Update on Floorpan Rail Replacement

[stevef1972z]

Been out in the garage working on the rust. I got way more than I bargined for!!! Got the frame rail/support off, then went to work on the pans. If you have not picked up an air nibbler get one. It worked great, started in the rust hole, there were plenty to choose from, and cut a nice smooth line down and around and dropped the offending rusted pan right out. Went to work on the piece where the Torsion Control Rod mounts and guess what I found? Paper thin rust infestation! Not much left to work with there. The mount is solid, but where it mounts is seperating from inner fender. I have no idea what to do about this.

Am I going to have to cut this all out, cut off the mount, cut off more car and then get it all replaced? This looks like it is above my skill level. I cant locate the parts made elsewhere so I am guessing they are going to have to be fabbed. If this is the case I am sunk for a while as I gather the funds.

Anyone have a cure, or am I just going to have to hack it all out and replace. If it goes much further, I am going to have to pull the engine, and front fenders. This is a disaster.

Ideas welcomed!

Edited March 22, 2009 by stevef1972z

[Zak's Z]

Ive replaced my floors, rails, and rockers so I can feel your pain. New floorpans and framerails are available still. Charlie has them and ships out. MSA uses his floors and rails I've heard http://www.datsunzparts.com/

As far as your skill level goes, if youre not confident you should find a good shop and let them take care of it for you. If the motor has to be pulled then its a good time to clean everything up in there. It's not going to be cheap, but if you find a good garage it should be at least fair. Since all that metal is structural you really can't leave it rusty. You're other option is to abandon that body and find another shell, but it may be cheaper to do the repairs.

[stevef1972z]

Looks like RIP (Rust In Pieces) for this car. I am really mad at myself for getting it and not going over it better. I am an Idiot, I know better, and I am out a nice piece of change. I dont think I have the desire to do this much work on the car, I bought it to drive and enjoy getting rid of a street strip Camaro because the contstant wrenching was begining to take the fun out of it.

I should have bought a Miata.

[Zak's Z]

The Z is a great car.. maybe get what you can for it and find another one thats in better shape. Don't beat yourself up over it because rust can hide very well on these. Everything can look great till you get the undercoating off and start poking around.

[stevef1972z]

I figure the drivers side is about 6 months behind this side, havent got the nerve to really poke on it yet.

[TexasStyle280z]

i say stick with it steve. the floor of my 280 is shot and will need replacing as well. im going to be replacing the entire floor and supports. sounds like thats what you are needing. to me, it sounds like the best way for you to do it is weld in a bunch of supports in side the car. this will keep the body straight and solid. than cut out the entire floor and replace it as 1 piece. itll take a bit more time and work, but in the end it would be easier than replacing it a piece at a time.

good luck, and i hope you stay with the z. im sure youll be glad you did.

[stevef1972z]

Floors dont scare me, thats not a problem, replacing the entire front frame rail is the problem, have to take off the entire suspension, cut out the old, and I dont have a plasma cutter, then weld it all back in and get the suspension points right. That is beyond my skill level, and I refuse to pay the huge amount it would take to have a shop do it. Its a shame, the car has replacement quarters, doors, hood, hatch has been redone, bumpers rechromed, there are a lot of good parts. Parted out I might get enough to make me feel better.

[=Enigma=]

Bummer man, I feel for you. It looks like someone already welded in some replacement metal in battery box area all the way down to the frame rail. Note that there are full frame rails available for these car that include the box that's all rusted out on yours

http://www.baddogparts.com/

[stevef1972z]

Just dont know what to do here at all, I guess I cant hurt it anymore if I try to fix it myself, since its already sneaking up on the bone yard. I am going to mess with it some this weekend, since it is going to SNOW this weekend here near St. Louis. I am just so fustrated right now. Hate to have to part it out, wont spend to have a shop do it (good money after bad) and right at the edge of my skill and comfort level. What to do what to do???

[Arne]

Steve, I had this same decision to make about 18 months ago. I agonized over whether to fix it or part it. In the end, I parted mine out.

However -- by that time I already had purchased my red 240Z, which is/was a low miles, rust-free car. So the decision in my case was whether or not to throw a bunch of money at a car that I was not going to keep. Looked at in that light, it made no sense to repair it. I would have way more in it than I could sell it for.

But if it was the only Z that I had? I probably would have bit the bullet and fixed it. By the time I found more and worse rust than I had expected, I had the car fairly well debugged mechanically, and repairing the rust and painting it would have gotten it back on the road. For a car that I would keep and drive, getting in a bit overboard would have irked me, but I'd have done it anyway. Wouldn't have been the first time I've been upside-down in a car, nor the last, I suspect. I can live with that if I'm driving and enjoying it.

So if you really want a Z, I'd consider fixing the known car that you already have. Because there's no guarantee that you'll be able to find one much better in your part of the country.

[ChrisZ]

I will go with Arne on this, cheer up it's just work and believe me, being that i'm from rusty Denmark, i have seen lot worse rusted out cars rebuild.

Try to look at this, it might make you feel better: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=134765 it can be done.

Chris

[Pleiner87]

When I bought my '72 240 in dec 2007 i knew that it needed (and still does) some serious rust repair, but almost everythig is now replaceable on these cars. Some how my entire frame rail is solid except for two matching rust holes tight above the front sway bar, other than that the floorboards and doglegs and rear wheel wells are shot. In my mind my Z is my project car, and yes it does need work, but I hope to NEVER part with it (if it comes to it i'll have it crushed into a cube and i'll put it in the corner of my garage!). I hope to do a majority of the rust repair myself... did i mention i've never welded before (ok i bought a little welder and did alittle welding on a fence... that poor fence!), but with some more practice I would feel confortable taking on the rust and saving my Z! Hang in there. -Todd

-Have you looked into the Gateway Z Club?, a high ranking member owns a body shop, and does some nice work on Z's, and may be able to help out some.

Edited March 28, 2009 by Pleiner87