[Bubba's 69]

I was wondering if fiberglass would be a decent way to patch my pans for this summer. Next winter I will be tearing the whole thing apart to do the body, so I'll do it right then. But for now will fiberglass hold till then??

Another thing is, what company's front pans have the most coverage up the firewall and trans tunnel? Ausleys?

Thanks, Marty

 

[rubadub]

I'm not sure about the floor fan sizes, but heres the different thickness.
http://www.1969supersport.com/smthoughts.html

The fiberglass will work good, probably out last a metal pan if put in right.

Rob

 

[krisk]

you could do like the guy who had my car before me. rivet and machine screw a piece of sheet metal over the hole and rust then cover it all with an inch of undercoating. but i would suggest the fiberglass.

 

[shannon2356]

The fiberglass will work good. And I have never done it before. But I think you can heat the floor from underneath when you go to remove the fiberglass. And it will break loose. I have never done it but I have heard about it.
And Goodmark have complete floor pans to section for left and right or in patch panels in 4 sections. And I think they make the toe broads too.
Good luck with it.

 

[DG]

Really depends on where you are paching?

I would go the pop-rivet/sheet screws instead of fiberglass/bondo. Makes it easier when you aready to do it right. I'd just use pieces of sheet steel 16-18 gauge. Around here I go to a local metal yard that sells both new and "salvage (leftovers - no standard sizes)" sized pieces. The leftovers are lightly oxidized and is outside in the yard sold by weight, and is WAY cheaper than new. Perfectly acceptable steel though.

If you have POR to prep the "donor" panel and edges of the "holes" you can hold the rust to a minimum.

DG

 

[mr 4 speed]

When I have done patch jobs on floors,it is with fiberglass.

 

[Robinls5]

I have a driver its a 70. How I patched the floor pans in 2002. Clean the bottom of the floor, underneath not the inside, Wire brush,grinder,etc.
Get the bottom very clean, Then when the bottom is REAL clean, DUCT tape the area to be glassed. I glassed mine about a 1/4" thick.
Come back in a day or so and pull the ductape off and and the bottom will be very nice. Clean, Smooth and lookin good.
I did this as a temp. fix in 2002 and hell the floors are still good, I am planing to do nothing more with it.
Bob:thumbsup:

 

[68bye]

Well, even as a temporary fix, I weld in steel panels. Maybe some day, I'll go back and weld in factory panels to make them nice, but if I don't, I still have steel floors.

 

[Bubba's 69]

Thanks for the insight. I have free access to fiberglass and resin so I think I will go that route. Good tip on the duct tape from the bottom, Bob.

I really wondered how it would hold up. I was worried about it coming loose.

You guys that patched yours with fiberglass.. How big were the holes you patched?? I've got a couple you can get your hand through.

 

[71Avido]

you could do like the guy who had my car before me. rivet and machine screw a piece of sheet metal over the hole and rust then cover it all with an inch of undercoating. but i would suggest the fiberglass.

We must have had the same body guy! :noway:

 

[pizzi-man]

you could do like the guy who had my car before me. rivet and machine screw a piece of sheet metal over the hole and rust then cover it all with an inch of undercoating. but i would suggest the fiberglass.

That must of been me. That is how I fixed my floor pans in my truck. Sheet metal and self tapping framing screws. 10 years and still working good although the rest of the truck is slowly rusting away.

 

[mattiepschevelle]

might as well just throw a piece of wood over the holes, I wouldn't do it, just save your money and time until you can do it right! besides fiberglass can be an itchy situation

 

[mr 4 speed]

You guys that patched yours with fiberglass.. How big were the holes you patched?? I've got a couple you can get your hand through.

Marty,I have patched holes that where dime size up to tennis ball size.

 

[BIG EVIL CHEVELLE]

After my car waspainted black,Before I put my interior in, I notice a small rust hole on a floor seem. It was just enough of a hole to piss me off,but not worth replacing a floor pan. I took a small piece of scrap metal,cut it just larger than the hole and had a buddy weld it in Than I undercoated over and under it. Good to go ever since

Back in the 80's my brother had a chevelle with a hole in the floor and my father bent a street sign and riveted it in,and undercoated both sides. The guy who inspected it said he had thought of failing it until he flipped the carpet up and saw how it was reinforced. He said that wasn't going anywhere that's for sure,and passed it.

 

[Bubba's 69]

might as well just throw a piece of wood over the holes, I wouldn't do it, just save your money and time until you can do it right! besides fiberglass can be an itchy situation

I want to drive it this summer so it can't really wait till I get time or money. I know it's not right, but it will work temporarily, so the wife doesn't get wet if we were to get into a rain storm.:sad::angry:

I may go with metal and screws for some of the holes if needed, maybe both....glass and metal

When I get the new pans I'll cut all the fiberglass and bad metal back to solid steel. I will plan for that when I lay it, so I don't make extra work for myself later.

I'll post a thread, when I'm done, to let everyone know how it works. Thanks to everyone

 

[vrooom3440]

Hell if it is good enough for Corvettes for all these years it has to be good enough for a basic little Chevelle. There is some risk due to different rates of expansion between steel and fiberglass, but floor boards are not exactly a critical heating area like a panel exposed to the sun would be.

As to size of area, again the ENTIRE car body is made of 'glass on a Vette so I don't think you can have too big of a hole for 'glass on your Chevelle. Now your technique might need to be a bit different for larger holes than smaller

You might have to put some cardboard under that duct tape on the bigger holes :beers:

 

[Wilmpa]

We must have had the same body guy! :noway:

My car had the same deal going on. Just popped all the rivets the other day and took out the pans. Yaba daba doo! I think the car was owned by Fred Flintstone.

 

[zombie1969]

I had a 65 elcamino and the guy was going on about how nice the floor was because he covered the entire thing with fiberglass.I got it to the shop and while it was on the lift hit the floor from underneth with a hammer and the entire piece of fiberglass popped right off.It was the size of the entire floor and it came out in one piece!I think the best way for a quick fix would be screwing down patches with pannel bond adhesive.Im replacing the floors in my jimmy and it has patches with panel bond that Im removing because the new floors will repair it and that stuff is as strong as any weld job.I tried pulling the pieces apart and all it did was tear the steel with no damage to the bond.Impressive stuff.

 

[chethan]

That must of been me. That is how I fixed my floor pans in my truck. Sheet metal and self tapping framing screws. 10 years and still working good although the rest of the truck is slowly rusting away.

Hi, can you please let me know the address ?