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Weeee! Floorboard rust hole!
Topic Started: Apr 28 2014, 07:15 PM (897 Views)
yiffzer
Forgot His Manpurse

I posted a question about why rust was so common on floorboards in some other thread. Since owning Blue Jay for 2 years now, I've always noticed that the driver's and passenger's side carpet was a bit damp.

Yesterday, I decided to rip open the carpet.

Driver's side wasn't so bad but it's got rust:

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Passenger's side -- my heart stopped.

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Cue dramatic close up of that HOLE!

I have no idea how bad it is -- I don't want to start wirebrushing to the point where the entire floorboard collapses because this is my daily driver!

At first glance, how bad do you guys think it is?

Anyone with welding skills willing to help me out? Mullet Man, how's your welding machine? I'll be shopping around local welding shops to see what they'll quote me.
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Stiffchezze
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Sir Metrologist

Is this the same Metro with the brake problems? :O

It's starting to look like it's time........... :'(
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dayle1960
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Fastest Hampster EVER

You don't need super welding skills. Just average skills will be good enough. Hang on a minute and I'll show you how I did mine.

http://geometroforum.com/topic/4223263/1/

Post #11 Second pic.

I just bent some steel the shape of the floorboard ribs.
Edited by dayle1960, Apr 28 2014, 07:26 PM.
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GeoStalker
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"Chicks dig me and guys think I'm cool."

Is the rust to the RIGHT of the frame rail? If so, all is not lost. Take some pics of the underside for comparison and post them. How are the framehorns?
Edited by GeoStalker, Apr 28 2014, 07:23 PM.
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yiffzer
Forgot His Manpurse

No, I've got the brake issue fixed up. No problem. The rest of the car is structurally sound except for a small hole in the frame horn on the driver's side and one chassis area on the driver's side near the transmission mount. I'm not giving up this car. ;)

Edit: I already did huuuuuuuuuge amounts of Eastwood rust converter in both frame horns just this Winter. It's good for now but driver side will need attention in the upcoming summer or so.
Edited by yiffzer, Apr 28 2014, 07:25 PM.
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Old Man


yiffzer
Apr 28 2014, 07:15 PM
Anyone with welding skills willing to help me out?
PM ---- PA.metro,fixer,frames,ect He is in Mercer PA. (close to you?)

http://geometroforum.com/profile/520482/
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Stiffchezze
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Sir Metrologist

:gp
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yiffzer
Forgot His Manpurse

Old Man
Apr 28 2014, 07:31 PM
yiffzer
Apr 28 2014, 07:15 PM
Anyone with welding skills willing to help me out?
PM ---- PA.metro,fixer,frames,ect He is in Mercer PA. (close to you?)

http://geometroforum.com/profile/520482/
I contacted him some time ago but he wanted about $400 per frame horn and wanted beyond a few days to do just the frame horn. My schedule doesn't really allow me more than 3 days and $400 for me is a bit on the steep end. :/
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gbreadman
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Tinkerer

Am working on a similar area. Cut it out this last weekend. Ospho'd & primed the edges; two rainstorms later it's not showing any bright orange. Finding a bright sunny couple of days to grind, weld and prime is the challenge.

Will be patching the inside with a spare 3/16" thick hot-rolled bar, then encapsulator (bar is to the left in the pic). Step 2 will be a 4-foot long 16 gauge cold-roll sheet to finish the running boards followed by a bunch of encapsulator on both sides.

Time for an angle grinder, some 4 1/2" cutoff wheels and a face shield, and long sleeve flanel. Oh yea fix the gas leaks first. :scared

On the upside I got to keep the VIN stamp.

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Dan
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yiffzer
Forgot His Manpurse

dayle1960
Apr 28 2014, 07:21 PM
You don't need super welding skills. Just average skills will be good enough. Hang on a minute and I'll show you how I did mine.

http://geometroforum.com/topic/4223263/1/

Post #11 Second pic.

I just bent some steel the shape of the floorboard ribs.
Awesome, thanks for the link.

I don't even have a welding machine so that'll be a toughie.
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yiffzer
Forgot His Manpurse

gbreadman
Apr 28 2014, 07:54 PM
Am working on a similar area. Cut it out this last weekend. Ospho'd & primed the edges; two rainstorms later it's not showing any bright orange. Finding a bright sunny couple of days to grind, weld and prime is the challenge.

Will be patching the inside with a spare 3/16" thick hot-rolled bar, then encapsulator (bar is to the left in the pic). Step 2 will be a 4-foot long 16 gauge cold-roll sheet to finish the running boards followed by a bunch of encapsulator on both sides.

Time for an angle grinder, some 4 1/2" cutoff wheels and a face shield, and long sleeve flanel. Oh yea fix the gas leaks first. :scared
Dan, that's awesome. Glad you're able to do it because you've got all the tools. How much did all the tools cost you? Especially the grinder and welder?
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gbreadman
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Tinkerer

I'm new to the welding, but I'm quickly learning. The welder is the harbor freight 90 amp, got it for $80 at their tent sale last month, and it has hundreds of good reviews. Usually it runs $100 with the coupons in the newspaper. Flux core spatter isn't an issue because everything will be covered up with encapsulator anyway.

It's done ok with 16 and 14 gauge, but it might not do very well with this 3/16" (not sure whether to call it plate or sheet metal, it's pretty thick). The angle grinder is a Makita, I think it cost $30, got it a couple years ago so not sure (harborfreight.com has a grinder right now on their front page for $18.99). Cutoff wheels are cheap at lowes, $2 for the dewalt 4-1/2". I think that's less than a dremel cutoff wheel.

If you cant afford the welder, then maybe you can just get the grinder, cut some out and vent a little; then it'll be ready if you bring it to someone else to weld new metal (just like doing demo for a remodeling project, saves some time doing prep work). The rust's gotta go.
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yiffzer
Forgot His Manpurse

I'm thinking of doing the angle grinder approach and taking it to someone to weld it.

Here's the thing... I think I might be getting an awesome deal but I need people to confirm.

This guy has been doing welding for 30 years. He's been in the business for a long time and he has a good reputation, if not very good. He's done a lot of frame horn jobs on the Geo Metro and (lol) said he hasn't seen a Geo Metro come into his welding shop in five years. :)

We talked about an estimate of how much it'd cost to do both floor pans, frame horn, and such. He did a quick visual inspection said it'd be about $350 to $450. He has to put it on a lift before knowing exactly what it entails.

I've talked with another guy who has his own shop and he would do my floor pan for $150. Just one side! And frame horn for $300 to $400. :s When I told him how much I paid for the car, he was surprised. But I don't know his workmanship though he says he would do it the right way.

How does the pricing sound to you in general? Should I keep shopping around?
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snowfish
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Basic GearHead

Rust is sneaky. :hiding What you can see is half of what is actually there. :'(

"The magnitude, of the task, is rarely comprehended by the requester." :hmm

If you're comfortable, with the guy who will do it all for $350-$450, go for it. :thumb But be sure to give him decent tip. :deal This is no small surgery. :gamerz
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