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Thread: How to replace the floor pans (?)

  1. #76
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    Tempe, AZ, USA
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    72' 3.0 CS 82' 320iS
    Nice progress, Pommeree!
    One area that I have discovered is extremely sensitive to blowing out welding holes is where the floor pan bends up toward the tranny tunnel. It may just be this small section of the floor, but I found that the metal is thinnest where it begins to contour around the tunnel from the floor pan. Welding there can be a challenge, as I have measured a thickness as thin as 24 gauge. I plan to build up a little extra undercoating in this area when I re-coat the undercarriage.

  2. #77
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    Very scientific method















    Eric P.

  3. #78
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    nashville tn
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    1982 320is
    this is great work i will be doing the same in the next few months , mine has about the same rust in the floors as yours,i have the miller gas welder with .023 wire i shoiuld be able to see similar results,great write up

  4. #79
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    Time to read then re-read Nick's "Presto-Euro" thread.
    And Joel's "Rust repair" thread.

    This next part is going to require much more finesse than I've been putting into the floor-pans.

    Many many thanks to Phil A. for the sheetmetal!
    Behold! The mythical rust-free rear valence!

    EDIT: Those wheel wells / shock towers are rust free BTW. If anyone's interested, I might could put you in touch with Phil.
    What you see there is to be sold "by the pound" when Jack (his garage) gets around to hauling it off.
    Last edited by pommeree; 02-02-2012 at 09:59 AM.
    Eric P.

  5. #80
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    2 E21s, E28, Z3 Coupe
    mmm... plasma cutter...
    mmm... rust free body parts...

  6. #81
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    Actually a saws-all went through that like butter.
    We didn't have a plasma cutter and, ironically, it would have been too much.
    Cutting sheetmetal with a plasma cutter is like opening a beer can with a light-saber.

    Either way, it's a weird feeling putting a saws-all to a rust-free E21.
    Eric P.

  7. #82
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    Clean under your marker lights lately? Here's what your liable to find.


    Or worse ...


    Part on deck.


    Important lesson I learned in another bodywork thread: Get Dad to help.


    The man does good work. Plus he's cheap.


    Another important lesson learned early: Don't install the tie-bar until you're done drilling out the spot welds. Duh.


    Not much to show for. Dad drilled spot welds in the trunk while I did the same on the new piece to go in ...


    Eric P.

  8. #83
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    What about what's under the fuse box? Eeek!
    Last edited by fullswing; 03-11-2012 at 08:19 PM.

  9. #84
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    My Momma always said, "Don't forget to scrub under your fuse-box."
    I'd always thought she meant something else.
    Eric P.

  10. #85
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    Quote Originally Posted by pommeree
    My Momma always said, "Don't forget to scrub under your fuse-box."
    I'd always thought she meant something else.
    She meant THAT too! LOL

  11. #86
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    Seattle, Wa
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    81 323i, e28 S52,e39 M5,
    Just a suggestion from experience, when you brace the quarter panels go closer the the tip at the rear of the car, they have some tension when you cut the rear apart and tend to spring in at the tips.

  12. #87
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    Quote Originally Posted by joel323 View Post
    Just a suggestion from experience, when you brace the quarter panels go closer the the tip at the rear of the car, they have some tension when you cut the rear apart and tend to spring in at the tips.
    That's great to know! I haven't installed the 2nd and can easily add/replace the 1st.
    Also I'm going to need some pointers on joining at the trunk-lid-corners.
    The quarter-panel, rear fascia and trunk cross-brace all intersect at that point.
    Do I want to try and disconnect the factory joint at that point on both old and new and then reassemble?
    I don't want to cut wide there, say, into the quarter panel and then do a butt-weld because that would all be visible sheetmetal and therefore harder to correct any flaws.

    Here's the point in question

    © The Neek
    Last edited by pommeree; 03-13-2012 at 02:01 PM.
    Eric P.

  13. #88
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    I separated it at the factory seems which isn't that easy with the brazing, I cut in the middle of the tail light to get most of the pan out of the way then you can work on peeling the rest away from the upper quarter panel joint.

  14. #89
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    As penance for my "engine swap threads never go anywhere" remarks, I sawed the ass off my car this past weekend.





    Even if you've vacuumed here 1000x, guess what ... ?


    Well looky there! Just another rust hole to fix. I think that one is #193.
    Eric P.

  15. #90
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    Nashville, TN
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    1983 320is
    Awesome work! Looks like this is a road I'll have to travel eventually as well. You've inspired my confidence.

  16. #91
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    Love It Eric! keep it up!

  17. #92
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    Concord Mass.
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    1973 BMW '02; 1977 320i
    Looks like you've accomplished a lot!

    I haven't seen anyone mention 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner, #08984, and thought it might be helpful. I've used it with great success to remove a lot of thick and sticky tar like rust proofing from inside my trunk and engine bay - it looked like what you have without the hair. Maybe soak it with that and scrape it? It at least should be good for clean up and getting the left over gunk off - better than GooGone, starter/break fluid, and acetone as it doesn't damage the paint. Guys at the local FinishMasters and other pro body guys swear by it.

    Check out the pics of the before and after of my E21 clean up: http://s1102.photobucket.com/albums/...%20clean%20up/
    Last edited by wiscasset2; 10-14-2012 at 09:24 PM.
    Charlie
    '73 2002
    '77 320i

  18. #93
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    For comparison and contrast: The "Inspired" technique.

    EDIT: Post title should be "Inspired" technique vs. "Contemplative" tecnique.

    First the "Inspired" technique.
    Quick and dirty floorpan patch with "tooling" evidence visible.



    Tack, then shape, then tack, then shape ... then SHAPE .... THEN SHAPE! SHAPE! SHAPE!
    Actually, I meant to say "Sculpt". I'm "Sculpting" the floorpan with um, body hammers and, um, a 5Lb engineer's sledge.


    - - - Updated - - -
    For Comparison: The "Contemplative" Technique

    Scale prototype in posterboard of floorpan "shelf" intersection with 6" radius into firewall.


    Another view.
    Note: this is normally the location of the Jack Pad but I've omitted.


    Intersection Model above was used as template to develop larger template for entire piece.


    Large template in place.
    To be trimmed to size, adjusted then transferred to sheetmetal.
    Last edited by pommeree; 10-14-2013 at 11:24 AM.
    Eric P.

  19. #94
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    Damn son! Just read through this thread again as I will eventually need to do this to my two front floor pans. You have accomplished a lot of work. Nice job! Seeing this makes me confident to cut and weld in my own floor pans with no welding skills whatsoever.
    1999 Z3 Coupe 2.8L


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  20. #95
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    Quote Originally Posted by bassboy3313 View Post
    Damn son! Just read through this thread again as I will eventually need to do this to my two front floor pans. You have accomplished a lot of work. Nice job! Seeing this makes me confident to cut and weld in my own floor pans with no welding skills whatsoever.
    Well then! You're following the right thread!


    Seriously, though. I've drawn my inspiration from Legioneers on this forum.
    I'm just glad I can pay some of it forward.
    Eric P.

  21. #96
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    Saratoga Springs, NY
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    E46XI E36
    Very nice! I'll be going through a similar adventure this winter with my floorboards. They don't seem to be as bad as yours though. I'm also curious to how the lower trunk area is going to go together. Good luck this winter!

  22. #97
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    palouse washington
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    Well hey now wait a minute, if those floor boards get to looking too nice you wont want to cover them back up.

    I like your sense of humor, opening a beer with a lightsaber, as if there is any other way to open a beer. I dig that little pneumatic saw too I'll bet that's handy as hell, I'll have to price one of those out.


    I like where you are going with this and as Robert will tell you never underestimate the healing powers of roof tar.

    Cheers,

    Guy.
    The secret to a long life is knowing when it's time to go.

  23. #98
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    Virginia
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    E46 ZHP,82 E21
    Quote Originally Posted by pommeree View Post
    Well then! You're following the right thread!


    Seriously, though. I've drawn my inspiration from Legioneers on this forum.
    I'm just glad I can pay some of it forward.
    Amen! I'm new to the forum as well as the new rusty world I've entered. The amount of work you guys have done to your e21's as well the amount of effort put into posting and helping others is amazing. Thanks for the great info and the confidence you inspire! Hopefully I'll have positive results to post as well.

  24. #99
    Join Date
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    Spring is in the air!

    ... and the smell of burning seam sealer.

    Some important pointers I've picked up while doing this work:
    1. How do you ensure a nice, clean weld? Make sure absolutely all the seam sealer is gone.
    2. How do you make sure absolutely all the seam sealer is gone? You don't.

    Note to self: Check garage every 15 Min. to 1/2 hour to make sure everything isn't engulfed in flames.











    Eric P.

  25. #100
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    The one piece you need to make the car go.

    Old.



    New

    Eric P.

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