Rusty floor boards :(
 

So after taking chances and pulling the seats from my wonderful Rx7 I've found none other then rust holes :( They're not bad (yet) however I need to know the thickness of the steel on the floors so I can fix it ASAP.

As it stands there are a few small holes in the front left corner of the drivers side (by the foot rest beside the clutch pedal) and the seam has rotted out behind the rear left seat bracket (Also on the drivers side) They look fairly easy to repair however the other side has a missing Grommet thats caused some rust and also a small 1x1in hole near the storage compartments.

I'll take pictures ASAP but would I be better off trying to find replacement floor boards or should I just patch the small areas and under coat the hell out of it? (inside AND out...)

Pictures,

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0273.jpg
Near clutch.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0274.jpg
Rotted Seam

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0275.jpg
Small hole near storage bins

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0276.jpg
Missing Grommet..


Also, can someone tell me what this box is?? It has the Mitsubishi symbol on it?
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0277.jpg
its Located at the very front of the passenger footwell....

Check for bin rust. If your floor boards are holy, then your rear suspension mounts may be in similar condition. If they are rusty, it'll be easier and cheaper to get a new shell.

16/18ga btw.

The rear of the car is very solid, I pulled the bins prior and found them to be repaired and coated on both sides to prevent rust. The welds arent the best however I personally have never welded but they are solid as is the floor under the bins (thankfully) The only holes i've found are in the front.

The Mitsubishi box is probably the cruise control. However, mine was behind the driver's seat and under the passenger floor board should be the ECU.

That rust is nasty. You can find a cheap clean shell easily on this forum, which will probably be your best bet unless that one holds sentimental value.

yeah, I have the same issue, just not as bad. I plan on just replacing the floor with some aluminum sheet. I figure I'd cut out each side of the support rail and rivet the aluminum in with some ATV to keep it water tight.

mitsubishi box is the emissions control unit. they are worth a little in places where we need to smog the cars, they go bad

Smog equipment is required here too, however it has a TON of wiring so it will be staying in the car.

In all honesty the rust isnt as bad as it could be it still looks fixable. I cant justify spending 600 bucks on a shell and then swap everything over. its too much of a headache. If I went that route I would be better off buying a complete TII set up and putting that in.

The car doesnt have much sentimental value, but the photos really make it seem worse then it is.

Im going to work on it with the angle grinder and see just the extent of the damage, but all in all some sheet metal and a Mig welder (or even a stick welder) would fix it up pretty quick. This is honestly the only rust really on the car so I dont want to put it to waste.

Wish me luck lol

get a grinder, welder, metel and rust remover should fix your problem. its very easy work if you know how to weld. if not find a friend to teach you or do it for you some times a case of beer works or beer and food.

You read my mind ;) One of my co-workers is a certified welder and has offered to, also the friend I live with's step dad does too so hopefully I've got that covered!

So after 5 long hours of cutting and grinding I have the rust cut out. I was friggen covered in grime but i think it was worth it!

What rust I couldnt remove (mostly surface) I've coated with "Rust Check - Rust Killer" Which has appeared to be doing its job and is currently converting the rust into Zinc. Next step is getting it to the welding shop..... Which could be an issue haha.

Pics for clicks,

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0283.jpg
HAd to cut out the rear left drives seat mount, and quite the long strip of metal.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0284.jpg
Bad metal removed near clutch pedal.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0285.jpg
By passenger side seatbelt.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0286.jpg
Missing Grommet

Thats all for now as im tired of cutting and grinding today!

i know how it is man, just i dont have to take mine to a welding shop, i have a welder, but good luck.

looks like a good start. if i lived near you but i live around 2 hours away i would stop by with my welder and weld it up and allso i want to be a welder so i am starting.

Thanks for the support guys :) I have a buddy here that has a welder (he's a mechanic) I'm just waiting on him to bring it down from his old place as he's moving closer to here I'd rent a mig and do it myself however not knowing how to weld often leads to more headaches then good right?

Im more concerned with getting her to start right now hah.

yeha, i wish mine wuld start too, i wanna hear the raceport and i gatta go teach this guy at my skool that a rx7 can beat an automatic eclipse anyday. i cant wait to wreck him.

My car is no race car, its a classic and thats the way I treat her :) I just need a new battery, as the one in my car says "1998" on it...

First things first, getting the floors fixed, then getting her legal for the road just to go away for the winter :scratch:

haha, yup. thats where the daily driver front wheel neon comes into place.

You wont catch me dead owning a north american car :) for me its usually Volkswagens, as they're built insanely well and I'm addicted to them plus my work is literally 2 blocks from where I live so my feet work well.

ahhh, well the neon was cheap for me and it runs and doesnt slide easily. it works good enough. u can see it in the background of some of my pics

Nice work on the rust repair! Keep us up to date, I would like to see how things come together. The rust on my FC looks identical so I will be doing the same thing this winter.

I most definately will keep updated :) sadly I havent had time (or money) to work on her however myself and a few friends are trying to get enough time to get her into a shop and on a lift so we can fix her up!

I'm currently working on re-upolstering the headlines and doorcards while I wait to get the floor done... which I hope will be soon! May 1st is the deadline to have her in good running order!

lookin good, keep it up

come over to LA. I will give you a junk FB for free.

While you are waiting check the inside of the cowl area. If there are rust holes, water can drain into the car and collect in some of those areas on the floor.

This is the area beneath the left side wiper. You can see the hole for the wiper at the top.
Second picture is the right side.

http://intertron.com/ron/images/d3.jpg
http://intertron.com/ron/images/d2.jpg

Luckly the Cowl on my car has been off a million times as I had to rebuild the linkage and install/remove it several times. The Cowl area is nice and rust free :)

Are there any other areas I should be concerned about?

The areas around the drain holes for the sunroof and back hatch are prone to rust problems. The lip under back hatch weather strip will rust if the drain holes are clogged long enough.