuumed out the rest of the loose bits, and scraped up anything else that would come loose.


For now (and it might be Bubba, but I can't afford a proper metal floor-pan replacement at the moment), I'm going to go with a fiberglass patch job. I'll use a rust converter on the steel that's left, and glass in the pan.


I've had experience with fiberglass work, so I'm good there, but what rust converter do you guys recommend? I know some can have a strong odor even long after it's dried, and I certainly don't want that stink in the cabin, especially when it heats up.


Does anyone else have any good photos of their patch jobs, tips, tricks, or advice? (I know doing it RIGHT and properly replacing the floor pan is the BEST advice, and I will do that later down the road, but for now, it's going to be a patch job.) This is just the driver's side so far. I'm sure passenger side is worse, since the floor (or lack thereof) is soft and there is insulation hanging down under the undercarriage.


I already glassed in the seatbelt well, although I totally bricked on putting down the rust converter first. I'll have to just Bubba the underside real good with undercoating. That'll all be remedied when I eventually do the full floor pan replacement.


Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

Your approach is a reasonable one. Just make sure you also put rust converter on the metal underneath. It wouldn't hurt to put a layer of glass underneath, also.

The wet carpet is likely due to water from the underside soaking in from below. There are "holes" in the floorboard, you know.

 

I'm in the same boat. Debating a patch job for now so I can get back on the road. Good luck and keep us updated. I'm definitely interested to see how it goes.

 

OK...my head is spinning like a top.

The reason is this. IF you plan on doing it RIGHT later on...and that 'later on' is yet to be determined.

it will depend on how much time and money you want to put into something you are going to replace. Because anything you do...is going to be a waste of time and money....and ripped out later. So if you want to put fiberglass resin and mat there...go for it...but it will not adhere...if will come off in time....which is why I am letting you know that it will only work for a short time.

So...now knowing why my head is spinning.....I would suggest this and this will work for a good long time. BUT it does DEPEND on you and your attention to the correct prep procedures of the method I am going to describe. If you side-step the procedures...then expect failure .

I use POR-15 and their MARINE CLEAN and ACID ETCH. I follow their instructions to the letter. With the rust being this bad..I would really make sure you do your very best in getting as much of the scale to come off either by grinding it or I would use my sand blaster...and a comprehensive masking job to capture and protect other areas of the interior form the sand. Wire wheeling it can work also

After getting the area CLEAN and POR-15 when the acid etch has been applied. I would go on the underside and verify if it is badly rusted. If it is...clean it good enough so you can get duct tape to stick really good so your holes are sealed up.

Tape off all your holes from the underside. Then I would take the POR-15 and fiberglass CLOTH... and in a cookie sheet...I would soak my PRE-CUT piece of fiberglass cloth that I checked to make sure it will go where I want it. Once it has been soaked..I would lay down a light coat of the POR-15 in the area to be covered..and then apply the cloth. Then I would do the same with another piece of cloth and maybe go as many as three pieces of cloth. Then with a paint brush...I would make sure I got the cloth to lay down like I want and If I have to put relief cuts in it so it will lay down ...I would.

I am NOT trying to have the cloth floating in the POR-15. But I do want some there. When it dries...it will rock up like crazy...and if your prep was done correctly...the POR-15 will stick to the metal...which is why you want to make sure you get off as much scale as possible.

If your underside needs some attention..then the next day...prep and apply the POR-15 to help it.

DUB

 

Take out a small loan and get the job done in metal right.

 

you can buy replacement floor pans!

 

Thanks. As I said, I KNOW the RIGHT way to do it... I also do not have $500 to drop on floor pans right now. I also do not have access to a welder or the welding experience to handle that myself with confidence, so that would cost $$$??? to have the work done also.
I DO however, have plenty of fiberglass cloth, resin, hardener, and POR15 in my "garage stock" right now, and I can do it myself... so a patch job costs me nothing but a little time.
I'm doing a patch job to stay on the road the rest of the season and use the money I do have to keep her running reliably and safely.
DUB- Thank you for the helpful advice, and "later on" is probably next year. Question, just to clarify... you're describing soaking the fiberglass cloth in POR15 instead of resin/hardener? That works?


I got home from work yesterday and my father-in-law (I guess he was bored) had already wire-wheeled the floor pan and put down a coat of POR15. I would have preferred he waited for me to decide the best way to approach things... we had a brief discussion about that. I know he was trying to help, and I appreciate it, but at least give me a call at work and say, "Hey... mind if I jump in and help out with _____?" Anyway, I'll see how that cures up and will apply the fiberglass in the next few days.

 

I think you will find that the POR surface will be good to work with. You will have to rough-up the surface with some 100 grit paper or [manual] wire brush so that the resin can get a 'bite' into it.

Since the FIL is good at that stuff, have him do the underside, too!

 

YES...POR-15 gets really hard...and knowing if it was applied to a properly prepped metal...then it will stick much better than fiberglass resin. AND the fiberglass cloth will give you some strength. I KNOW for a FACT that this works.\

Depending on how much you slap down on the metal..you can go right in with the cloth on the metal with the POR-15 on it... and then add more POR-15 to get it to saturate due to the POR-15 is so thin.

You will be amazed on how stout it is when it dries.

DUB

 

He kinda screwed the pooch on this one.....I hope he used the MARINE CLEAN an ACID ETCH. If he went right in on the rusty metal....then it is what it is. You may have to grind at the POR-15 or find out from them what to do to it so you can apply more POR-15.

I WOULD NOT suggest you going in with fiberglass resin. But it is up to you. Polyester resin may not chemically or mechanically bond to the POR-15.

I WOULD apply more POR-15 and use your fiberglass cloth. Seeing how you already have POR-15...it has to be compatible with itself. It is the best way to get the cloth to bond....in my opinion.

DUB

 

Thanks DUB, when the rain here lets up, I'll have at it.


I put down two small test pieces of glass yesterday evening, one soaked in POR15, one with standard resin, both down on the dry POR15. I'll check them today to see how they bond to that surface.


Unfortunately, he did not use the marine clean or acid etch, but it does seem to be a very well-bonded coating. Of course I got the usual "FIL is never wrong" line of defense... "I've used this stuff for years and never used that other ****... you don't need it!" Yeah, I know.


Anyway, I hit a few areas with a small pry bar to try to chip up or disturb the coating, and it held up very well to quite a bit of intentional abuse. Seeing as how I'll replace the floor pans properly next year anyway, I hope it should hold up for 8-9 months. Again, this is just to keep my feet from falling through and water/debris coming up through the floor until then.

 

I hope you use the POR-15 and fiberglas cloth...and I would BET that you would be surprised on how stout this repair will be. I KNOW it is not right...but it will be solid as all get out....and definitely last until you go back in and put new floor pans in.

DUB

 

Just curious, what's so bad about fiberglassing the floor for long term? Didn't the earlier c3's have fiberglass floors? Is it just because it's fiberglassing over the shotty metal? Be easy on me lol I'm just curious and don't know much about this.

I'm interested to see how your project works out. Keep the pictures coming

 

Still pouring rain here in Jersey! Haven't gotten anywhere else with this yet. Unfortunately my car won't fit in my garage yet. Too much other crap in there, so I'm at the mercy of the weather for now.

 

Check out this thread and see some repairs...and go to post #50. It will clearly show what I am referring to....and notice the rust on the fiberglass.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-drag-car.html

Check out POST# 26...and it will clearly show what I mentioned about 'clean fiberglass' but it not being prepped correctly for an adhesive to stick to it.

DUB

 

Thanks for all the great info and insight. Very much appreciated.

 

5 STRAIGHT DAYS OF RAIN... I was off work for 3 of them... SON OF A &!+(#!!! I got things to do, dammit! ...Day#6 coming up....

 

I know the feeling, there have been many weeks where it would rain only on Saturday and Sunday when I was off from work and had looked forward to getting projects done.

 

Finished up my floor pan patch job. Wire-wheeled the remaining metal, and POR-15'd that. Then used a combo of POR-15 soaked fiberglass (mat sandwiched between cloth) and then fiberglass with resin for added stiffness on top of that. Good bond and hard as a rock. Thanks again to DUB for suggesting the POR15 soaked fiberglass.
Then I fabricated my own insulation using jute underlayment which I also had laying around cut to size/shape, and lined them front and back with Heavy-Duty Reynold's Wrap aluminum foil, stuck on with 3M adhesive spray. Came out great, but I forgot to take pictures!!!
It'll work for now. I never like to do anything half-assed, but I had all the material on hand, and this didn't cost me a penny. It did take me two weeks though, since the weather did not cooperate until the last few days.
Starting to reassemble the interior now, and go for a drive later! It's been off the road for 3 weeks total... I'm going through withdrawal!!!

 

Sounds like a satisfying temp patch job. But, remember that a main reason that GM went to a metal floor in the mid-70's was because the fiberglass floor couldn't handle the new exhaust/cat converter heat.
And, the reference to modifying metal seat belt restraining supports with fiberglass and thinking it would protect anything is worthy of Darwin - but, worry about innocent, trusting loved ones who you may let drive it someday. Or, if you're tempted to sell it luke that. Scary talk no matter what.