Major structural rust problem! HELP!

[Murph]

Just had a chat to a solicitor.

Basically I have no legal ground to stand on when it comes to the previous owner. However there is a possibility with the workshop that did the roadworthy, as it is because of their dodgy report that I have incurred a significant monetary loss, or more to the point, that the car was not worth anywhere near what I paid.

We'll see how it goes.

[Murph]

Sorry took so long to reply guys....missed a whole heap of posts!

The car's definantly a 260Z. Just damn hope that it's not a write off. A guy from one of the local bodyshop/restoration places will be taking a look at it soon to give me an idea of the cost to fix it and IF it can be fixed.

Sorta starting to wonder as I've found the left rail is pretty dinged up too. No rust tho. Also looks like a foot long section at the back of the left rail has been cut out and a new section welded in (just tack welds) at some point. Also there are other sections of the foor that look like this.

There is a place with the chassis rails (full rail from rear of car to the radiator support), but we're talking AU$550 for one rail! They also have floor pan sections for $140 a side.

At this rate I might just need a whole new floor and two new rails.

Basically I am hoping that the dings in the left rail aren't so bad that it needs to be replaced. As for the floor maybe just strip the sound deadener, clean up any rust then treat it with POR15. Get the right rail replaced, then a few years down the track when I've finished uni I can fully strip the car and do it properly.

Or do it properly now and be in debt forever.

Alfadog: Where bouts do you live?

Thanks for all the support guys.....makes me fell a hell of alot better about it all.

[Alfadog]

Good luck with your quote/...

i live on the gold coast. A good 2 or 3 hour drive up there but the fact that I can relate to you (student, no money) and you being ripped -off means I dont mind the drive.

[Murph]

Two or three hours drive.....I wish!

I'm in Townsville.....try 15hours! Make that 16 from GC.

Maybe I can I can send you on a drive to the prev owners house at burleigh heads.

Jokes...

Thanks for the offer anyway.

[Alfadog]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhahahah

damnit, I always get Townsville and Toowoomba mixed up :stupid: :stupid:

Tell you what, we'll meet half way. How about Brisbane? ROFL

[Murph]

Yeah no worries.....meet ya there in 2 hours.

[Murph]

Since my -right rail is broken

-the left is fairly dented and looks like it's had a section cut out and rewelded at some starge,

-the floor pan has some little rust holes and a whole bunch of gouged holes and is dented as

I was thinking about the possibility of having both rails and the whole floor pan replaced in one hit.

We're talking AU$550 a rail (gonna see if I can have them fabricated cheaper locally) and AU$140 a side for the floor pan, then labour on top of that.

Wouldn't it be a hell of a lot easier to just cut the whole bloody lot out, then weld in all new items. It would save alot of hastle

-making sure all the sound deadener is removed and the floor is perfectly clean

-removing the old rail from the floor

-straightening the floor

-removing rust from floor and welding in new metal

Say if I were to have stripped the interior so it goes to the body shop with a bare floor ready to go, it couldn't be that expensive could it?

Or am I just deaming?

[Ben]

Speak with your bodyshop & see what they say about doing the whole lot in one hit.

BTW - I've seen plenty of people deal with plenty worse on other cars (imported Mustangs, etc).

Once you get this sorted, you will never have floor/rail rust problems again.

[Murph]

Just got the digital camera back.....

New pics at

http://users.bigpond.net.au/oceanz/z/zrooted2/

1. Behind the right front wheel, now with alot of deadener stripped back. You can see the metal is mostly good, but it is fairly bent just above the break.

2. Here you can see how smacked up the bottom of the right rail behind the rear break is. Also the dings and gouges in the floor pan. Again, not much rust in the floor.

3. Another view.

4. Note the rectangular section of the floor and rail (your looking at the rear of the right rail) that looks like it's been cut out and welded again? What's it supposed to look like here?

5. Behind the left hand front wheel. The rail is not broken here, however it and the floor have been smacked up too. Note there is some bending in the metal above the rail.

6. Some rust holes just below the firewall.

7. Rear of the left rail. Again a section has been removed and possibly a new section welded in. What should this look like? Why have these rear rail sections been cut out?

8. View along the left rail. All smacked in. Sorry bout the $^!# pic.

9. Another view of the left rail.

So what do you all think now?

[Ben]

Fixable but ugly.

Replace both rails & floors - they've been badly butchered.

The rust around the battery tray is no big deal at all, but the creases on the drivers side inner guard are not very pretty.

[Murph]

Would you say the left rail MUST be replaced?

[Ben]

Not for 100% sure, but the back of it has been butchered a bit

Perhaps just do the 'under-floor' section of the rail (the basic U channel).

That's easy to get to & can be done neatly.