Floor Repair Below Rear Quarter Window

[55 Fargo]

Has any of you guys had the luck or misfortune, to have to replace rotten metal down below rear quarter window, at the floor.

Mine was rusted out in there, I have repaired it, but what a SO Beach, to repair this area, very hard to get tools and hands in there to begin with, I did the patching from under the car, that wasn't so easy, to do either. Well at best it's a bush league job, it's sealed up, but I am not too satisifed with the results as usual, maybe I should take up crochet, no wait a minute that would drive me crazier:D .

So if any of you had to repair a rusted out area such as this, how did you do it and how did it turn out. At one point I was going to leave it open down there, and seal the cover panel from inside the car. I was thinking it would be good drainage, nothing to hold water and debris in there to start the rot process all over again. But I figured the dust or exhaust may get in there.

What may be the best way to fix up this area ............Thanx Fred

[55 Fargo]

Heres how it looked when I first started to work on the floors inside the car. Will post a recent pic later. But as you can see it is an awful rusted mess in there.

[55 Fargo]

Recent pic, still needs to be painted in there yet

[BobT-47P15]

Fred, Did your car have any drain holes in the rocker area originally? Have seen some where they are like a louver, with a hooded area at the front - I guess so any water will blow toward the rear when driving. Do you think your car will be outside enough for leakage to be much of a problem.....or will it now be garaged and driven only on nice days?

[55 Fargo]

Hi Bob,thanx for the rply, I have sqaure tube steel running the length of the original rockers. So I plan on drilling a couple of drain holes, in them.

The car has been garaged for a while now, would probably be driven in the nicer weather, if caught out in the rain while going for a cruise so be it, it won't be driven in the snow If I can help it.If the car for whatever reason had to stay outdoors, I would put up a porta garage or cover it with a good quality tarp.

So the chance for a lot of water or salt and sand getting in there is probably slim to none. So hopefully my patch job will be okay, it is a real pain in the you know where, to weld in this area, and welding upside down is no picnic either. the patches are part welded, and part riveted, I am no pro, but want it to be secure and sealed from dust and exhaust......Thanx again Fred

[1just4don]

...window above it leak to cause this?? I am always an advant of fixing the problem,rather than bandaiding the cure. I would be sure,,,with a water hose in hand,,,that you have really fixed it,,so it doesnt do the same thing again!! I realize it is going to lead a relative shelterd life,,but stranger things have happened, easy to 'see' now its opened up,,impossible later. And IF you can predict weather that accurate,,,you obviously are in the 'wrong' profession!! was the rubber seal stuff bad around this window for awhile??? Parked facing the 'sun' side for years??? History has a way of unlocking many mysteries!!

can you 'bribe' a good welder to put it in there with some liquid refreshments??? Welding thin tin with my old buzz box stick welder,,,,I usually make a bigger mess than I started with.

I Should have got more interested in that routisserri I saw advertised on a sale while back,,,beats welding upside down!!

[PatS....]

The repair looks well done...should work out well for you.

My Chrysler has a similar rustout but on the outside:

I was lucky in that my rockers are still solid in that area even inside.

[55 Fargo]

Hi Don, these windows will naturally drain water into these cavities, even with good window channnel and sweep. For years mine had no windows, of course water would go down there and sit. sand, dirt, water, clogged into sheetmental cavities, will cause rot and rust. I am not afraid to drive it in the rain. My plan is to drill 2 or 3 -3/8 drain holes, so ain't no water gonna sit there.. As far as welding goes, I have a mig welder, it's some of the spots are almost impossible to get the handle/tip into. Most of it is welded, some of it is riveted, not afarid of rivets, they put Planes and Buses together with rivets. An the best part is, you can't see the repair, unless you get down on all 4s and have a look under, there will be no voids, just wanted to get a better opportunity to weld more of it........Fred

[55 Fargo]

Here is a pic of my finished out sdie panel patch replacement, well the fine work is yet to be done before paint. The one pic is of the under panel, it still needs a little more weld, then will pull screws. There is a pic of the window, where when raining hard would allow some seepage to get by, it would flow riht down to the bottom, and sit if there were no drain holes for it to exit, just the same as any car door, I suppose.....Fred

[55 Fargo]

Okay, I was able to spend a couple of hours today, with my welder and the beast, I was able to weld, in both sides of the car under the 1/4 window, at the floor level behind the interior panel. I did weld under the car for the most part, I was able to tack weld, then stitch weld the panel from the inside, not an easy trick with the bottom frame part obstructed my hands and welder gun.

But it is now done, even removed the screws and welded the holes shut. The next step is to slap on some seam sealer, from both inside and underneath the car floor. I was thinking of drilling 3-3/8 drain holes, so no water will stay trapped in this cavitie, thi will be followed by trusty Tremclad red oxide primer and topcoated with Sure seal rubberized undercoating. That should take care of this matter.

The welding in this area was tough, the old sheet metal was corroded enough to make the welding a bit more of a challenge, only burnt through on a few spots. Welding inverted is not too bad once you get comfortable and get some practice, by no means am I a real welder, but can get by with what I have.

Here's one for just4don, gonna have my 15 year old step-son and his buddy get under the car, with my supervision to wire wheel and clean up the floor and frame, so I can paint under there, no this is what step-sons are for, mind you I am going to pay them $50.00 for doing it, which is a real deal IMHO................LOL Fred

[eric wissing]

Fred, it looks good. Can you loan out those stepchildren? Do they have red hair? . Joking aside I think your job looks gret. Eric

[55 Fargo]

Thanx Eric, no red heads, , the job turned out okay, very hard to get pro results, when a) the car is all together, and b)your working in tight awkward positions. My welding is okay on the bench, with lots of room etc, but upside down in a tight spot, with less then ideal metal surface conditions, it is marginal. Having clean rust free metal makes all the difference, as well having a tight clamped piece makes the weld better, much of the welding I had to hold the piece down tight with a long screwdriver and weld with the other hand, and sometimes use my left hand to weld, good thing these welds aren't structural..LOL Fred

[1just4don]

I really wasnt saying that the window should hold ALL water out of the area. just keep it down to a dull roar that the drain holes can handle. Me thinks dimpling them down a bit,,,with the burr removed on top,,,sure wouldnt hurt. Like take a big long tapered punch and give her a whack,long as it doesnt bend the sheet metal you can 'see'. I was just suggesting the hose as a way to visually see how MUCH water the area has to drain,,,and lack of hole plugging debris would be a BIG help!!

Looks good so far, congrads on the progress.Glad you have step sons to work 'with'!! Maybe they will feel some what connected by virtue of helping you here,,,and peak there interest in fixing things!! Most youngens think you buy everything brand new and throw things away twice as fast,,,to stay all new!!

[55 Fargo]

Thanx Don, my plan is to still drill 3 drain holes of 3/8 of an inch, this would allow crud, dust or water to exit out of the area. My initial thoughts were that I should not make any holes in the area, that would allow dust or exhaust fumes into the car. But don't think that would be an issue in this location, my new panels, one day when they are made could be plastic backed, the panels would also seal out any air or dust to come in as well. Let's face it, this car will not be driven through snow salt, slop, and slush, and why would I want to go driving in torrential rains if I can help it, the car stays inside unless going for a ride or I am working on it outdoors.........Fred