jcurrieirocz

ok guys tomorow im starting my 1st winter project on the roc. The carpet seats and console is coming out. I know how to get the seats out as i just put them in last summer. Ive had the console 1/2 out before so it shouldnt be too hard. I know my floor has a few ripe spots in it and theres a few patches going in it.

I need to know while i have all this out;
(Q#1) Is there any spots i should cheak out or reinforce while im at it???
(Q#2) Also what thinkness of metal should i use to weld over the holes.....im going to be useing a wirefeed welder with resin core (no gas).
I will be removing that factory sound deadner and spraying and laying in my own stuff myself.
(Q#3) Whats the cheaper version of dynomat i heard some people can buy at home depot type stores.
(q#4) Is there any tips or tricks you guys can think of that may make this project go smoother?

Thanks for your help I cant wait to get started
Jeff

Petes 84Z28

The drivers footwell takes the most abuse from salt (from your boots in winter). Be aware that GM used galvanized sheetmetal in many areas, so the patch contacting areas will have to be ground down to bare metal - do this outside or have lots of ventilation as the fumes are not good for you.
Underneath the car, the most rust-prone area is just behind the rocker panel where the front fender bolts on.

Pete

MechCD

Floor panels? I like to call mine carpet filtered ventilation ducts

Mine are the worse near the doors and towards the front wheels. I hate to say it, but I think a mudflap would take care of soem of the problem. Also, the plastic fender gaurds seem like they hide rust and hold in water if you don't look close enough

85SportCoupeto89RS

lot more pics here http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/340134/2
This is what my 82 looks like right now.

I guess the good thing is I can flinstone the car around the shop from the interior







While your this far into the project I suggest getting some Subframe connectors.

Matto'85TA

I fixed my floor last summer.
Definitly check out around where the seats bolt down. Those areas take the most stress from weight. There is a brace though, so thats good.
My floorboard was completlely gone, from the footbox to the back seat. Side to side too. Only the driverside was bad though. The passenger is good though. I did a quick fix only unfortunatly I didnt have acess to a welder nor any cash. I also needed the car for work on monday. My seat fell through that friday. So I got a old metal shelf, cut it up to fit and laid it in. I pop riveted like mad. Then I popped riveted aluminum sheets underneath. Finally sprayed rubber undercoating everywhere. Whenever I have the time and cash I'll fix it properly. Right now though it holds really well. Its very solid, no flex.

Original metal was 20 or 22 gauge I think. The seat support is 18 guage.

Remove EVERYTHING!! If you got t-tops take em off, gives you more headroom. Also get some rust killer/preventor and spray it all down, even the good metal. Also get some undercoating.

Hope this helps some.

Matt

Dave Y

i fixed mine last winter, pics on my cardomain site, in sig

bonz

Thats why these cars shouldnt be driven in winter. Let alone they suck to drive on snow or ice.

jcurrieirocz

holy guys thanx alot.....

85SportCoupeto89RS- thats close to mine but yours seems worse.

dave - whats the green coloored stuff you sprayed your floor with? and how much did you pay for those floor panels?

bonz - yah i wish i could choke the guy who had my iroc before me that put 60s tires on it so he could drive it in the winter. Oh well its not out there anymore and the proper tires are back on.

everyone else thanks. As it stands now i got all the front interior out (dash is still in tho) I already cut a better seat brace out of another camaro mine was totaly shoot. I may take some pics tomorow. I already got lots of spray undercoating. I still need some etch primer, metal and some black anti rust paint, roofing tar and rust check. as soon as i round up those things and finish all the grinding cutting and sanding tomorrow i will rent the welder.
I picked up a braided wire attacment for the grinder today,, it looks quality hope it sends that surface rust and paint flyin. The rougher areas are ganna get the grinding wheel.

Dave Y

self etching primer

jcurrieirocz

thanks but what about the panels i can only find them for $400(can.) a side its too pricey for me...was i getting ripped off on that quote??

Dave Y

i paid $219 US a piece from Shermans ( www.shermanparts.com ), you can get them from classic industiries for $200 US each, but still need to pay shipping, i live near shermans, so i just went and picked them up

eddie jr

jcurrieirocz - one thing I will throw out for you to consider is a rust neuralizer product. After you have cut out the crap and then ground down the remaining rust, there is still rust in fine pits that will even be hard to see. If you prime and paint over it, it will only be a question of when it will come back. For these remaining areas I used a neutralizer product (several professionals recommended Dupont Metal Conditioner to me). Spread it on and it gets rid of any remaining rust. Then protect with products such as what you mentioned (or POR 15) and you won't be doing that again for a couple decades!

onebinky

iTrader: (1)

If all you are doing is section repair, and the whole floor isn't rotted out, make your own panels. Go to the scrap yard and pick up some 20-22 guage steel and bend it to the shape you need. Most shapes in the floorpan can be acheived with a ball pien hammer and by rolling the metal over your knee. The thin stuff used for the floor and body panels is very pliable and easy to work. It doesn't have to be perfect, any flaws will be covered by carpet and undercoating

Matt

Jim

So do I wanna get a new floor pan, or do I wanna just use sheet metal pieces? Any suggestions would be appreciated. My floor pan is almost perfect from front seat rail back and it seems like it would be a waste to buy the full floor pan and trim it down. Does anyone know of a vendor that sells partial floor pans? My fear is that any cars in the scrap yard would be pretty much in the same condition as mine. Also it seems as though my floor drains are clogged up by the jute padding (see photo) and not letting water drain out of the interior. After it rained the other night I noticed a puddle on the passenger side floor pan. Could this be what wasted the drivers side floor pan?

Jim

sorry forgot photo

jcurrieirocz

i got some pics of my floor ,,,if you wanna follow the process im going thru check out my site:
page #7
my pass side front floor is ok,,,but the front driverside has holes right threw.

85SportCoupeto89RS

I was originally going to get brand new floor pans but it is way more economical to make yoru own pans out of 22 gauge sheet metal. Thats what i'm going to do on my 82 when I start sand blasting the interior.

MechCD

I hate to think of what mine look like from the inside after seeing all these. So far I haven't had any wet spots, even though I can see a few holes from underneath the car. It's reassuring to know that they sell floor panels though.

Jim

Yeah, I'm going to go over to Paddock in a couple of weeks and pick mine up, called and talked to them tonight and seems like the way to go. Still wondering how the floor drains are supposed to work, looks like someone put rubber insulation over them??? anyone know what that's supposed to do???

jcurrieirocz

yah today i took the wire brush attacment on the grinder and got rid on all my surface rust..and pulled up soo much loose metal and paint and i think ive got 3times as much holes as the first look so a word to the wise if you guys see a few hole i garrentie youll have 10times as much damage that you cant see. I wish i could afford the panels but im just ganna get some 22guage steel...and make my own. I have another day of cutting out infested metal then ill get some more pics.

I have one question to all who have experience... say i dont wanna cut all the metal out,,,so i put a patch overtop off it then how can I protect the underside of the new metal cause the old will be in the way should i coat all my patches on the underside before i weld them in?????

also do i have to totaly grind down to the metal before i weld on the factory floor to or will the welder just burn the paint off on its own....I always grinded this before but it looks like alot of ginding. I want to be sure its absoltely nessesary before i go ahead and grind it all.

85SportCoupeto89RS

To get a proper weld you need a clean surface IE bare on bare metal. Instead of using a wire wheel on a diegridner I suggest sandblasting the area. This will defantly get rid of any rust left on the surface + remove the paint with ease. Then weld in the new panel and POR-15 the heck out of everything. In the passenger compartment and under the body of the car. Its good to replace the old undercoating with POR-15 anyways I'd rather know that both sides of my floor boards are protected.

jcurrieirocz

not a die grinder i was just useing the wire brush attachment on a hand held grinder to clean of old flakeing paint and crap,,,to get to bare metal i was just ganna put the reg. grinding wheel back on the grider. I would like to use some por15 but its too expencive, plus has to be orderd where i live, and alittle bit of overkill for me right now,,,,my patch job with rust nutralizer, tar, etch primer and undercoating will outlast me owning the car plus its never winter drivin anymore. but yah i figerd i spend some time grinding,,shouldnt take too long i guess.
Thanks guys

but what about covering the underside of the patches before i weld them in should I do that??