76 rusty floor
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 353
Likes: 1
From: Sugar Land, TX
76 rusty floor
Still trying to stop interior water leakage, but if it can't be stopped what do you think about scraping away as much rust as possible, using rust inhibitor, painting with a rust inhibitor paint and laying fiberglass strips in the floor pans? Still need to dry out the carpet every time it gets wet, but my thinking is that it will stop further corrision. What's your thoughts?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by original76
Still trying to stop interior water leakage, but if it can't be stopped what do you think about scraping away as much rust as possible, using rust inhibitor, painting with a rust inhibitor paint and laying fiberglass strips in the floor pans? Still need to dry out the carpet every time it gets wet, but my thinking is that it will stop further corrision. What's your thoughts?
if the floor is weak cut it out and weld in a new peice....i don't see any advantage to adding fiberglass to a good floor....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,577
Likes: 2
From: Long Island New York
I would try to find where the water is coming in first of all. I would look at the windshield frame, weatherstrips, and check the cowl area under the hood. Look at where the wiper arm assembly mount to the cowl, sometimes the sealant around them dry out and water can get in through there. Check all your firewall grommets as well to make sure they are not leaking or missing altogether. As for the floor, I would pull the carpet, grind the floor down with a wire wheel to get all of the rust up that you can. Next I would repair any damaged areas that are rusted through, and then cover it with POR15. I would not put carpeting back in until I solved the leakage problem first though.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,135
Likes: 71
From: Umeå Sweden
if you fiberglass over the rusty holes in the floor water will get stuck
beetween and its gonna rust more,cut out the bad pieces and weld in some fresh material.
But as said you must find where the water comes in also.
beetween and its gonna rust more,cut out the bad pieces and weld in some fresh material.
But as said you must find where the water comes in also.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,720
Likes: 12
From: Chattanooga TN
Originally Posted by CA-Legal-Vette
Painfull as it might be, you're better off solving the problem first. The rusty pan, though not trivial, is just a symptom.
you have to solve the water leak before you work on the floor or it won't do much good.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,987
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From: Manchester, Dead Center in the Middle of TN 25 miles to Jack Daniels,10 miles to Geo Dickle, and .8 mile from the Liquor Store at I-24 Exit 114
St. Jude Donor '05
There should be a book written called C-3 Corvette Water Leaks 101.
Yes, you should fix the problem first.
Where is you water coming in at? Is it front or rear?
Yes, you should fix the problem first.
Where is you water coming in at? Is it front or rear?
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Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
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From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
water diverter - likely culprit
Originally Posted by CA-Legal-Vette
Painfull as it might be, you're better off solving the problem first. The rusty pan, though not trivial, is just a symptom.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by ruby76
Make sure you have the "water diverters" in place. My 76 had rusty floorboards too, and it was cause I was missing the water diverters. they are triangular and fit at back end of sill plate. The rear edge has rubber that divers water from door jam away from interrior. that would bee my first bet. they don't look like they do anything, but I was washing the car once and opened the door to retrieve something from interrior and noticed.
where are these located? do you have a picture? is this like weather stripping ? i'm pretty sure i don't have these....and would like to get them...thks bob
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
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From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
water diverter - ecklers
not that you should or shouldn't buy from ecklers, but they have pictures. Type "water diverter" in the keyword search at www.ecklers.com to see pics. The part with holes in it go under the back edge (near rear tires) of the sill plate when the door is open. All you would see is the triangle (wide part to interrior, pointy part towards the outside of the door. Rubber side towards the rear tires.
Otherwise, no I don't have pictures.
Otherwise, no I don't have pictures.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by ruby76
not that you should or shouldn't buy from ecklers, but they have pictures. Type "water diverter" in the keyword search at www.ecklers.com to see pics. The part with holes in it go under the back edge (near rear tires) of the sill plate when the door is open. All you would see is the triangle (wide part to interrior, pointy part towards the outside of the door. Rubber side towards the rear tires.
Otherwise, no I don't have pictures.
Otherwise, no I don't have pictures.
i wonder if i have these?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Originally Posted by PROSOUTH
There should be a book written called C-3 Corvette Water Leaks 101.
