Rust Repair - Driver's Side Floor - Accelerator Pedal Area

[MarkWard]

I wouldn’t waste my money on panels you don’t see to fix rust holes. I’d look for a donor part or fab my own out of sheet metal. Only you will know it’s not original.
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1982 Vanagon Camper with ALH TDI.
1990 Vanagon Camper Syncro.
In Car https://youtu.be/5hbfdUJR88Q

[lorencjackson59]

You have inspired me to tackle this. The only panel I could find to purchase was $250 plus shipping

[Can1]

Thanks for the reply. I have the carpet out and the insulation pulled up so it can dry. I'm hoping I don't have to cut too much out of the floor. At least it's not structural and the rest of the van is great. I bought it in Jan so didn't catch this because from underneath you can't see it.

[Forthwithtx]

[Can1]

I think I have the same problem,
The passenger side is mint, look brand new, the drivers side unfortunately has been going on for a while. How did you seal that front seam above the headlights? Did you have to pull the dash? What type of sealer did you use.

[Forthwithtx]

[cawvin]

Thought I'd share some photos here, I got into this job yesterday. It all started with sound deadening the engine decklid, but before long I had the hole interior pulled out. One thing leading to another...

I've had a wet floor problem for a little while, despite refreshing the front windshield seal. I think I'll have to get in there with some sealant. Anyhow, that's how it looked when I finally pulled up the sound foam & carpet. The asphalt-based floor covering was pretty haggard looking, so I scraped it out and began sanding:

Once I got *all* the rust (ha) sanded off, I applied 2 coats of rust treatment:

And am in the process of letting that cure for 24hours. What are folks' thoughts on the 'bathtub-type' paint scheme for the front floor? I picked up these two products:

Thinking of laying down a few coats of the rubberized undercoating, and then bedliner over that. I'm tempted to leave the passenger side be, as it looks just fine:

But maybe I should continue my theme of goin' to town, and go to town on the whole floor?
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1986 tin top syncro w/ ahu tdi @ 50*

[Bambus]

ZOMBIE THREAD BUMP! just to say thanks for this thread-- it is just what i needed to see after finally pulling up my front carpet this weekend and addressing my own longstanding pedal rot.

:thumb

[Forthwithtx]

Well, I finished up today. The plan was, once I got it repaired and rust (hopefully) arrested, to build a swimming pool out of truck bed liner.

The asphalt based floor covering was full of cracks and I noticed that when I removed the stuff in the repair area, it had moisture underneath. Also, it didn't seem like a good thing to paint over. So, I removed the rest of it and cleaned up the residue with mineral spirits. I also wire brushed out the rusty areas in the enlarged area of concern, applied rust converter primer, and re-sealed them. You may use your sealant of choice. I used something I had (not blackjack).

So, here it is with the area all cleaned up, sealed, and primed.

I glued a plug into the hole revealed by the removed asphalt mat.

You may have noticed that I missed a hole! It popped out after the primer was applied. The black on white made it clearly visible. If you go back into the previous photos, there it is! I don't know how I missed it.

So, I took a small piece of aluminum tape and backed up the hole from the underside. You can see the underside of the plug. Again, just something I had in my collection.

The main area that I resealed. There was actually a small hole revealed after wire brushing, but not worth my time to repair.

This is after the truck bed liner was applied. I used an entire spray can in several coats. The material preferred to be sprayed with the can upside down, by the way. Use a respirator and/or spray in a well ventilated area. I had a little fan going, in addition.

The film strength of the material would probably be too much after it is cured, so I removed the masking tape while it was still wet.

Re-installed the accelerator pedal.

Once the bed liner is completely cured, I'll go underneath, pull the aluminum tape, and hit it with some undercoating to seal both sides, including the plug, to help retain it.

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Cheers!
-Karl

'84 GL with 2001/2004 Subaru 2.5L

[djkeev]

If you decide to go the panel adhesive route, you will find that the adhesive price isn't huge, the dispenser gun will set you back a frightening amount.

I came up with this easy low cost solution utilizing a standard sized dispenser gun.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=580527&highlight=

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[djkeev]

That water by the pedal often comes off of your shoe.
Rain, snow drips off of your shoe and settles at the pedal base.

Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[Forthwithtx]

[Zeitgeist 13]

I like those Clecos. I too would've just welded this, but using the temp rivets would often help even when overlap welding panels like this. I need to get some of those. Great job
_________________
Casey--
Volkswagens powered by Volkswagen
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender VR6 -->2.5 TDI?
Oly Bulli
'87 300TD OM606 7mm Myna pump and HX30

[Vanagon Nut]

thanks Terry. I'd prefer to weld but have next to no experience welding on a vehicle. Especially on thinner gauge, rusted out areas. But then I like a challenge.

Yes. i see Forthwithtx has a flux wire feed setup. @ Forthwithtx.: FWIW, I never once regretted buying a shielding gas tank. Haven't tried stainless yet but the trimix I'm using works fine with steel and should work with SS. My Hobart was set up for a gas connection.

pdf http://www.hobartwelders.com/pdf/spec_sheets/Handler_140.pdf

Seems they've improved it adding a 5th wire feed speed. Edit: meant: "5th wire tap" (power) I'm finding I can run mine on a shared 15 Amp circuit (so far but would prefer my old set up using the dedicated 20 Amp circuit I ran.

Neil.
_________________
1981 Westy air cooled to 15º ABA swap: http://tinyurl.com/y9n4xob8

50º ABA Swap in to '88 Westy: http://tinyurl.com/yap5hpwt

Vanagon VAG GAS engine swap Google Group:
https://tinyurl.com/2f24rmh

VE7TBN

[CHARLIE-DONT-SURF]

Awesome thread chap. Love it.

The only bit that let's it down is where you wrote

"I step bended"

I then read the rest of the thread in the voice of Ralph Wiggum.


Check out your screen seal to prevent a reoccurrence if you haven't already done so.
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https://www.facebook.com/Cow-County-Looms-1010851485971680/

[Terry Kay]

<<I may overlap the repair pieces, and weld them in, but the 3M option may be better, all told.>>

Another reason I mentioned the 3-M products to use in this sort of situtation is that most folks are not willing to buy, rent, lease, beg, borrow or steal a mig welder , or torch.
Nor do they have the time to learn how to use either-- don't want to, nor are they interested.

A weld is the best, sometimes as in this sitation where the metal is thin--half crusty, the body panel adhesive is as good if not better than the welding process--
Plus it automatically will seal up and displace any more water infiltration into the repaired area.

If you have plenty of time to allow the adhesive to cure, this is would be the way to go--especially in this crusty foor area.
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T.K.

[alaskadan]

Nice fab work! It shows that you know sheet metal. Its great to take a flat pc of metal and manipulate it into such a 3 dimensional shape. Whilst many can create straight line boxy shapes, it takes practice to form complex curves by stretching and shinking . Not many people know to call that cut a dart too. With those skills you probably be a great welder with a good welder. I cant stand flux cored wire personally. I use a lincoln 100 with gas and its such a sweetheart of a little welder. Good work.

[Vanagon Nut]

nice "panel" beating!

I have an appreciation of shaping metal so it was neat to see the piece take shape.

Very timely post as I have a couple of small rust hole repairs to do at RR fender well. I recalled the old cardboard trick. I may overlap the repair pieces, and weld them in, but the 3M option may be better, all told.

Thanks for posting the pics and "how".

Neil.
_________________
1981 Westy air cooled to 15º ABA swap: http://tinyurl.com/y9n4xob8

50º ABA Swap in to '88 Westy: http://tinyurl.com/yap5hpwt

Vanagon VAG GAS engine swap Google Group:
https://tinyurl.com/2f24rmh

VE7TBN

[Terry Kay]

The issue your going to have with applying any urethane bedliner over the top of the asphault / oil based undercoating will be, it won't stick on top of it now.
You have an oil based product on there, your going to have to stick with that type of product to keep it from falling off.

Something is much better than nothing, I was just bringing the 3-M products up because they are much more permanent, forever sealer, expecially in an area as the floor panel.

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T.K.

[candyman]

Nice work dude! Great attention the curves and stampings on the original floor. That repair will last a lifetime