So I had some road debris smack my floor pan at about 35mph the other day on my 08 base C6. I suspect I'll need to patch it from both sides, but wasn't sure whether I should use standard fiberglass weave/resin, or whether the floor is some other material that would require use of something special/particular.

Does anyone have any advice on how to properly fix the crack, and what patch materials I should be using? I'll try to snap a pic, although it will be tough to get a good angle until I get it on a lift... in the meantime, any advice would be very much appreciated!

 

Not sure how to patch. But it is fiberglass both sides with Balsa wood in middle.

Boat supply for fiberglass and resin is where id start to repair (DIY)

 

Above appears to be correct esp. balsa in between. If it were me and I wanted to do this, I'd contact a couple of body shops who do Corvettes and just ask them for some quick advice. I'm sure they'd give it over the phone. And using a couple will cross-check the advice of the first one.

 

I stand partially corrected: == BALSA

Corvette converts floor panels, wheelhousings from glass to chopped carbon


Author: Staff
Posted on: 12/1/2005
Source: Composites Technology
Click Image to Enlarge
Corvette floor panels
The floor panel (#23), as manufactured by Molded Fiber Glass, attached to the frame, on display at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show. Source: Austen Van Otten
2006 Corvette Z06
The 2006 Corvette Z06. Source: GM
Since 1953, General Motor's Chevrolet Corvette has been a trendsetter in glass-reinforced automotive composites and has served as the test bed for many GM innovations. Recently, those innovations have included carbon fiber-reinforced body parts. The first was a carbon-fiber prepreg hood for Corvette's 2004 LeMans Commemorative Edition Z06 — also the first attempt by a U.S. automaker to produce an exterior body panel from an autoclaved carbon composite (see "Editor's Picks," at right). More recently, Corvette engineers developed front fenders for the 2006 Corvette Z06, using similar technology (see "Editor's Picks," at right). The successful hood and fender programs inspired GM to attempt the use of carbon elsewhere in the Z06.

Prior to the 2006 model year, Molded Fiber Glass Cos. (MFG, Ashtabula, Ohio) manufactured Corvette floor panels using a sandwich construction that featured end-grain balsa core, machined to shape and supplied by Alcan Baltek Corp. (Northvale, N.J.), between facesheets of Owens-Corning's (Toledo, Ohio) M8610 glass mat, wet out with resin supplied by Ashland Inc. (Dublin, Ohio) at a 20 percent fiber loading. Nominal part thickness was 1.25 mm/0.049 inch, with a mass of 4.54 kg/10.0 lb.

Since the floor panel design carries most of its mass in its facesheets, MFG

 

Thanks guys... I'll ask around a bit. May just send it to somebody, but I generally DIY most of my projects, so figured I'd look into the process a bit to see if it's something I'm comfortable with.

 

I had a similar situation happen about 3 years ago. Only the bottom of the panel was broken/ shattered. I used gray silicone caulk and a putty knife to level and smooth the patched area. The color matched almost perfectly. My main goal was to seal out any water/moisture that may get inside the balsawood laminated panel.

 

Just FYI...that damage is covered under your insurance COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE..usually no deductible, and no fault.

 

I agree. But if I were going to do it myself, I would use epoxy to fill the crack and be done.

 

If your going to glass it I'd be sure to use epoxy resin over poly resins. Check out uscomposites, they have everything you need.

 

Just called my insurance company, who said there's still a deducible since it's comprehensive and not collision (and somebody else's fault). That said, if anyone has experience with an insurance company that covers problems like this with no deductible, please let me know. I'm happy to switch if I'm better covered.

 

Ok... good news I think. Found a pan on ebay that claimed to be for both C5/C6 and didn't resemble the damaged area, so went out to look at the shape of the pan... it looks like the floor pan itself is fine! Wasn't really sure what I was looking at before, but it's the hydroformed cover immediately behind the floor pan that took the damage. Looks like it's there to protect the gas tank? Provided that's all it does, I'm thinking I really don't care unless someone has a reason I should.

 

If it's the cover that's under the fuel tank you can unbolt it and remove it from the car. From that point you could repair it or find a replacement one and simply bolt it back into place and save yourself some money provided you have a place to do it.