Patching holes/treating rust in the floor/heater channel

[tthoms]

Hello!

I have holes in the floor of what I think is the heater channel near the back wheels on both sides of my '71 Super Beetle. Here's an example:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1608463.jpg

I'm not ready to replace the channels; I may do so in a few years after I get my Ghia into shape. However, I do want to patch them and do some rust treatement. Since this is a temporary fix, I was going to attempt to treat the inside with some sort of rust encapsulator, and use JB weld steel stick to plug the holes, then treat the whole underside with POR-15 or some such.

I've considered using Eastwood's Internal frame coating to try to treat the insides, but if there is a better way, I would appreciate knowing about it.

P.S. Any ideas on how the holes got there in the first place? The rest of the pan looks pretty good, and I'm wondering if they rusted from the inside out. Why would water collect there?

[67ctbug]

Can we get a better picture?
_________________
'67 Beetle L41
'74 Westfalia
'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
'63 Ragtop
'73 914
'73 Dodge W200
'72 Dodge Wrecker
Go Cubs!
World Series Champions 2016

[tthoms]

I'm not sure these pictures are better, but they are closer. I'm not sure what you're looking for:

Driver's side:

Passenger side:

Thanks!

[Mike Fisher]

Buy patch panels & grind them down to perfect fit for butt welds into your solid openings. Make your own patches out of 20-22 gauge steel. Take them to a Muffler Shop etc for professional welding and/or their patch panels? www.masterseriesct.com silver & black brushes on nice & shiny/thick. Wipe on Phosphoric acid rust killer before the Masterseries. https://waxoyl-usa.com/ treatment is the best but Eastmans is cheaper.
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69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

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[67ctbug]

I was looking for pics from farther away to see the whole area, but what Mike said is true.
_________________
'67 Beetle L41
'74 Westfalia
'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
'63 Ragtop
'73 914
'73 Dodge W200
'72 Dodge Wrecker
Go Cubs!
World Series Champions 2016

[BIGMIKEY]

That rust started from the inside is my guess. I had the same holes in my 1973 beetle heater channel. Water from condensation over decades.

Hope you don't mind but here is a picture of what mine looked like. I ended up replacing the entire bottom plate.

Thread with more pics.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=682811&highlight=

Mike T
_________________
BIGMIKEY

Deserter Series 1 project.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=787047&highlight=

1973 Beetle Driver, Marina Blue.

[theKbStockpiler]

I just used two brands of CavityWax and they resemble wax mixed with spray oil.

I was impressed with the end result but it is messy because the spray oil is used to thin out the wax and be the 'carrier' of the wax. Most of the spray oil evaporates and the end result is a tacky wax coating.

I got the KBS brand from Amazon with a decent attachment to stick way in holes for about $25. The KBS brand has a lot of spray oil in it.

The other brand was the Budget brand from the rust store and that was about $10 a can without the attachment( a 2 foot flexible tube with a end on it that sprays from 3 places at 90 degrees.This brand was not as thin and left a thicker wax coating.

The KBS brand probably gets into crevices better but makes a bigger mess because the 'carrier' spray oil pours out of the hole while you are applying it but the Budget brand leaves a thicker wax coating.

Regardless of the brand I'm always going to keep a few cans on hand because besides for being tacky and making a mess while apply, they REALLY seem to have the characteristics of working.
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[tthoms]

Thanks for all of the input!

[tthoms]

[heimlich]

Based on those pictures I would recommend to not use the jacks that come with the car. Do not lift on the side of the car or you could crush it.
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