Lmancha96

When I purchased my car i did not have enough sense to check if it had the hole but unfortunately it did and it was not pretty it looked as though the PO took a saw and started cutting til he found what he needed its a mess.

I dont have any pics of it right now..

but my question is: How bad would something like this mess up the structural integrity of the car? '

and can it be patched up again correctly?

Thanks!

kentuckyKITT

iTrader: (4)

It's my personal opinion that if it were safe in any way, then GM would have provided an access door. Your best bet here if you want it done right, is to remove the gas tank and cut out the whole section and weld in a new section from a donor car. That's about all you can do. I'd also be checking your fuel lines because most likely they have been spliced with rubber and hose clamps...which will not last. Depending on the extent of the damage, usually you can just replace the upper floor, but if this guy went saw crazy...it may not be that simple.

Lmancha96

That is not what i wanted to hear.... Is it even worth putting any more money into it?

because after cutting more holes then rewelding it all back together im pretty sure the car wont be the same any more....

I did not see anything funny about the fuel lines but I will inspect them thoroughly next time I get a chance.

kentuckyKITT

iTrader: (4)

It really all depends on how much was cut out. I mean if the guy cut out a huge section, then yeah it's a problem. Most of the time when I have personally seen this, it's usually a 1ft x 2ft rectangle or so cut right above the sending unit. Then, they cut the fuel lines because they cannot get the sending unit out without doing that. I've seen it on 3 cars personally. I even watched a guy do it against my advice several years ago. I walked away from a GTA because of this.

Take some photos so we can get a better look at the damage. You will need that section out of a donor car and with some welding and body work, it will look exactly the same as factory if it's done right.

Structurally, I have no idea of the possible problems in that particular area, so maybe someone else can chime in on that.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

Nothing wrong about an access hole being there nor is it unsafe. That is not a crumple for the car & if you get hit hard enough to effect that area? You got bigger worries than that hole.

Lmancha96

The car is currently at my dads house but I will try to get him to snap some pics for me or I will get some the next time I am over there...

When I refer to structural integrity i mean will that hole cause the body to flex or could it have already caused it to flex the car has a v6 at the moment so not much strain has been put on the body ( I think) i dont know very much about all that but I have heard of cars with modded l98's causing the body to flex....

Please correct me If I am wrong....

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

OK...You are wrong.

Mine was cut out about 7 years ago, no panel made has ever been in place to patch it & with my 315s in back & L98 up front? The car never flexed any more than it did before. I live out in the country on twisty roads so don't think that the car has never been pushed either. SFCs just got put on about 6 months ago, so even without SFCs the car was fine.

dads old blue 9

too many people do this ! bad idea any body thinking about this type of short cut should bring their car to a mechanic . I replaced a pump in my 90 Iroc in 1hr and47min you dont even have to remove the entire rearend just the break line block for enough swing. and if you cant get the tank out because of the fillerneck , just cut it off and use some duct tape later .... NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sory about that . the rear deck is corigated for a reason. so weld weld weld .

lmidden

shouldnt cause it to flex its in between the 2 rear frame rails. get a section of the metal to weld over it flange all the metal around the hole to give it more strength then wed it that about how youy can make it as strong as possible

Jeffs82TA

iTrader: (1)

1hr 47m

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

I'm with this guy. It took me the better part of 3 hours just to get the rear disassembled/exhaust out of the way to remove the tank. Another 3 to put it back in thanks to my lovely wife's air tank and air tools (Fathers day gift)! Would have taken an insane amount longer with just rachets and wrenches.

MNformula350

iTrader: (2)

It seems like the same or more work to go the cutting a hole route to me

I did mine in about an hour, But then again I did it at the Pontiac Dealership I worked at at the time, with a lift, table to drop the tank with, plenty of tools and a guy who done hundreds of them .

6SIX6

iTrader: (35)

1H 47Min. Yeah good luck. Ive done it and had a hoist no way it can be done that fast with 20 year old rusted bolts. When I got my new shell there was a hole cut and done properly with a plate and its the best thing as far as Im concerned. I can replace my pump in 45 min or less now garenteed. No jack or hoist needed. A plain socket set and im done and ready to roll again

I know its a choice if you want to do it and ive done both ways and the hole is 10X better in my opinion. Oh and maybe GM didnt put one in as they wanted their cars to go to the dealer for work on them. The import cars have been doin it forever now

Basically it comes down to if you want to and if you do just make sure it looks clean. Im gonna redo my cover with a piece from a parts car i had when I get time this winter as i want to make it alittle tighter to the floor and add a few more screws into it

dads old blue 9

never said I had 20 year old rusted bolts . so yea I guess that would add some time , but as far as my 1 hr 47 min ....... thats my story and I'm sticken to it . for you hole cutters thats your choise , and If you just drive your car and arn't looking for major performance , sure that works I guess . just keep in mind , If you sell the car you may want to keep that (mod) a secret . not everybody feels good about holes cut in the main structure . you may want to ad some weatherstrip tape under your door to keep out any potential exhaust fuems at a stop.

6SIX6

iTrader: (35)

i dont dis believe you at all. Sometimes stuff goes smooth and other not. I got the car that way when I bought it and it didnt bother me but then again its not for everyone I know that. I killed it with RTV before I put it back in.

Lmancha96

Thanks for all the responses guys really appreciate it...

Ill be updating this thread soon when I get pictures of the holes..

Then you guys can give me an even better opinion...

But as of now the plan is to get them fixed.... ASAP

I had not even thought of how exhaust fumes could be a problem, I have not driven the car much since it has been down since I got it... but im sure exhaust fumes do get in since theres a couple holes right there

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

7 years now with an open hole except the cut carpet (carpet wasn't pulled up, it was cut through the carpet) blocking anything without a single exhaust or gas fume in my car yet.

If you get bad fumes inside, you gotta look elsewhere for the problem The problem is not the hole. It is the gas tank pickup (gas fumes) seal or exhaust leaking (exhaust fumes).

Jeffs82TA

iTrader: (1)

That area of the floor is no structural area. The metal is paper thin I cut my 4th gens floor and had fuel pump changed in 30 minutes (but it isn't like a 3rd, it has quick disconnect lines near sending unit) Then bought 1/16" steel and layed caulking compound down and riveted in place and painted the area white. There is just no way I will lay under the car for 3-6 hours doing a fuel pump. Sorry but your 1hr 47min. claim is bull, probably take you that long just to lower the exhaust and god forbid if you have had a catalytic converter welded on then how are you going to lower the exhaust enough?

I'm guessing you have a clamped on muffler etc. but if that muffler is welded on then it is a nightmare.

The_Wraith

There is nothing wrong with cutting a proper access panel. Cars come from factory with these now. When GM designed the Thirdgen most cars were running mechanical fuel pumps (Thirdgen's included). Just because they did not build it that way from factory does not mean they couldn't have.

If your against doing a cutout nobody cares. Its has been proven to be safe for years now. Get under your car and pull your exhaust and rear end down and do it that way. I on the other hand will have a new fuel pump installed in less then 30mins. And while your car is stuck at the side of the road in need of a tow, I will have a new pump installed at the side of the road.

Yenipenny

Could someone provide a picture of the proper place to cut an access hole?

The_Wraith

See this thread https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/fabr...cess-hole.html

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

There is someone on here who has done the hole who is also on a TTA forum, and has pics and instructions on doing it right.

Personally, I would grab an access plate out of a 90s W-body (right behind the center section of the back seat under the trunk carpet) and put that in. If I didn't already go for the other option, which is:

Get rid of the fuel injected sending unit and put in a carbed sender. Then, run an external fuel pump. Problem solved. It's quite possible... The carbed sender still has a return on it and all 4 hoses.

Yenipenny

Thank you very much. Looks a ton easier than dropping the tank.

dads old blue 9

no dout cutting a hole is easier than fixing it the wright way , and believe it or not I even thought about it myself and if the hard lines wern't so long and the hole didn't have to be so big i probably would have done it . but I wasn,t about to butcher the steel lines then splice them back together to get the sending unit out . I replaced my rear end not long before so I knew it wasn't that big a deal to drop the rear to access the tank . and yes I have a new magnaflow system with clamp on muffler so that helped . seems I pissed a few of you off , that wasn't my intention. so I'm sorry to those who took ofence .

Lmancha96

Uh any moderators out there???

Can you please this thread...

Its very well on its way to being another 5 page thread about holes and doors and people just outright insulting each other, and I dont want to be the one that caused it lol

6SIX6

iTrader: (35)

I dont think so as its just a heathy debate. I swaped to braided line when I put my 4th gen tank in and its stupid easy now to do the pump.

Its all in what you wanna do

The E35 heandlight swap is awsome but alot of people wont as you have to cut up the rad brace behind the headlights

This is the same issue as the hole on the floor. Some will want to do it and some wont. Im on the side of do what you want to do as it your car not mine but dont tell me what to do with mine is all I ask.

I have no issue in making my car what I want it to as I took replacement pieces out of parts cars as I get them. If I dont like what I've done i will weld the replacement piece in. To me no big issue. If anyone wants a floor piece to reweld into their car so the hole is gone I got one. Its a stock floor piece