Got the car on the lift, and finally see the extent of the damage. I wanted to know what you guys thought as far as how bad it is, if its a canditate for patch repair or needs full pan replacement or if I just need to get rid of the car. I dont know enough about body to make a decision, my plan is to take it to a shop for an estimate, and see what you guys all think.

 

Worst spot is under the driver side door by the hinges, goes right into the rocker and the spot under the carpet. Then there is another spot further back on the driver side, one on the opposite side on the r/r, and the two holes on the r/f.

 

How bad is this along the wheel well?

 

Whell well doesnt look too bad as long as the torque box area inside the wheel well is solid your good there. Alot of it looks surface but the rocker area is gonna have to be looked at. The way I see it is you can see what its gonna take to fix it and go from there. I reccomend pulling the carpet as well to see everything and all areas as I thought my torque box was good till I pulled the carpet. Then decided to junk the car as under the carpet was hiding it all

 

I'm a collision/refinishing guy. that's expensive lol. nice thing is you got a lift, get a home sand blasting kit, take out your interior, duct tape over the holes, go to town on it all. then just cut and weld. if you can weld; and then go to an auto store place for collision/refinishing specialties, ask for 1. Seam sealer (its in a tube, like silicone.) tell the guy what it's for and he'll hook you up. 2. Sealer (its what you spray across the pitted freshly cleaned metal. 3. gravel guard. 4. Wax & Grease remover. get a rag and hand clean the fresh metal (this stuff makes sure the paint sticks and seals very well. well, the seam sealer and sealer. gravel guard sticks to everything. and your done! (PS) i would scuff/sand around the welds inside the vehicle when i'm done, seam seal those and brush on some sealer, and a little bit of a top coat (gravel guard probably too.) just to insure it doesn't come back no how.

 

if you ask a shop to do it all. your paying at least 1200$ if they cut and weld more, about OEM specs like most centers like to do, then at least 2000. if you can weld, you can do it yourself for more like 125$ if you buy the best of the best materials at that.

 

Hi guys...First timer here. I bought my wife a 91 camaro, that she had to have, without really looking at it... Yeah, my fault. But she was happy. Well, found a huge rust hole under drivers seat. Need a panel so i can weld and get her back into her car. Lost my job shortly after buying car, now no money to fix. Need to find some really cheap pans or maybe just make my own. Ideas? I have never done this kind of repair before, but think i would love the challenge. Please let me know if anyone has any ideas on cheap fixes to make a daily driver. Thanks

 

I"m sorry to jump in like this, but I have seen it a lot and have to ask...what is a torque box? A simple picture would be nice! My floors need help too...I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. My firewall needs help too.

 

Chevydrvr heres a few pics of my old 85 that i tried to save but ended up scrapping it after a few years

Torque box is the metal part of the frame that you can see thru the hole here in the pic



One tell tale sign you know that area will be bad is this in the wheel well



heres a pic of the torque box from the bottom