I shall call him Bart

Raindem

True Classic
Starting on a mini-restoration of my rescued '86. A few years ago the car sat abandoned in Phoenix, and was being used as a bike ramp by some neighborhood kids. A Fiat lover acquired it from the neglectful owner and made it road worthy again. I bought it from him a couple years ago and now it's going to get the attention it deserves.

So I started to disassemble the front end. I glanced back at the car and couldn't help but notice the resemblance to Bart Simpson.

Bart3.jpg
 
We got rust.

Have most of the interior and exterior body accessories removed and there are several areas of bad rust. Front boot, rear boot, head light pods, and rockers. Here's a couple shots of the floor pans.
Bart5.jpg


Bart4.jpg


The rear boot is even worse. My marginal welding skills are going to be sorely tested on this project.

P.S. Can everyone see the images I post? They show up when I'm creating the thread, but when I come back to view it they're gone.
Bart5.jpg
 
Looks like a job for POR 15, a hole saw larger than the rust hole, and a rubber drain plug the size of the new hole.
 
I wish it were that easy. The metal around the rust hole is quite weak. I'm thinking 4x6 patches for both sides.
 
Well Mr. Rain... you are in luck! The surrounding areas...

appear to be very solid and some flat sheet metal can easily be massaged to fit.

You can do this kinda RIGHT by cutting out all the weak areas in as flat and straight a line as possible... then trace the outline on paper to use as a template for the new sheet metal. (Old panels from a wrecking yard could be had for a bag of sand...) Then TIG weld in spots alternating sides and keeping things relatively cool and warpage to a minimum. MIG, Gas, FCAW, or stick welding can also be done... just go about it slowly and alternate sides.

Then you can hammer, grind, sand, primer, paint, undercoat, and cover with padding and carpeting.

The other kinda right way would be to replace the entire pan.

The other kinda way would be to cut it out and then overlap the new sheet metal and weld or Rivet or screw it in place. Use lots of undercoating.

The other kinda way would be to just place a piece of tin over the top, not cutting out anything... then using welds, rivets, screws or CONTRACTOR'S Glue... secure it. On the underside... a few splattered patches of more glue applied to the rough edges... and then LOTS of undercoating or Bed Liner.

Once done using ANY of these methods, they will be structurally sound, outlast your lifetime, won't rot your teeth, and NOBODY but you hasta know!
 
Thanks Tony. I'm going to go with the first method, cutting patches to fit and welding.

The rear boot side pockets are much worse. I haven't settled on a repair method for them yet.
 
Some trunk and floor pan suppliers...

Please note prices and quantities and the supplier if you wanna go this route.

From CLASSIC, a pair of truck floor stampings.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-88-Fia...:Fiat|Model:X-1/9&hash=item27f40744aa&vxp=mtr

From Midwest Bayless, price each, but they stock both sides:

http://www.midwest-bayless.com/stor...l.aspx?sid=1&sfid=208227&c=192989&i=251591367

Classic again, a pair of floor pans:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-88-Fia...:Fiat|Model:X-1/9&hash=item2348a23241&vxp=mtr
(Most here who have used theses were very dissatisfied.)

From Ricambi, each and factory quality:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fiat-X-1-9-...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item1c4c9805da

Hope this helps... I imagine though the trunk floor WALLS will need to be massaged a bit to install the pans also. Its a lot of work and if you are capable to do the walls, you are probably capable in making your own pans as well.
 
Update

In between home maintenance projects I managed to find enough time to finish the repairs to the rear trunk wells. I decided to go with the replacement panels from Classic2Current. Overall I was pleased with the quality. I wished the vertical lips had been taller. I had to weld on extension plates to my wheel wells to create enough surface to weld the replacement panels to.

Here's photos of the left and right after an initial skim coat of putty and a quick shot of primer to prevent flash rust.

Bart%20trunk%20repair%202.jpg


Bart%20trunk%20repair%201.jpg


Not pretty, I know. Luckily for me I'm not a perfectionist. But the rust is gone and it's structurally solid. So we move on.
 
Remember that the dimple in the bottom

is/was supposed to be for a rubber plug to allow water to drain properly.
 
Rusted Floor Pans

Good job on the rear trunk wells. I also used the C2C parts and they worked fine. I would NOT however, use their foot well replacements. I went with the more expensive Ricambis and I'm VERY glad I did. They were perfect and once welded in, as good as factory new.

I have seen the C2C floor pans and you wold be better off pounding them out of sheet metal yourself. They are basically a flat piece of metal that they've "cut" in places so it can fold to approximate the shape of the original. The problem is, you have to weld up the cuts as well as weld in the panels. No way to get them right.

If you don't want to spend the money for the Ricambis (and its well spent), I'd go with simply cutting out the rust and repairing as needed.

I have an old post about all this. If you can't find it, let me know.

Ed
 
That's what I did for the floorpans, Ed. Just cut out the rust, fabbed a patch, drilled a drainage hole, and welded them in. Just like the trunk repair it's not pretty but it's functional.
 
I was wondering about that. It would have been easier to drill the hole before installing them, but it can still be done I guess.
 
Drilling drain holes

If you don't have one, get yourself a couple of "step drill" bits from Harbor Freight. They are perfect for drilling the drain holes to whatever diameter plug you have available.



Ed
 
Just a quick update...

All rust has been repaired, patch panels welded in, and the vehicle is primed, sanded, and ready for paint.

I'm thinking of gold.

Bart%20update.jpg
 
My '81 was gold, very popular color, I always did like it (now Plasti Dip flat black, well, that and rust color). I need to do to mine what you have done to yours.
 
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