Floor Pan Rust
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Rochester,Mi
Floor Pan Rust Hello everyone im new to this forum but belong to other camaro forums, this forum has just seemed to have a lot of useful info. Well anyways I ran into a fantastic surprise though the other day on my 95 Z28. both passenger foot areas are rusted decently bad and im not experienced in welding or body work for that matter. I assume this job is something i should have done by a shop do to my lack of experience. but is it a job i could learn from without making to big of a mistake? I also cannot find any replacement pans aftermarket. Opinions?
Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 57
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I'm facing the same problem and there are no aftermarket floor pans for 4th gen. Depending on how much rust you got there, you have two choices: patch the holes with sheet metal or get a new floor from a donor car.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Rochester,Mi
Most likely ill need a donor car but its hard to find donors here in MI without a similar issue. but when I do get a hold of them would you recommend having a shop do it? seems like it could be a complicated job.
Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
You know I'm debating that myself right now. It turns out the sheet metal is welded to the frame in these cars, or rather is a one complete piece. I was gonna weld it all myself but since I have weak electricity where I do all the work I don't think I can weld the thick frame metal on low setting (otherwise I'd kill the breaker), so most likely I'll send it down to a shop. It's something that you have to consider, because a shop will charge you from about 800 up to 3000 even (which is almost the cost of the car itself), depending on the condition you got and the shop. A decent welder can cost you 300 minimum (hobart) and you'd have to practice a bit before digging in. And it's not an easy job, especially for a beginner, because you'll have to be in weird position sometimes.
I've dealt with floor pan rust several ways. I've brazed
in sheet metal and beat it to fit; this works but has poor
corrosion resistance afterward unless you galvanize or
cold-galv it. My luck with MIG welding isn't great. On
beaters with full frames where there isn't a structural
value to the floor pans, I've gone as cheap as sheet
aluminum, window screen and roofing tar.
If the holes are small, or it's just surface rust, I'd say
just do your best to kill the rust that's there and patch
it, and then go figure out why your carpet stays wet.
in sheet metal and beat it to fit; this works but has poor
corrosion resistance afterward unless you galvanize or
cold-galv it. My luck with MIG welding isn't great. On
beaters with full frames where there isn't a structural
value to the floor pans, I've gone as cheap as sheet
aluminum, window screen and roofing tar.
If the holes are small, or it's just surface rust, I'd say
just do your best to kill the rust that's there and patch
it, and then go figure out why your carpet stays wet.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Rochester,Mi
You know I'm debating that myself right now. It turns out the sheet metal is welded to the frame in these cars, or rather is a one complete piece. I was gonna weld it all myself but since I have weak electricity where I do all the work I don't think I can weld the thick frame metal on low setting (otherwise I'd kill the breaker), so most likely I'll send it down to a shop. It's something that you have to consider, because a shop will charge you from about 800 up to 3000 even (which is almost the cost of the car itself), depending on the condition you got and the shop. A decent welder can cost you 300 minimum (hobart) and you'd have to practice a bit before digging in. And it's not an easy job, especially for a beginner, because you'll have to be in weird position sometimes.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Rochester,Mi
I've dealt with floor pan rust several ways. I've brazed
in sheet metal and beat it to fit; this works but has poor
corrosion resistance afterward unless you galvanize or
cold-galv it. My luck with MIG welding isn't great. On
beaters with full frames where there isn't a structural
value to the floor pans, I've gone as cheap as sheet
aluminum, window screen and roofing tar.
If the holes are small, or it's just surface rust, I'd say
just do your best to kill the rust that's there and patch
it, and then go figure out why your carpet stays wet.
in sheet metal and beat it to fit; this works but has poor
corrosion resistance afterward unless you galvanize or
cold-galv it. My luck with MIG welding isn't great. On
beaters with full frames where there isn't a structural
value to the floor pans, I've gone as cheap as sheet
aluminum, window screen and roofing tar.
If the holes are small, or it's just surface rust, I'd say
just do your best to kill the rust that's there and patch
it, and then go figure out why your carpet stays wet.
Trending Topics
Two friends & I are repairing mine.. Here's a couple pics from last weekend.. We'll finish it up this Saturday.. Biggest pain is drilling out the spot welds & not burning through the junk metal GM built these pans with. I'll post the finish pics when done.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Rochester,Mi
I'd appreciate. What are you replacing the metal with?
Portion of a salvaged pan & sheetmetal.. You also will need a good mig that can do thin metal or else you will turn your pan into swiss cheese.
Last edited by MM98; Aug 27, 2013 at 04:34 PM.
Damn I've never seen a 4th gen rotted that bad. Mine have a little surface rust here and there but nothing like that. If it was me I'd cut floor patches from donor cars.
Good luck with it keep us posted.
Good luck with it keep us posted.
There are two pieces of the pan that are lapped together with seam sealer.. That is where my rust is & came from.. The seam sealer broke down over time allowing water to make it's way in.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Rochester,Mi
oh then you'd love to see mine. my fronts are good. but the rear foot area, oh boy. i dont even know how they got so bad.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Rochester,Mi
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...0.jpg~original
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...8.jpg~original
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...1.jpg~original
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...5.jpg~original
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...9.jpg~original
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Rochester,Mi
