Finishing new floors

[bob m]

I read most of the comments regarding replacement of the rusty floors on my 72 240z on this website and appreciate the good information. I ordered a set of floors from Zedd Findings and will follow the recommendations for replacing the floors and supports on this website including treating them with POR 15 on both sides. I also want to prime them with 2 part epoxy primer.

After the floors are in, Where can I get the replacement insulation? Are you using heavy felt tar paper and making them or using the aftermarket soundproofing material?

I would also like to know if the support rails are painted the body color. Mine are black but they could have been painted the blue body color.

Thanks,

Bob M

[Bambikiller240]

DO NOT prime the floors until after you have applied POR15. The POR must be in direct contact with the bare (properly treated with Marine Clean and Metal Ready) metal panel.

The entire chassis (including the underside and support rails) was originally painted "body color" .

Many people are using a product called "Brown Bread" as a replacement for the tar mat. Some others are using "Dynamat".

[EScanlon]

Good job in doing the research first.

I'm not sure why you feel you need to use epoxy primer in addition to the POR. The POR lists that it is best when applied directly to properly cleaned and prepped metal (degreased and etched with their acid) and not on top of another coating. If you are wanting to paint the floors with color, then follow the POR instructions and you'll find that you can spray your color directly on top of the almost set (finger drag sticky) POR, therefore eliminating the need for the primer.

As far as the color of the seat support rails, mine and all the other ones that I recall were black. It may be that they were sprayed black after the body color was applied and that's why you see some of the original color below the black.

Insulation, you don't specify whether it's the SOUND insulation or the HEAT insulation you are referring to, so here's a bit on both.

Sound insulation is mostly the original tar-paper that was applied incorrectly at the factory. The purpose of this is to diminish the vibration in the metal which transmits sound into the passenger cabin. Depending on your money reserves, you can buy various types of this material. Dynamat, Brown Bread and Q-Pads are just a few of the types available.

Dynamat and Brown Bread have different formulations as well as thicknesses. Q-Pad is basically the same tar-paper as was applied originally, except that it comes in 1 sq. ft. square pieces.

Depending on the level of sound attenuation you want / require is how to decide which one. However, remember that the floor pan will be below a carpet and presumably a floor mat, so a thick coating would not necessarily yield additional sound attenuation.

You want to stay away from anything that may absorb moisture, and any of the really soft ones. Remember you'll be putting your feet and your passengers on it. If it is too soft, or delicate, it will get ripped to shreds.

As far as Heat insulation, this primarily gets applied to the transmission tunnel and the firewall. In this case, you can apply some Q-Pads BELOW the heat insulation and then use a commonly available 1/2" or thicker (depending on your needs) thermal bat. Or you could buy a dual purpose material. The key to this material is that it gives you a layer of air cells between you and the metal that's getting hot due to exhaust, engine heat, transmission heat, etc.

Again stay away from anything that would HOLD the moisture in. The Heat insulation for the most part will be very porous, but you don't want anything that would retain the moisture.

Hope this helps.

Enrique

[Bambikiller240]

As far as the color of the seat support rails, mine and all the other ones that I recall were black. It may be that they were sprayed black after the body color was applied and that's why you see some of the original color below the black.

I took it that he was referring to the support rails under the floorpans. As far as seat supports (not sure I'd call them "rails"), mine are black as yours, though it did look like they may have been 115 blue underneath.

[Corganx33]

Por has a new primer for use under there rust preventative paint... is this what your referring to?

[Bambikiller240]

Por has a new primer for use under there rust preventative paint... is this what your referring to?

Do you have a link to information on this product? I just looked at my POR distributor's website and see no mention of such a product. (they may not have updated recently?)

The only Primer I see mentioned is:

TIE-COAT PRIMER

Now, prime & paint right over cured POR-15 with our new Tie-Coat Primer. After thousands of requests from customers, our chemists developed this very special “interlocking” primer for painting over POR-15 with any type or color of paint you choose, without any need to rough up or de-gloss the POR-15.

Tie-Coat Primer is a tough-yet-sandable, single-component, polyurethane primer, with special adhesion characteristics that make it perfect for most painted surfaces…especially POR-15. And, it is highly resistant to penetrating topcoats, like lacquers, enamels, & two-component finishes. It sands very smoothly, too.

Note: It is not necessary to use Tie-Coat Primer prior to using any of POR-15’s Top Coats, it was designed to allow easy top coating with other paints on the market today.

[bob m]

Thank you for your replies. I have the answers I was looking for. I did refer to the floor supports under the floor as rails. I thought my car was fairly unmolested but the supports and floor pan must have been overpainted with black at some time. My front seat supports are blue and the rears are black, I believe this is factory on this car. I will prep the bare metal with POR15 and check on the primer. I don't want to repeat this process so I hope to seal the metal and perhaps it will not rust in the future.

Thanks again for the information

Bob M