Spare wheel well rust / replacement costs?

[7T1240]

I am looking at a 240Z which needs the spare wheel well replaced, the rust resulting from water seepage past bad hatch gaskets (as explained by the current owner). I'm wondering about the cost of such a repair. Anyone have direct personal experience or work in the auto body and paint field to shed some light on approximate costs?

Thanks, Gary S.

[hls30.com]

Some pictures of the actual damage would help-you might not need the entire tub replaced. If you do, can you remove the old one, and maybe a replacement, and save some money? The spot welds can be drilled out with a standard drill and a $5 spot weld cutter bit(and maybe a couple of spare cutter bits) from Harbor Freight.

If you do the unskilled grunt work, and the final coating, you could probably get by for less than $200-you would be paying for the welding and its prep work, other wise paying shop rates for the removal you would probably atleast double or tripple that.

Will

[jmortensen]

I don't know if this will help, but I recently cut the spare tire well out of my car to fit a fuel cell. I have the section of the floor with the cell, if you're looking to buy it I'd sell it for... I don't know... $50 + shipping. I could cut the extra floor area off too to save on shipping. Doesn't weigh much at all so shouldn't be very expensive.

[7T1240]

Some useful ideas Will, thank you. Below are two photos of the area needing repair.

Jim, your proposal could be of interest...I'm still in the evaluation stage on the prospective car. But, if I do pull the trigger, I'm quite sure I will need a donor spare tire well. Can I get back to you as necessary?

Gary S.

[jmortensen]

Sure. PM me your email address and I'll send a picture of what I've got to you. I don't expect that a spare tire well is a hot seller, so I imagine it will be around when you need it.

My name is Jon, BTW. I know it looks like Jim but it's JMortensen. I guess I should have capitalized my screen name.

[hls30.com]

That does not look too horrible. If you can't poke through in but a few places, I would drop the tank (to evaluate the underside) and use the POR trunk repair kit-if you aren't after a show winning finish on the repair.

http://www.por15.com/PRODUCTS/COMPLETEKITS/FLOORPANTRUNKREPAIR/tabid/105/Default.aspx

To get the best looking repair the most effective answer would be tub replacement-because you would replacing the entire structure, the repair could easily be made invisible.

Will