1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Rusty rear floor pans need replacing - 85 RS-7

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Old Aug 3, 2021 | 04:08 PM
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Rusty rear floor pans need replacing - 85 RS-7

I need rear floor pans below hatchback floor especially where the control arm goes into the body in front of the rear tires. Where can I get these?
If not, how easy and how much to cut out rusty metal and put new metal in? I've had a range of estimates from $1000 at a welding shop to several
thousand dollars. That is a 1985 Mazda RX-7.

Last edited by dludden; Aug 3, 2021 at 04:10 PM. Reason: typo error
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Old Aug 3, 2021 | 04:19 PM
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Got any pictures of the rust?

Remove your rear storage bins and take a look where the wheel well meets the floor, you might be surprised to see lots of rust. The chassis might have lots of rust hiding.

I don't know much about rust repair, but I am surprised to hear that a shop quoted $1000. To me $1000 is what you would pay for a repainted bumper for a normal car. I would have thought that rust repair and restoration would cost much more than that due to the amount of time it takes.
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Old Aug 5, 2021 | 08:10 AM
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The amount of work needed to properly repair rusted panels is significant. If you are dealing with surface rust that hasn't gone all the way through then you can remove it via sandblasting or wire wheels etc and then seal it up properly. Most times though this will be a temporary fix, you really need to cut out all the affected areas and replace it with new metal - unfortunately there really aren't patch panels made for our cars so you're stuck finding donor cars or simply making things from scratch. Any shop quoting only $1000 is not going to be doing it thoroughly.

Take a peek at one of my old build threads to see how deep down the rabbit hole you can get fixing rust: https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...-work-1024918/

That thread is quite old, but 8 years later and most of that rust repair has held up extremely well, even though the car sits outside. Post some pics of what you're dealing with.
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Old Aug 5, 2021 | 07:03 PM
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acdelco d1906 Nkg 49034
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You can cut out the floor panels, rivet some diamond steel flooring in, and channel Brian OConner in Fast and Furious 1, where he races Dominick Torretto, and the floor panels fall off the car.....for some Hollywood reason.
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Old Aug 5, 2021 | 08:27 PM
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I don't know about pricing but yes, as said, that spot is where your suspension mounts. So if you want to be able to drive the snot out of your sports car without dying, you should definitely fix/patch that area. GSLSE-forme had a write-up about it a few years ago and he knew his ****.
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Old Aug 10, 2021 | 03:52 PM
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Originally Posted by 82transam
The amount of work needed to properly repair rusted panels is significant. If you are dealing with surface rust that hasn't gone all the way through then you can remove it via sandblasting or wire wheels etc and then seal it up properly. Most times though this will be a temporary fix, you really need to cut out all the affected areas and replace it with new metal - unfortunately there really aren't patch panels made for our cars so you're stuck finding donor cars or simply making things from scratch. Any shop quoting only $1000 is not going to be doing it thoroughly.

Take a peek at one of my old build threads to see how deep down the rabbit hole you can get fixing rust: https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...-work-1024918/

That thread is quite old, but 8 years later and most of that rust repair has held up extremely well, even though the car sits outside. Post some pics of what you're dealing with.
Thanks, that shop quoting $1000 is a weld shop recommended by a good Meineke exhaust repairman who saw the rust. I agree I was surprised at the low quote since
another guy thought it would be several thousand. I'll go back and make sure I got the right quote for the work needed, then I will tell the Meineke guy about him
and see what he says. Maybe he will inspect their work since I have to see him again about fixing a manifold pipe leak. He will probably agree too low a price since he thought several thousand too.
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Old Sep 7, 2021 | 11:01 AM
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the $1000 quote = "get lost" quote = we hope you just go away.

that link makes me wonder how should I jack up my car? the jack points are toast. I've tried cardboard, carpet, and a cut up tire as a buffer between the hydraulic floor jack's hard metal, and the undercoat. The differential is nice to use, and then put wooden blocks under the rear tires.

How about put roof repair tape on the frame rail where the jack and jack stands made contact afterward?

spent the weekend under my car touching up the undercoat, I've done this every year since 1996.

Last edited by midnight mechanic; Sep 7, 2021 at 11:25 AM.
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