[spookabilly]

I just bought a 1959 Rambler and there is some major rust through the floor boards. On the passenger side, there is a foot-long rust hole right below the firewall, and the firewall is also bad in places. I was wondering if I could just cut some steel and weld it to the firewall and have it bend down to the other good steel or if it would be better to have to adjoining plates? Also, I read to smooth it over w/ bondo or similar product. Would it be okay to just fill it in with weld and grind it smooth? IS it better to make a plate and cover the rust, or cut all of the rust out back into the good metal, and then just weld a plate even w/ the good metal? Also, on the driver's side, there is rust under the accelerator pedal. I have been told that this is a huge problem, but never why? Can I just weld a plate in there and drill a hole to fit the accelerator peg through? I have pics of this rust that I can send to someone. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
-Levi

 

[Halloweenking]

WHOOOOOOA THERE LAAAAAAAAAAASSI!

My brain doesn't comprehend fast enough to remember all the stuff you just rattle off

Yes, weld a patch peice of sheetmetal or reproduction floorboards into the gargantuan hole caused by Automobilicus Cancerous. Cut out all the infected area to the good metal and go from there. Send me those pictures and I'll try and answer the rest of your questions, but do to a lack of brain power and comprehention thats all you gonna get!

hehe, to answer the question about the bodo or filler I'm not sure what your asking but after you weld you panels in you can grind smooth and spray some sealer over it you don't 'need' the filler. If I am way off the subject of your question...ask it better next time

Just goofin around, just send me the pictures and any other question you may have, glad to be of service.

HK

 

[Gr8 '48 bow tie]

<img src="graemlins/drool.gif" border="0" alt="[drool]" /> Spookabilly, Since you did not give enough info about your Rambler such as what model you have, there is not much I can tell you but I did go to AMC BODY PARTS on the search engine and found that there is a wealth of info there, check it out.

'59 AMBASSADOR <img src="graemlins/drool.gif" border="0" alt="[drool]" /> <img src="graemlins/drool.gif" border="0" alt="[drool]" /> <img src="graemlins/drool.gif" border="0" alt="[drool]" />

Good luck to you.

Al

 

[53vicky]

I replaced some sheet metal in my ford. I cut out an area and replaced it with an inch or so of over lap. I drilled 1/4 " holes every 2" around the perimeter of the new metal and welded in the holes. Then I took a seam sealer that you can pick up at a auto paint supply and sealed around the new seams.
My accelerator pedal was rusted out to, it appeared to be from water entering and settling at that low spot also the mounting screws just went through the floor without any sealer of any sort.

 

[deuce_454]

wooah, please stop..
i can send you some pictures of how to do it right.. but for gods sake dont use bondo.. if i were you i would buy some new floorboards, but if you have more time than you have got money to spend you can do it the slow way and fabricate the parts yourself. (Steel is real)

but if you are going for a quick and dirty fix (for which you should be slapped)the best result comes from cleaning first paint with a chemical stripper, and then sanding the rust. and covering the whole deal with a layer of fibreglass and polyester. that way you rcarpet will still fit and it will look somewhat original

 

[spookabilly]

My car is A Super 4 Door Hard Top Series 10. Forget about the bondo statement. To deuce_454, I do have MUCH more time than money and I'm NOT going for a quick fix. I hope to keep and enjoy my car for a long time. I'm only 17, and I have a welding/fabrications class coming up, so I can make the new panels and weld them in at school.
Thanks everyone!

 

[38 special]

Welcome aboard kid. Sounds like these guys have you started on the right track. I've got to replace some rot gut cancer in my 38 DeSoto (the whole trunk area). Since you said you've got more time than money, which is the same problem I have( and a few of the rest of us). I found a local steel co. that sells 4 x 8 sheets for of 20 ga. steel for 60 bucks. But an even better place was a local roofing contracter here. He sells me a 4 x 10 sheet for 30 bucks. That's more in my budget. Yours too I'm sure. So, you might want to try that out your way too. I also barter. I trade time and energy for parts. Like I'll take that engine out for you if I can have the tranny. It works! Good Luck Kid! Send some pics our way when you get working on it.

 

[godofgsxr]

You are on the right track spookabilly, I teach welding/metal fab at the local high school and let me give you the inside line. Be responsible and take on some leadership in that class and my guess is you will find yourself set up with plenty of cheap to free metal as well as help on your endevors.

 

[Madd Syntst]

One word

NODAMNBONDO!

 

[2oldster]

All this is well and good and certainly practical, but it has been my experience that floor pans are seldom sold at salvage yards etc. and if you hunt around on the net and the guys that sell parts on Ebay, you just might get lucky and find a stock original used floorpan that is still in good shape that someone would be glad to cut out and sell you at a reasonable price. Then drill the spotwelds, reattach and WALLAH!, a new factory floor pan.......... just takes some patience, but they also fit..

 

[2oldster]

Oh, and I forgot, DON'T put ANY patch over existing rust because it will cause it to rot back out again PDQ. Trim the rust back after you've made your patch and marked around it to show you where it goes.....

 

[Madd Syntst]

If it is not going back to be a concours show vehicle, make a pan out of sheet metal. Do a clean job and the only place you see it is under the car!

 

[DragLinkscc]

Budget patch panels are in store? I did some patch work on a friends 56 merc a month or so ago and all it cost was some sheet metal. mig wire, grinding disc and several hours of cutting and grinding then welding rusty ole holes!
http://roaddevilsflorida.homestead.com/files/floors.jpg

 

[DragLinkscc]

oops?

 

[spookabilly]

Can I cut away all of the bad rust, then grind the surface rust off of the existing pans, then use a product like por15, then put my new floorpans over top of that?
Thanks!
-Levi

 

[Halloweenking]

Levi, weld your new pans in first then use por15. If you use if before welding you will just burn it off and waist it. By using after the weldings done you still get the job done and ;lay down a fesh coat for protection.

HK

 

[helrazr3]

when you cut in the new patch pieces dont overlap the metal if at all posible cut the patch to fit tight and tack it in spots.

 

[Madd Syntst]

Helrazr, this is my first disagree. I like to over lap and either joggle the edge with some crimping plyers, or drill some holes along the edge of the panel and tack the holes and run some beads.

 

[helrazr3]

MS my opinion is mostly from observation and the advice of a few friends who know what there doing, the reason i say to butt weld is that if you overlap you may get moisture or crud in the overlay. my own talents are restricted to some self taught tac welding and a few welds on tubing and patch panels i suppose there are pros and cons for both methods.

 

[farna]

1959 Super Rambler. Did I tell you I love old Ramblers? I'm assuming the 59 has a 195.6 OHV in-line six (the only size they made, but the way). Of course if it had the V-8 it would be a Series 20 Rebel in 59. That old six is reliable as any can be, but lacking in the power department. Lots of low speed torque though, should take off real easy -- albeit not real quick. There isn't much you can do with the old 196, it has a 3.125" bore and 4.250" stroke, nearly a tractor motor! Will get the car around respectably though.

If you need any technical advice let me know, I'm pretty familiar with the cars. And don't let anyone tell you you need to rip the front suspension out. Trunnion joints are different than ball joints, but not inferior. The trunnions came out before ball joints, in 1950. Ford started using ball joints in 1954, others not until 57 or 58. The trunnion is better than king pins, equal to a ball joint in movement. AMC stopped using them after 1969. By that time it was CHEAPER to use the ball joints everyone else was using and buy from an outside supplier than to make a special part in house. Cheap enough in the long run to warrant the engineering work on the suspension for the change. You just need to know how to take them apart is all, and most people don't. They think it needs to be removed if they don't unserstnad it, when it is much easier to study it and come around to understanding!