slownrusty Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Gang - I have been working quite a bit on my Roachy Ratsun 280Z that I pulled out of the Forest a few weeks ago. I have all the rust cut out. A friend of mine who is a welder dropped by and spot welded new 16GA patch panels - took 4+ hours. He had a hard time as the acetylene was very hot and the metal was so much thinner by comparisson to the 16GA patch panels that he kept blowing holes into the floor and frame of the car. We ensured that the patch panels were wldeded to good metal. Anyway its done now but I am wondering, how should I proceed, here are the options, which is best?: 1) Go back and fill in the gaps between the spot welds with a mig? To make the patch panel competely welded and tight onto the car -or- 2) Don't bother with the mig and just fill in the gaps with fiberglass, bondo, seam sealer? If so which type? If I do this should I prime the new metal patch panels first before applying the fiberglass, bondo, seam sealer? Am I missing anything? Please let me know. Many thanks for your help. Here are the pics! Passenger side floor after: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks280zt Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 I think you should get all of the tar/sound deadner out of the floor boards first. There could be problems areas under there you do not see. I would do that, grind the whole interior to bare metal with a wire cup attachment or something like that, then use seam sealer over those welds, then coat her with some nice rust preventitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 As much as he welded on those panells, if it's just a daily driver, you could probably fill them w/ bondo or whatever you plan on using. The only one I'd go ahead and finish welding up would be the inner front fender since that is somewhat stressed, and any other panels that may be stressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj paul Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 i highly suggest taking the tar out of the floors. the patch panels on the outside look ok but, did you paint the inside of those with any kind of rust preventative? On the floors, i seriously think you should redo them. Even if its a daily driver. I did this on mine and its a daily driver. Take a C02 Fire extinguisher and spray the floor for about 30 seconds, then whack away at an angle with a hammer, chunks just fly off. If you dont do this at least grind down better around where the panels are, i mean, theres still a rubber drain plug under a portion of one of the panels! take it out! theres 99% chance of it being rusty under the plug. do not fill them in with bondo or fiberglass. They all need to be filled with a mig with the exception of the dogleg portion right under/behind the rightside door, and the piece thats on the inner fenderwell leading to the engine bay. But since u would already have it, just mig them too and grind them out. Trust me, take the extra time, you'll be happy you did. Plus if you use the other methods you were wondering about, ull just hear squeaking and goofy noises that will bug the crap out of you and make people/you think your car is a POS lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TeamNissan Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 I agree with paul, My floor pans looked completely rust free untill I painstakingly chipped all that tar off to por and found the beginnings of rust. Get all that crap off there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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