When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Thanks I surely don’t want any incidents involving fuel which is another problem with this car.
i am closer to actually putting some product on these floors but as usual I have questions before I start:
1 I ground down all the areas with 50 grit and plan on going over it again to make sure I did not miss anything,
i gave a border of about an inch. The crack I will dremel into more of a V shape. After grinding and vacuuming,
should I wipe down the area with mineral spirits?
2 I have mat and cloth, current plan is 2-3 layers of mat on each side, then a finish layer of cloth each side.
planning on starting with the inside with a carefully shaped piece of cardboard with wax paper glued to it
and taped well to the underside to be removed when first application has cured.
3 how long to wait between layers of mat?
please let me know if my plan is good or not!
thanks
matt
Last edited by Matt Pegis; 11-24-2017 at 12:37 PM.
Reason: Autocorrect crap
1 I ground down all the areas with 50 grit and plan on going over it again to make sure I did not miss anything,
i gave a border of about an inch. The crack I will dremel into more of a V shape. After grinding and vacuuming,
should I wipe down the area with mineral spirits?
Take your grinding out a bit further than one inch. Go to at least two inches.
DO NOT use mineral spirits on your SMC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...if anything ..use acetone but watch out for the vapors. So apply common sense to the max..such as NO SPARKS OR IGNITION SOURCES where you are doing this....OR....possibly your can go KABOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!PROPER VENTILATION a must!!
2 I have mat and cloth, current plan is 2-3 layers of mat on each side, then a finish layer of cloth each side.
planning on starting with the inside with a carefully shaped piece of cardboard with wax paper glued to it
and taped well to the underside to be removed when first application has cured.[/QUOTE]
I would apply no less than three layers of ounce and half matt...and then apply the cloth on top of it to finish it out.
IF you are using the WEST SYSTEMS (resin pt#105 and the hardener pt# 206)...put it in you house to get it warm so it is more liquid. IF it is cold...it will be a beotch to apply it.
Now..obviously you can do what you want and how you want it but take the time to look at this thread carefully. I show and explain many repairs that do fall into what you are doing...even though it is not exactly the same...I know you can see the relevance.
In regards laminating..you can do all four layers at one time...but understand that you do not want to soak it down and have your mat floating in resin...that is NOT the point. SO..depending on what method you choose to use. I know if it were me. I would thoroughly clean off the under side and get my masking tape to stick. IF I criss-crossed the tape and made it so it was stiff and rigid so I could apply the mat and resin..I would go in and laminate it up at one time. IF I applied a piece of cardboard on top of the tape I had previously applied to give the tape some support I would do that ...if needed.
AS you saw...sometimes I apply one if not two layers and stop and then come in the next day...prep that area ll over again and apply more mat and resin. And IF I prepped the areas correctly as you can see in my photos of the link above...I would not need to do a lot to get the underside looking good with Vette Panel Adhesive so you could not tell it was repaired.
Thanks for the most useful answers, the thread you referred to is excellent, in my lone of work the older the equipment,
‘the more desirable it is. nice to see a part of racing history being fixed the right way. I will do the floor tomorrow after I get some acetone and some small supplies.
Did some more grinding, wiped both sides with acetone, took a hard look and decided to split the three problems into two
and do one today and one tomorrow. Mixed up some West epoxy, I’m using 205 instead of 206 and it is around 75 degrees in the garage. Laid three layers of mat and a larger span of cloth covering and overlapping both small repairs.
I will post a picture at the end as adding text after a picture does not work so well here. Of course I have questions:
1. How long before pulling tape on opposite side?
2. Do I add the same amount of layers on the underside?
3. I did the repair at noon, can I start grinding in the general area tomorrow morning?
The next day is fine (24 hours)...depending if you correctly mixed up the resin and hardener.
Originally Posted by Matt Pegis
2. Do I add the same amount of layers on the underside?
If you looked at the thread I provided...you can see I do not apply any mat/resin on the underside. IF it is applied correctly on the inside..the underside is not needing mat and resin....hence...why I mentioned a 2 inch grind away from holes or cracks. But do what you feel good about.
If you do that then your floorboards is twice as thick as what GM made...and would be really fun to make it so no one could tell it was damage which I though was one of your concerns.
Originally Posted by Matt Pegis
3. I did the repair at noon, can I start grinding in the general area tomorrow morning?
Possibly you can...but no need to rush it and make you have to possible start over or ruin what you already applied. You need to check it with your grinder and see how it is grinding.
I do not use the 205 hardener..I always use the 206 because I want it to take its time to cure and not rush it...so it may be ready for grinding.
The next day is fine (24 hours)...depending if you correctly mixed up the resin and hardener.
If you looked at the thread I provided...you can see I do not apply any mat/resin on the underside. IF it is applied correctly on the inside..the underside is not needing mat and resin....hence...why I mentioned a 2 inch grind away from holes or cracks. But do what you feel good about.
If you do that then your floorboards is twice as thick as what GM made...and would be really fun to make it so no one could tell it was damage which I though was one of your concerns.
Possibly you can...but no need to rush it and make you have to possible start over or ruin what you already applied. You need to check it with your grinder and see how it is grinding.
I do not use the 205 hardener..I always use the 206 because I want it to take its time to cure and not rush it...so it may be ready for grinding.
DUB
i asked as in my “plan” I mentioned doing both sides and I did not see both sides in your thread so I thought I would be specific and find out, which I did thanks to you. The batch I mixed was sticky for 6-7 hours and just now 8 hours later
it is getting hard. I want to do this well so I don’t need to do it again anytime soon. I am not exactly young anymore and the contortionist stuff is hard on my back! If done correctly, should there be much flex in the floor? Not going to try until tomorrow afternoon but if I need to put more on, now is the time. I also need to consider what kind of a topcoat the floor should get, and some kind of insulating heat shield.
a bought a used louver panel(lower front fender) from a member in the classifieds and it is in nice shape, gloss black,
how much do I need to strip off it or can it be lightly sanded and reshot the correct color?
If done correctly, should there be much flex in the floor?
If you do it correctly it should be equal to the other side....if not better. (stronger)...depending on how you laminated it.
Originally Posted by Matt Pegis
Not going to try until tomorrow afternoon but if I need to put more on, now is the time. I also need to consider what kind of a topcoat the floor should get, and some kind of insulating heat shield.
You can use some of the heat barrier material on the inside. IF your carper is still the facotry style 'mass-backed' carpet that has that really thick rubber made into it...that is actually the sound deadener. IF your floor board carpets do NOT have that mass backing..then you might want to invest in some sound deadening material.
Originally Posted by Matt Pegis
a bought a used louver panel(lower front fender) from a member in the classifieds and it is in nice shape, gloss black,
how much do I need to strip off it or can it be lightly sanded and reshot the correct color?
as always thanks for the help.
matt
It all depends on the condition of the lower fender. Using the factory paint is quite acceptable if it is in good condition. I can say that if it looks like it has been painted on AFTER the facotry painted it...I would strip it off.
I did the big hole today, that was a lot harder then yesterday, there is definitely an art to using tape and cardboard
and a ratio of difficulty vs the size of the hole. Wound up setting up twice but got it done, it may need some cleanup
but I won’t know until I pull the tape tomorrow. I’ll post a picture then, any idea what would be a good undercoating to use?
Ugh, thought I was home free until I decided I should pull the drivers side carpet, it is worse by far.
someone decided to fix it with fiberglass and what looks like a combo of liquid nails and roofing tar.
this is going to take awhile.
I can say that when you are properly pumping the resin and hardener out of the containers.
If you pump 5 pumps of each. You better mix it and have all of your mat ready and begin to apply it. The larger the volume of this resin...just like any resin...begins to build up internal heat due to it is catalyzing. And the larger the volume you have in your container....the FASTER it can set up.
I also know all to well that if mixing a large batch ...you better be hauling @ss. This is why I prefer to do.... at the most....3 pumps of each so I can control it and just keep mixing up new batches as I go along.
I definitely noticed that, on the small cracks/holes I used three pumps of each, plenty of work time.
on the big giant hole I used 6 of each and I did have to move faster and noticed both the floor and the container
starting to warm at the end of the batch. I killed an entire pack of grinding disks on the passenger side, I’m guessing it will take two for the drivers side. Is there supposed to be a piece of aluminum riveted to the flat area of the floorboards on
the drivers side?
Yes...for the drivers side...I believe GM put an almost 90 degree bent piece of aluminum at the front bottom curve of the floor boards where it starts to go upwards... so if anything hits is...it gives it strength.
GM also...if my memory serves me correctly... applied an adhesive along with the rivets to make that area really strong and hold on the shield.
I know you can find those shields used if needed...unless you want to try to make your own. I have gotten them used before.
It is still present, but kind of beat up and covered in undercoating. The inside work turned out to be not so bad, i
tried grinding the liquid nails and that was going to take forever, I thought about it then wacked the floorboard with a rubber mallet from underneath and the whole patch popped out. Of course I then spent a few hours grinding off a buttload of
very hard undercoating so it evened out. First patch on drivers side is done, needed to stabilize most of the floor before I tackle the curved footwell part which is at least present, albeit damaged, unlike the passengers side which was just not there.
matt
Last edited by Matt Pegis; 11-28-2017 at 10:25 PM.
Reason: Typos
I hate it that oyu do not stop and ask what to do if you have undercoating or 'liquid nails' giving you a fit. There are 'tricks' to getting that stuff of and not killing yourself trying to grind it all off.
Well thankfully I did not spend a lot of time on the liquid nails, and I have barely scratched the surface of the undercoating
removal so any suggestions on better ways to do it, would be a big help. I do not think the metal on the drivers side that is riveted and bonded to the floor is reusable. I will try to find another one if you think it is important to have. I do not know
what undercoating was used on the attempted floor patch, all I know is it is very hard to remove. If I knew what solvent it might make it easier.
getting frustrated on the paint end of things, I can’t afford what the going rate is around here so I will need to find someone
who does it on the side or moonlights for extra money. Trouble is the last couple I talked to, made appointments and didnt
show up. I will keep looking, it isn’t paint or body related but the rest is coming along nicely, transmission is modified and done, engine is modified and almost done, structural repairs to the floor will be done tomorrow but not pretty yet. Need to get the car on the ground so I can fix the brakes which have some rust issues from to much sitting.
my to do list is getting smaller, things I am not sure of still:
heater core doability
should i dissassemble the car further( remove front and rear bumper covers) and try to fix and strip those?
i suspect these made need more skilled hands than mine to come out right.
still need small seat parts(the infamous white connectors). I will post a picture tomorrow
figure out how to Hotwire fuel pump to drain the several year old gas
To remove the undercoating, liquid nails and get the factory bonding adhesive to release and come off...you have to use a heat gun and get it hot.
Then with extreme care ( because it is a flammable liquid)...you can use automotive grade lacquer thinner and scrub off any remaining residue of the undercoating.
The heater core is going to be a serious task...that is for sure.
AS for taking more of the car apart..it is hard for me to say 'yes' or 'no'...because each painter has their way of doing this in regards sot how much you plan on paying for the jiob itself.
As my picture taking skills are dubious at best, here are two dirrerent angles, there are two sections, each with some kind of connector, which has failed, maybe lumbar related?
If it does not work..are you planning on getting it to work???
I am aware of the connector that joins the hoses together.
And I would bet that the air bladder in the seat back is more than likely cracked and will not hold air or inflate....but you can try to see if it does hold air.
You can buy some parts that can get this to work. Here is one of them.
11-23-2017, 05:19 PM
