Hey everyone. I would like some opinions on this rust. I don't know if I should try to replace the floorpans or look for a donor car or even try to find a body that is in good condition and use it as my build platform and scrap this one. The floor pans are the main issue here. The rest of the car is ok with the typical problems with these cars. Any and all opinions appreciated, along with possible solutions!

 

My 82 firebird is rotting through on both driver side and passanger side floor pans, not as bad as yours but none the less its through. I baught 18 gauge sheet metal and im taking the time to just cut out and replace the steel, cuz im not made of money. i'll let you know how it'll turn out. but if you can afford floor pans at leasy buy the passanger side for yours. the driver side should be wire brushed to better determine the damage

 

I agree with last post. If the body is good and u can afford pans buy them if not do what he is doing 18 gauge and get it back on the road. That's my plan for mine

 

Yeah you need new pans you will need to get the old ones out and stop the rust or it will be back you can get new pans from year one

 

I'm all in favor of fixing stuff if you have the skills, time, and money.

I'd also like to know what these other areas look like:

• windshield-mounting channel (which is actually a trick-question, since you can't know for sure without pulling the windshield)
• area behind dash, where cowl joins the firewall (you can kind of get an idea of this by looking at it from the opposite side - i.e. from under the hood)

Really, the question you need to ask is:
What allowed all that water to get into the floorboard in the first place?

I'm going to stick my neck out here, and suggest that the rotted floorboard was NOT caused by salty water on the road that happened to splash up there from underneath.

Patching up the damage, without plugging the source of the leak seems like a fool's errand.

You have a major water leak. The floorboard damage is only likely the half of it - and the "easy" half at that.

What's the car really worth to you?

 

I have seen this many time it starts outside the car they have a problem with the seam were the floor pan meets the firewall not sure if it didn't get a good coat of epoxy I have had to replace mine to

 

It can be fixed and saved. If it was my would I? NO, but it's all in what you want to do and what you have in the car. I will fix surface rust, but when it comes to part of the floors missing-I'm out. there are alot of solid 3rd gens out there so you might was it think about picking up a solid roller or bad running car and using your car as the doner.

 

It can turn into a big job. I ended up removing the entire interior, cutting ALL the rot out (front and back), welded in 16 and 18 guage steel, seam sealed, undercoated and checked for leaks.

Make sure you have a full assessment of the damage before you start. check the spare tire area, frame rails ect