Hello everyone!

I’m looking for some advice on a little rust problem I found while starting my restoration project. This 83 is remarkable clean for a Canadian car however the driver floor pan is a little heavier damaged than I first perceived. (see photos).

Issues with the floor pan aside; my concern is the rust on the beam running under the floor-pan. My understanding is this is the main structural support front-to-back and that the rust jeopardizes the overall strength of the car.

The rust doesn’t perforate through the beam (yet) so I’m wondering what I could do (if anything) to increase the strength in this area to avoid problems in the future. Yes, I do own a mig welder and know enough to be dangerous.

I’m fully aware that I must remove all the rust and treat the area properly.

This seems to be a problem spot for most 1st gens so I’d be interested in seeing pictures of how others have re-enforced this area.

Thanks for all your help!

Gerrit
Toronto, Canada

 

I would cut out all of the rusted floor pan, clean the channel of all rust, weld in a new floor, then have a new channel made to fit over the old one and weld it in. When you do this, make sure the unibody is level on all 4 corners.

 

I have to cut out the floor on my 79. Just cut all the bad stuff out.. re-weld in a new floor..

 

Can you explain what you mean by this? I think what you are saying is: make sure the frame is square before I weld in the support.

Thanks

 

That's what we he means.

 

This is not really a normal place for rust in these cars, I would say your windsheild is leaking or was.

Normal is the wheel humps, rear flool pan.

 

Yeah - I have a bit of that too but it's manageable. But like I said, for a Canadian car, the doors, wheelwells and engine bay are relatively rust free (a bit of surface rust only). I consider myself fortunate! Besides, welding **** is FUN!

Thanks for everyone's help.

gt

 

Yea as said earlier, just cut out the floor pan, sandblast the frame channel and seal it up, put a new floor patch in and if you really feel its nessesary do as trochoid says and make a nother piece of frame channel and double it up to make it stronger. Just be sure to seal everything up really good as this will be a new potential rust spot. I'm kinda surprised that it rusted that badly there, both of my NJ cars had lots of rust elsewhere, but the floor pans on both were basically untouched by rust. and I agree, welding **** is fun, but it'll get old after a while...