Welding in new floors

[sven]

So I got myself a Mig welder and I've been practicing a lot. So excuse my newbie questions. :moon:

What size/gauge sheetmetal is good for the front footwells?

Should I patch from inside or outside, or should I attempt to buttweld a piece in?

How do you deal with the reinforcment ribbing in the footwell? Should I bother to recreate that or just use a flat piece?

Any other tips?

 

[emmodg]

http://autobodystore.com/Default.htm, http://www.solidtime.com/BMW2002/simplepatch/SimplePatch.html

These helped me.

 

[ptschram]

I don't know what the link said, but I've done more floor pan repairs over the years than I even want to begin to think of.

For material, I use body panels out of the scrap pile of the body shop next door to the shop. Mercedes trunk lids work very well as you get large pieces of flat metal.

I do everything from the inside. Ribs either get rebuilt or I roll beads in the replacement material to strengthen.

Given that you have a'95 RRC listed, I'll bet you have rust where the mud flaps bolt to the floor... You may also find the vertical surfaces have rusted as well in the footwell. This complicates things somewhat, but not outrageously. I strongly suggest you invest in a cheapie HF sheetmetal brake, the 18" one can be relied upon to bend light gauge sheetmetal pretty well, failing this, use your trusty bench vice and a BFH. Bend it to fit and start throwing sparks.

It is better to use one piece that fits well than many that don't...

PT

 

[sven]

Yeah mine has rot where the footwell meets the inner fenderwell, right above the ribbing. So the top of the ribbing is rotted. Is there a way to replicate the ribbing with out a bead roller?

 

[ptschram]

Is there a way to replicate the ribbing with out a bead roller?

Hammer, shot bag, round rod.

 

[rwhitmo04]

Sven, did you have any luck with this? I have rust covering the entire footwell, with a hole about 6" in diameter right in the corner. I'll have to recreate some of the ribbing.

I've looked around for floors to cut out of an old Classic, but PT's scrap metal suggestion sounded like a good option.

 

[dcarr1971]

Sven, did you have any luck with this? I have rust covering the entire footwell, with a hole about 6" in diameter right in the corner. I'll have to recreate some of the ribbing.

I've looked around for floors to cut out of an old Classic, but PT's scrap metal suggestion sounded like a good option.

FYI...You're trying to resurrect a thread from 2006. You will probably have more luck starting a new thread referencing this one in one of the technical forums...

 

[rwhitmo04]

FYI...You're trying to resurrect a thread from 2006. You will probably have more luck starting a new thread referencing this one in one of the technical forums...

Yeah, I knew it was a long shot. I'll probably start one when I get around to putting the floors in, but I thought I'd see if Sven had any luck on his. Thanks for the heads up.