Posted By: Big Bad Bee
How much steel would you replace? NOW WITH PIX - 02/28/09 04:33 AM
My 70 cuda's trunk well is completely rotted out. huge holes. I think this car was parked early in its life outside with a leaky lid and a puddle of water in the well(it's been stored for 14 years) because only the well is rusted through. There's plenty of paint and a some surface rust elsewhere in the trunk. The extensions look excellent from the tops and backsides after poking and prodding (Behind the rear quarters).
So given that I am ordering a one piece trunk floor, would you just cut out the well and replace it, or would you take everything, all the way to the wheel wells and extensions? Which would be easier/make more sense?
Posted By: Iceman01
Re: How much steel would you replace? - 02/28/09 04:40 AM
You're the only one with eyes on the target, so you're gonna have to make a judgement call. If it was me, I would not cut corners on a keeper.
Posted By: NTOLERANCE
Re: How much steel would you replace? - 02/28/09 04:48 AM
Depending on the cars intended use.......
Driver....replace the rusted area.
Show car....replace it all.
Race car.....tire well is a good place for a fuel cell....
LAst time I did trunk work, there wasnt reopo trunk floors to buy....so take it for what its worth.
Posted By: FJ6AAR
Re: How much steel would you replace? - 02/28/09 05:20 AM
Do the whole trunk floor. You will be happier with the end result. Also, you can install it in ONE piece. Rob
Posted By: FJ6AAR
Re: How much steel would you replace? - 02/28/09 05:23 AM
One more...This is an NOS 1970 only floor.
Posted By: RUNCHARGER
Re: How much steel would you replace? - 02/28/09 05:59 AM
If the rest of the metal is really clean I would cut just inside the spot welds and butt weld the new centre in. That way the factory spot welds will still be present and the factory welds to attach the extensions will still be in place as well. This is assuming the rest of the metal really is clean, if there is any doubt at all about the rest of the metal though, I would replace the whole thing.
Sheldon
Posted By: SSAAHemiFan
Re: How much steel would you replace? - 02/28/09 02:48 PM
I always cut out as little metal as possible - less chance of fitment problems.
Posted By: rjsjea
Re: How much steel would you replace? - 02/28/09 04:54 PM
Replace the whole panel. Less time consuming than patching a bunch of places and final product will look better
Posted By: Big Bad Bee
Re: How much steel would you replace? - 03/01/09 01:59 AM
Posted By: RUNCHARGER
Re: How much steel would you replace? - 03/01/09 02:49 AM
Replace the whole panel.
Sheldon
Posted By: FuryUs
Re: How much steel would you replace? NOW WITH PIX - 03/01/09 01:36 PM
Reading your description, I would have said replace just the panel. After seeing the pic, replace the whole pan.
Posted By: ph23vo
Re: How much steel would you replace? NOW WITH PIX - 03/01/09 03:49 PM
i would not replace it all just the center..trim the trunk out over the frame rails so when you weld the new one in you cant see it from the outside at all...i did this with my 70 340 challenger and unless you are sherlock holmes you cant tell and it was much easier than doing it all.. besides your pan is only bad in the center!~ dan
Posted By: 6T6Cuda
Re: How much steel would you replace? NOW WITH PIX - 03/01/09 04:28 PM
Pop rivet some stop signs in, kitty hair, spray some undercoat on it to seal it up and call it done
...
Thats what I did to my '73 so I could use the trunk again
...
now I am getting ready to place a nice big order with AMD for everything...
Not going to start for a few years... but... have it when I need it...
Posted By: Posest
Re: How much steel would you replace? NOW WITH PIX - 03/01/09 05:37 PM
Buy now before it doubles then triples.LOL
Posted By: ScottSmith_Harms
Re: How much steel would you replace? NOW WITH PIX - 03/01/09 05:43 PM
I'l have it blasted to clean metal before you cut anything. Then remove only the rusted metal, then have it blasted again to get any new rust you reveal by removing the pieces. Then decide on how much replacement makes the most sense. Based on what I can see you'll probably want to remove what's covering the frame rails, even if you plan on reusing the same metal, just to allow you to get inside the rails to clean out the rust that's probably there. The extensions are the hardest part to replace and the reproductions don't fit nearly as well as the originals, I'd do everything I could to save the originals.
Posted By: Silver70
Re: How much steel would you replace? NOW WITH PIX - 03/01/09 06:59 PM
I always replace the complete panels. However I have a car not as bad as that one and I think I'm going to just replace whats needed. Like mentioned, blast it first. Other wise you may find it went further than you replaced.
Posted By: dvw
Re: How much steel would you replace? NOW WITH PIX - 03/01/09 07:14 PM
I just replaced only the center on my 64 Belvedere. The outer needed very little repair. That being said,if I had to do it over I would replace the whole piece. It was way more work to piece it in. I cut right above the frame rail flange so it did not show from the bottom,then I butt welded it. When I started nobody had a repro pan.
Doug
Posted By: Big Bad Bee
Re: How much steel would you replace? NOW WITH PIX - 03/02/09 05:39 AM
Great thoughts. Thanks for the input all. If you are still reading this, I'll add a bit, so continue to chime in.
I am considering biting the bullet and soda blasting the whole car. I'm a little concerned about the joints under the seam sealer as well as the areas where the outer fenders and trunk extensions come together. The passenger quarter's gotta go. It kissed a pole and then got beat out with a pry bar. the driver's side only needs a rear lower patch. I want to do the steel myself. What order should I cut, blast and repair the pieces in, in order to keep the geometry correct. After reading what Scott wrote, I was thinking, 1) cut out the patch and quarter, 2) blast, 3) replace patch and quarter, 4)cut out pan (or sections), 5) blast, 6)replace pan or sections.
More ideas?
