Guest gtmattz Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Im just posting this here to see if it is a viable resolution to my problem... Ive posted before with questions on how to properly repair the rust holes in my Z car. I think I have come up with an easy way to fix the problems w/out having to buy new panels.. here goes. Can I put some kind of backing, like a pice of plastic etc behind the hole (cleaned of rust of course) then use a filler such as this: http://www.handsontools.com/store/show_product/?product_id=443122 the holes i am most concerned with are in the trim piece between the windshield and hood http://www.hybridz.org/phpBB2/album_pic.php?pic_id=1142 at first i was thinking of weldin some steel but then after some feedback here i got concerned about getting the piece to blend in with the hood again, i figure this method should be alot easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Yup, thats what I'd do man. some fiberglass, and then a skim of bondo to smooth things out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 I wouldn't use a plastic backing. Use a piece of sheetmetal and some body panel epoxy (available at any body supply shop). PLastic has a different expansion rate than the host metal, so I can see problems down the road. Grind on the metal first to give the filler a good rough surface to bite to. Treat the panel with some rust converter first. That filler is a good product. Make sure it is the short strand, not the long strand. Long strand is a bitch to work with. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbuczesk Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 No matter what you do you'll need to make that hole bigger. There's still some rust there. I'd weld in a patch. Just take your time so it doesn't warp. You can use a flanger to recess the hole so the metal is at the same level when you weld. Then grind the welds, apply POR15 and then do the plastic filler. The glass filler in your link will work to fill that hole if you decide to go that way. It's very strong. You can use some plastic door screening as a backing material. Do what Time said about the grinding and POR15 before you fill. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 Hey Chuck!! I went to University in Shippensburg.... I still wouldn't weld on it, and would even hessitate grinding on it. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbuczesk Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 Tim, I went to Ship, too. Class of 1989 Comp Sci. You? BTW, welding the cowl might warp it enough to be straight! Never seen a straight one... Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 Chuck, After welding mine up, it took about 50 hours to get it straight again, and I had to do a lot of metal work to recreate the cowl bulge body line. If I were to do it over I would not! I was class of 1993. Environmental science major. I used to bartend at the Creekside Lodge.....major 'towny' bar. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gtmattz Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 hey guys, thanks for the advice. The hole is larger by now, as I have ground out most of the rust on the back side now. Im holding off on finishing this, as I want to get the rest of the car ready for body work before I start (Still working on getting the car ready for the rotisserie : gotta love how work and family take time away from the IMPORTANT things in life ;P ) I like the sheetmetal/epoxy idea, makes more sense than trying plastic. On a side note, to address the issue that caused this rist in the first place. When I pulled the piece off, there were pieces of thin foam under both places where it rusted out, it looks like the foam was put there to reduce vibration, but had the added 'benifit' of holding water to cause a big rusty mess... what could i do to replace that foam? I definitely dont want the cowl flapping and causing a racket while im rolling down the road, so I'm wondering what some of you guys did in this case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 I put in a couple of pieces of the aluminum/bubblewrap/aluminum sheeting that I used in the interior as sound/heat deadening. It's about the same thickness as the foam, but won't hold water. I also sealed the cowl with silicone (made a gasket bead and let it dry before replacing the cowl), so no wash water (car will never see rain ) will get in there. Condensation should be able to escape via the drains. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbuczesk Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 Datsun didn't get much if any primer and paint on the back side of the cowls. The foam pieces are very dense so I don't think that they hold much moisture. I can test it if you like. Make sure that you paint or POR15 the cowl area and that the drains are not clogged. That should take care of any rust problems for years. Look how long it lasted with almost no protection. If you're going to the effort of putting the car on a rotisserie why not just replace the cowl panel? It'll save you a lot of time and labor. I can probably ship one to you for $50 if you want to go that route. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gtmattz Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 $50 ? wow, is that before shipping costs? I was expecting alot more, hence the repairs instead of just replacing.. I may just go that route, but then, I have also been thinking about filling the louvers and having a solid piece so I would be filling the part anyway and I see no reason to use a perfectly good cowl if im going to be performing major modifications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbuczesk Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 I was thinking $50 including shipping. Should be close to that anyway. I think was a thread recently about filling in the vents. What do you do for fresh air to the heater? Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 Datsun didn't get much if any primer and paint on the back side of the cowls. The foam pieces are very dense so I don't think that they hold much moisture...Chuck True that they didn't get much protection back there, but I can show you rust built up from moisture under the pads on at least one of my cowl pieces--not fun. Was the foam for sound deading or what? I'm still puzzled at why it is there; I must have missed it completely when I first discovered them. If they are for sound or rattle deadening, a piece of tar based sound proofing would be best. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gtmattz Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 I was thinking $50 including shipping. Should be close to that anyway. I think was a thread recently about filling in the vents. What do you do for fresh air to the heater? Chuck heater? what heater? no im kidding, im planning on using an aftermarket unit that just recycles the air inside the car http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=137942&prmenbr=361 light weight and compact, and since the heater/AC was ripped out of my car before i got it (the interior is pretty much trash) im just going to block the air intake from the heater and slap this in and call it good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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