I'll just lift up the carpets to check for surface rust, then put them back...uh-huh

[cowtown]

I lifted all the carpets on my '75 911S to check out the integrity of the floor. I did this before I bought it, but I wanted to take up all the glued-in carpet to clean it too.

So I start pulling out carpet, then decide to remove the seats. I take out the front seats.

Then the rear seats.

Then I get to the layer of tar on the floor, which had chipped in places.

Gee, that looks heavy, and I've heard that moisture can get trapped down there. Better chip that out.

Well, there's a little surface rust but absolutely no real damage. Better order some POR-15 and touch up those spots.

But if I get all the paint up and etch the metal, I can coat the whole floor and never worry about it again, right? But I have to get all that adhesive off. Today was spent applying MEK and scraping. Is there a better way?

Funny how these little checks turn into weeks-long projects!

By the way, the tar in your car weighs 12lbs!

Sorry for the rambling. There is no point to this message. I leave you with a shot of every scrap of tar that was on the floor of this car. It's in a 5-gallon bucket, and it's 2/3 full.

[TimT]

Yes you on are the right path to enlightenment. Lighter is better, and if you can reduce the ways moisture is trapped in your car, its even better

[targa80]

If you keep going you will end up like me pulling everything out for a restoration.

[CamB]

Haha - that was by far the worst job (that I did myself) in prepping the 2002 race car.

I never found an easy way to get rid of the adhesive - just solvent and more solvent. Pretty satisfying when it is done though...