Rust Repair: Where to start?

1411506 · 04-12-2008, 08:19 AM

Well it started out with a 1972 toyota landrcuiser, with a 4in lift and 35" tires.

My dad and I built it together, and after driving it for about 7 months it turns out I couldnt pay for gas anymore(8mpg). so I started my search for a DD which wouldnt be too expensive and will be fun to drive. my dad found a 1967 Porsche 912. PERFECT! price was right engine ran great and only a 4 cyl so it would be easy on the wallet with gas. only problem was the floor pan was rusted. no problem only sheet metal....well little did I know, turns out that the suspension pan showed some rust after 2 months of driving it. so unfortunautley my porsche driving days came to a very sudden stop.

so here I am with many questions on where to start with floor and suspension pan replacements. starting with the basics, where is the best place to obtain and entire floor set and a suspension pan?

also I have searched a little bit but was wondering who else has done one or both of these replacements on their 911 or 912?

sorry for posting about a 912 in the 911 section, just figured there is much more traffic here than over in the 912 forum and would get more responses.

Anyways heres some picture for ya, let me know what you think!

1411506 · 04-12-2008, 08:22 AM

OOPS meant to post this under my own name, not my fathers. Everything else of mine will now be posted under, 74FJ40

dtw · 04-12-2008, 08:39 AM

Do a search on suspension pan replacement, this has been covered umpteen times and you will be hooked up with all the info you could ever need. Good luck.

rothaus · 04-12-2008, 09:14 AM

Check out my thread

Project has finally started '71 911T

This will give you some info and ideas

Have fun
Engelbert

Magic Spray and Wipe

1411506 · 04-18-2008, 06:36 PM

Thanks - found a suspension pan - hope to start working on it in the next week or so....

SCWDP911 · SCWDP911's Garage

post some more pics. Looks like you've got a a chance to make a nice car... Also, be sure to check out this thread, plus this guy is in CO, maybe even near enough you muight be able to beg for some training opportunities on how to do it all right...

SWB 911R...the beginning

Good luck!

P.S> how old are you anyway?

robmog · 04-18-2008, 07:13 PM

here's my favorite link for pan replacement.
http://webpages.charter.net/mayo/Pan_files/v3_document.htm
good luck

3.2 CAB · 04-19-2008, 04:38 AM

Holy crap!!! I was not prepared to see that quite this early in the morning. I was taking a sip of coffee when I scrolled to the "bad" pictures and almost

spit up

I guess that I was sort of thinking, "a little rust" then saw the huge holes

! You didn't see any of this before you bought it? Then again, maybe you knocked some of the crust off and exposed the underlying rust problem. Once you get your parts together, if you run into problems, I know the people will be there to help. If you need some ideas or helpful thoughts on cutting out the pans or whatever, Axiom and Buckterrier, reign the roost

on the bodywork forum. If they tell you something, you can pretty much believe, that is what needs doing. I am sorry, but I don't remember if you said if you had a mig welder or not. If you don't, it is time to get one. Keep us posted! Good luck!! Tony.

3.2 CAB · 04-19-2008, 04:48 AM

I forgot to mention, be sure to go the the bodywork forum and ask over there also.
Also, I don't believe that any apologies are in order for your posting about your 912 here, it is still an air cooled Porsche and I do not think anyone would do anything but try to help you! A lot of good people here.

Shane(V-8 Ranch) had asked how old you were?
I too would like to know and what your first name is, so we know what to call you. Good luck!! Tony.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

I have a funny feeling that by the time you get done with fixing that properly it'll be far more expensive than your landcruiser.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

Before you jump into replacing the floor pan have you investigated the rest of the car for rust? Head light buckets, bottom of the doors and quarter panels, under the windshield? If the floor pan is that bad the entire car might be a big "rust bucket". I hate to be so brutal, but be sure you know what you're getting into before you start. The floor pan might be only the tip of the ice berg.

1411506 · 04-21-2008, 12:00 PM

My son's name is Max - and he's 17. His handle is 74FJ40.
We did know up front that the floor pan would need replacing, and figured on some other rust repair as well, so the suspension pan wasn't too much of a surprise.
Thanks for all the info on rust repair - we're going to need it.

Crashly · 04-21-2008, 12:32 PM

I feel for your pain. I have a couple of rusty landcruisers aying around as well. I have replaced a few areas wher the rust has eaten through and I have a few more areas to go, and I have been fixing rust on my 71 T for a couple of years as the time permits. These pre galvanization autos are a work of love. Honestly if you work for minium wage for as many hours as you spend doing rust repair you will probably be ahead. If you dont love it then becareful. There are places that sell the replacement pans and I bet a mechanically mionded teen ager that takes his time could do a decent job, given that he has some basic welding and cutting skills, and some decent tools. One of my better decesions was the purchase of a small miller wire feeder 110v ac. I already have a good tig and a 220V wire feeder but a small feeder that has a lot of adjustability is important. I prefer to have two grinders always at had as well one with a cut off wheel and one with a grindeing wheel. A air powered small blade sawzall is also very handy. Air nibblers can also be usefull. Dont forget to have a electric or air powered wire wheel as well. And remember to use your safety gogles around those tools. I have found numerous wire wheel bits buried 1/4" deep in my skin after using them for awhile. Good welding skills on thin metal is a must. Fortunately scrap metal is cheap, pratice pratice. A lot of my rust replacemet panels on my cruisers and porsche have needed to be spot weld cut so a high quality cutter is a must along with replacemet cutters. A sheet metal guage is also handy. I have bought some of my metal tools at Eastwood. After you have a decent selection of tools get the new panels ordered in. I would hold off cutting out the old panels until you have the new ones. Then it is simply cut and replace as necessary. Remember to have fun and dont hurry this project. You will be proud of your work when it is all said and done.

3.2 CAB · 04-21-2008, 01:58 PM

Hi, be sure to tell Max hello!

Now that we know what to call him, please let him know that if there is any questions about the bodywork or the welding, do not hesitate to jump on the board here or the body werks board and I know that it will only be a short time till he or you get the help needed. I see by his age, that you are going through now with Max, I did the same thing about 12 or so years ago with my oldest Son. It was great to be able to do that for 4 or 5yrs, because before I retired, there was not as much time for the father/son type of projects, whether is was cars or if it was other interests. Talk to y'all later, Tony.

74fj40 · 04-21-2008, 04:02 PM

Hello, sorry for a delayed response been busy with school and getting everything together to make sure I can graduate

anyways, Yes I sure do have a MIG welder and I have a fair amount of experience with welding, my dad and I bought this landcruiser when I was 14, and I did all the welding and rust repair on it myself, including welding the rear end of the tub to the cowl!

also yes, I have no throughly inspected the car for other rust and have found small spots that I will have to do some preventative matinenece to keep intact until I can do a full resto.

thank you for all the suggestions and help everyone. I recieved the suspensionpan in the mail today and will hopefully be doing some cutting tomorrow! I will post pictures of the disasemble tomorrow.

EarlyPorsche · 04-21-2008, 05:09 PM

When you do the floor just make sure the inner rocker is solid. Also look at the rear torsion tube very carefully. I suspect you have a bad hood seal that let water into the smugglers box and that rusted out the floor. Push on the metal on the floor of the smugglers box and report back. Also pull the top hood seal, and tell us how the metal under it is.