What it cost me to own a $500 car part 4

"StudyStudyStudy" (jesterjin) 04/17/2015 at 14:36 • Filed to: 240z, project car

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The best way to look at rust is like cancer. You cut out everything or else it will come back.

Some initial cuts and prodding of my “solid floor and frame rails” yielded the scale of my problem.

You can see the same cup through the floor from the picture above. Definitely a unique feeling to be prying and prodding and watching pieces of your car fall to the floor. My heart sinks even now thinking about it.

Unfortunately with the floor rusting, it introduced the same coolant/acid/water into the frame rail. Those turned out to be essentially gone as well. There were replacement beefier rails available, but they would be the same design of a C channel. I decided to go with a full box section so that this could pretty much be ruled out of the realm of possibility. So off to the local metal supplier, having one close by with pickup options really yielded some great prices. I pulled out all the money I had left after buying the welder and cash in hand bought the pieces I needed. So I looked up some designs on the internet and found some that I liked. little time with a ruler and a protractor yielded this little puppy.

With the questionable bits removed (or what I thought was the questionable bits -foreshadow-) I put the rail in and started rebuilding.

Benefit was with this design I could connect the chassis completely. The factory rail stops partially down ways, but with this design I could connect front to back.

I would learn later that it would be preferable to prep prior to trying to weld...

A firewall was easy enough to make. In lieu of some of the stamping for strength, I went with thicker metal.

A bit more work and some more sheet metal to connect the pieces and voila

Not to shabby if I say so myself.

I even took the extra effort to seal everything from the backside

I figured I had bought enough for both sides so I should go ahead and keep things symmetrical.

So out came the factory frame rail on the driver side and in went the new rail

Next would follow months, of patching the floor. It seemed for every patch I finished I would find another.

Eventually I would come to find that the patching would be insufficient (-even more foreshadow- cue dramatic music).

Lessons learned:

Welding upside down is real difficult. A rotisserie would make the process much much easier.

Running out of welding gas can really ruin your plans for the weekend.

250 - metal for frame rail and fire wall

100 - die grinder, discs, goggles, face mask, respirator metal shears, other metal working bits

50 - welding mask

50 - welding gloves/apron

50 - metal brake

35 - metal shaping kit

Subtotal: 535

Total spent: 2155

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BaconSandwich is tasty. > StudyStudyStudy 04/17/2015 at 14:45

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$50 for a metal brake, eh? I kind of thought something like that would be more expensive.

GenuineAlexReid - The Reidus > StudyStudyStudy 04/17/2015 at 14:45

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Very nice work! I’m learning the same lessons from my rusty Datsun.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > StudyStudyStudy 04/17/2015 at 14:48

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Welding upside down is a pain, you’ve got that right.

dogisbadob > StudyStudyStudy 04/17/2015 at 15:04

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Nice Mazda

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > StudyStudyStudy 04/17/2015 at 15:20

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My brother from another mother?

Great work!

My fuel tank and gas lines come out this weekend. The my welding saga begins!

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > StudyStudyStudy 04/17/2015 at 15:21

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I’ve got tons of experience with 240z’s, it’s all about the body. The mechanical is relatively easy compared to trying to repair a rust bucket. Also Motorsports auto will get lots of your money.

StudyStudyStudy > BaconSandwich is tasty. 04/17/2015 at 15:40

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Harbor freight, on sale, with coupon. Saved over 60% off the “MSRP.” Really basic though requires lots of strength and clamps.

StudyStudyStudy > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 04/17/2015 at 15:40

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Goodness, if I only knew then what I know now...

StudyStudyStudy > dogisbadob 04/17/2015 at 15:40

1

...?

StudyStudyStudy > Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger 04/17/2015 at 15:41

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Oh man, good luck sir!

It really is amazing that the lack of that little chemical tray can cause soo much damage.

StudyStudyStudy > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/17/2015 at 15:43

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Goodness, the amount of paychecks it feels like I just signed directly over to them. Really glad they are around though. It’s nice to buy almost everything from one source.

crowmolly > StudyStudyStudy 04/17/2015 at 15:46

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Just saw this. FYI, don’t buy their english wheel. It’s “broken” out of the box.

dogisbadob > StudyStudyStudy 04/17/2015 at 15:46

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I was trying to be funny because Mazda start rusting after only a few years.

StudyStudyStudy > dogisbadob 04/17/2015 at 15:48

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Sorry I made you explain it >.<

dogisbadob > StudyStudyStudy 04/17/2015 at 15:50

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hah it’s ok np :)

RallyWrench > StudyStudyStudy 04/18/2015 at 17:23

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Hats off to you, sir. i’ll be doing the floors on my car soon.

StudyStudyStudy > RallyWrench 04/19/2015 at 03:32

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Cut out all the rust and start on clean metal and you will be fine :).

JR1 > StudyStudyStudy 04/19/2015 at 10:44

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Welding is one skill I want to learn

StudyStudyStudy > JR1 04/20/2015 at 12:55

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Take a class or bribe a friend, the basics can be taught in a day, and as long as you get your work checked by someone knowledgeable and are willing to take criticism it will become a very basic skill.

StudyStudyStudy > JR1 04/20/2015 at 12:56

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Take a class or bribe a friend, the basics can be taught in a day, and as long as you get your work checked by someone knowledgeable and are willing to take criticism it will become a very basic skill.

JR1 > StudyStudyStudy 04/20/2015 at 13:16

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Alright will do glad to know it is a basic skill and not witchcraft

StudyStudyStudy > JR1 04/20/2015 at 13:33

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It can feel like witchcraft, but mostly it sounds like bacon :).