floor pan rusted

[skyluslondon]

not sure if anyone else has had this problem but my
driverside floor pan is rusted out, i can pretty much
stick my foot through it. the passenger side is probably
doing the same but..anyway. ive been looking around and
a brand new floor pan runs at a pretty ridiculous price.
more than i'm willing to pay for something that i could
potentially just slap a peice of sheet metal over anyway.
i was wondering if anyone else has had this happen, or if
anyone knows a good site or something where i could get
a cheap one? thanks

[Rally Sport]

Thats what i'd do..just slap some sheet metal over it and weld.. then put on your carpet back on..

[skibum1111]

Also make sure you don't leave any rough edges on the bottom of the car either. Undercoating in a spray can will help with this.

[1986Z28]

thats not the right way of fixing it, since its a unibody car, but thats just my opinion

[wrightz28]

Jeez, are you sure you didn't take my car from behind my garage?

Here's the scoop, check the driver's a-pilar about 3 inches up from the door/hood, I'll be wiling to bet there signs someone puddied up a hole there with rust pooping along the windshield seal. That is a common spot of doom on any 3rd gen that has been exposed to the eliments long enough. What happens is all the water that poked the hole in the first place must go some where, right? Sure indeed, it goes down the a-pilar to the rocker panel and then into the 'support beam' for the front seats. When I bought mine, I knew to look for this. And sure as shit it had the patched hole, but the undercarrage seemed clean.

Little bastard got crafty and hid the fact it was pretty rotted along beam (hell of a bondo job ). So a year later when I was cleaning the car out I examined why the seat was rocking back forth ever so slightly while driving. Thought it was pretty evident, a nut was loose, thightend it up and grasped the seat and tried to rock it, it rocked. Checked all the nuts, they were ok, then I think "you've got to be shiting me right? Lay next to the car and move the seat, wouldn't you know the floor was split in 2.

Anyway, don't slap a hunk a metal on there and expect to be done, like he said, it's a unibody, the whole frame twists with torque (notice that little crack at the rear top of the windows on the b-pillar?). I found 'em for about $195 per side at the Paddock I think. Now, what I haen't yet figured out is a GOOD way to stiffen up the chassis reliably so it doesn't shift without welding up a near roll cage in it. My current plan is to put sub frame connectors on it to beef the chassis for handling purposes and to hopefully aide in the process of repairing the floor.

[1986Z28]

im glad someone agrees with me

[skyluslondon]

Originally Posted by wrightz28

Jeez, are you sure you didn't take my car from behind my garage?

no...kidding. shame we cant have more GOOD things in common. lol. thanks for that, i wasnt seriously considering just slapping on a peice of metal anyway, i'll do it the right way. doesn't mean i cant be a little bit bitter about the price.

[1986Z28]

yu all the right in the world to be pissed about the price, but if you want it done right thats what its going to cost

[wrightz28]

Honestly, I was shocked to find they were under $250-300/side. So $400 and done, works for me.

I truely think that the sub-frame connecors in place prior to cutting should do the trick. You really can't go wrong, you have more chassis support for a crisper handeling, stops some of the frame twisting, provides a jacking point in the rear, and inexpensive (can be found from $100 & up

[kahjdh]

thats a bummer about unibodies, i had a stop sign under my carpet in the wagon

[1986Z28]

btw a place to get cheap body parts is crosscanadaparts.com

[skyluslondon]

sounds good. thanks

[1986Z28]

no problem, there fairly good on there prices