Big rust issue on my SC

GBStu · 12-03-2006, 07:00 PM

While upgrading the front suspension this weekend I found this:

My question what repair sections do I need other than a tank support and suspension pan?

The previous owner had fiber glassed over the top and undersealed it, I couldn't tell until I started working around the torsion bar support!!

BTW, I’m certain it was battery acid since the other side is fine.

Any comments and/or support are welcome….I will be tackling this problem over the next few weeks; good job we have a long winter up here in Buffalo….

Thanks

Stu

GBStu · 12-04-2006, 05:33 AM

Has anyone tackled the same repair? I have ordered a suspension pan and tank support, is there anything else I need?

Thanks, Stu

Rot 911 · 12-04-2006, 05:36 AM

I can't tell from the picture if the damage is even down in the suspension pan. Most of it looks to be in the inner fender sheet metal.

Ron.G · 12-04-2006, 05:37 AM

I'm just guessing but I think you may need a bumper mount bracket as well.

PcarPhil · 12-04-2006, 06:05 AM

Ouch. I feel your pain as I recently discovered I need a new pan in the rust free RSR roller I recently acquired.

In addition to the pan, gas tank support, and torsion bar reinforcement plates it looks like you're going to need a donor section from a rust free car for the vertical section above the front pan.

Good luck with the repair. Please document the repair with pics if you can!

GBStu · 12-04-2006, 06:25 AM

Scott,

You mentioned the torsion bar reinforcement plates, don't these come already welded to the suspension pan? If not, where do you get them from?

THanks, Stu

PcarPhil · 12-04-2006, 06:44 AM

I'm a little short on time this morning but this should help:
Front T-bar reinforcement bracket source?

Elombard · 12-04-2006, 09:17 AM

How nice is the car? I would just get a pan kit, some dont come with the support. Then just use raw stock to make the rest. Its just a sheet of metal up there. The important parts are in the pan kit. I think you can also get the front piece that comes down vertical from the hood latch. I dont beleive you can buy the inner fender liner?? Also, may be able to buy the section from someone cutting a tub.

If the other side is OK I might recomend cutting the kit in half, alot less work and easier to line up.

I documented a couple I did on here some where. Its really not hard just time consuming.

GBStu · 12-04-2006, 12:08 PM

Erik, the car is in pretty good shape (see pic below) apart from the front suspension pan.

I agree with you about reducing the amount of work.......since the passenger side is solid I will just cut of the sections I need from the new repair panels and splice them in.

Thanks, Stu

BTW, I ordered the torsion bar supprt plates from Stoddard

PcarPhil · 12-04-2006, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GBStu

I agree with you about reducing the amount of work.......since the passenger side is solid I will just cut of the sections I need from the new repair panels and splice them in.

Is cutting a pan in half and only repairing the bad (drivers) side a generally accepted method of fixing the front pan?

Mine is the same way - only rotted under the battery area.

Elombard · 12-04-2006, 01:30 PM

I have seen it done this way several times. I think it depends how "perfect" you want it. You will have weld in the middle that would not be there normally.

Stu thats a beauty, your call on making the stuff from scratch or getting factory pieces. I filled in alot of areas on mine with sheet stock, ground the welds and painted.

450knotOffice · 450knotOffice's Garage

I had to have my suspension pan and tank support replaced a couple of years ago. I ended up paying a respected body shop (that a respected Porsche repair shop recommended, btw) to do it since I am no welder. My Carrera also had battery acid issues.

Can you give us a much closer picture? In this picture it looks like there's damage up above the suspension pan up into the forward longitudinal, but I can't really tell.

GBStu · 12-04-2006, 02:24 PM

Scott, here are a couple more pics of the area:

450knotOffice · 450knotOffice's Garage

Yup. That's kind of what I suspected. It's well beyond your pan and is up into the inner fender wall sheet metal, but it looks like it stopped short of the longitudinal just above that area. It looks like the shock mount area is fine.

I wonder if you need to go to a junkyard, find a small identical section, have it cut out and then grafted into your car, or if it can simply be built up with sheet stock and re-welded.

I wonder what some of the more experienced guys feel about that area.

Elombard?