[ZL410]

Hey everybody. I just finished gutting the interior on my 1982 280zx restoration I’m working on. I found a large rust spot that will need to be replaced over the passenger side rear tire. I was wondering if anybody had any tips on how to repair this, or if there is anybody who sells a replacement trunk floor pan that I could weld in (similar to the front replacement floor pans that’s are widely available). I attached a photograph of the rust I’m talking about for reference. Thank you!

 

[pilgrim]

Looks like water has leaked in and allowed to sit in the wheel well and next to it. If it hasn't penetrated the metal, I'd clean it up (lotsa work there) and repaint it.

 

[mailnome]

No, and the floor pans and frame rails that are available for the ZX are not really close to factory form or fit.

I assume that eventually ClassicFab will start making quality panels for them but for now it’s just the Z’s

Basically you have to fab your own pieces.

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[ZL410]

No, and the floor pans and frame rails that are available for the ZX are not really close to factory form or fit.

I assume that eventually ClassicFab will start making quality panels for them but for now it’s just the Z’s

Basically you have to fab your own pieces.

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Thanks for the help! Have you had good luck welding automotive sheet metal to the frame of Z cars using a Mig welder? I’ve been told conflicting information about if I need to use a Tig or not.

 

[Dave Datsun Tech.]

I like this guy's welding technique. Put it in place, nozzle against surface, pull trigger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H87b1xlGofw

 

[mailnome]

I’m pretty much a total nube we it comes to welding but I have researched a lot.

I think from what I’ve seen is TIG is probably the best but you have to have it and know how to use it. I believe MIG makes a harder weld (harder meaning more brittle where TIG is not as hard I believe) but should be(and believe has been) suitable for panel welding.

Not sure on flux core. It seems to be high in heat transfer and is more messy. I don’t think you can get it in fine enough gauge wire for thin panel work but the video above is being done with flux core and others have made it work.

I’ve just started and am getting decent results with MIG, .023 wire and a smaller old Snap-on welder(not sure who actually makes it or the size at the moment). I think I may need a new cable liner or have a bad connection somewhere so it can be a bit temperamental. And it apparently leaks gas so I’ve got to get a refill and fix that.

I think the biggest thing is to get it set up so you get a good penetrating spot weld that you can reproduce. Which basically means welding on a consistently thick surface, which requires grinding down the previous welds before you come along and spot next to/partially into the previous welds.

If not it just starts to become a mess. You turn up the machine to compensate to get better penetration because of the thicker weld still left there and you end up blowing through. At least that’s how it’s worked from my inexperience.

I’ll see if I can find the one video that made me realize what I need to do and how to do it although it may seem a bit excessive I believe it is a good approach for consistent results.

Here it is:

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[Ron1951]

Hey everybody. I just finished gutting the interior on my 1982 280zx restoration I’m working on. I found a large rust spot that will need to be replaced over the passenger side rear tire. I was wondering if anybody had any tips on how to repair this, or if there is anybody who sells a replacement trunk floor pan that I could weld in (similar to the front replacement floor pans that’s are widely available). I attached a photograph of the rust I’m talking about for reference. Thank you!

 

[Ron1951]

From the picture, it looks like most of the rust in the spare tire well is surface rust. It looks like the root cause is fro the tail light. Probably leaking around the rubber gasket and I would suspect cause rust and damage to the metal in that area that leaked down to the tire well.