Floor pan replacement?

#1

Hi there again. Since my last posts I have purchased a car, and am currently on a shopping spree before getting to work on it. One of the biggest issues with the vehicle is that the floor pans, both driver and passenger side, are rusted out. It appears like I’ll have to cut away some of the metal and replace it, but have a few questions about doing it.

1- are there floor pan replacement kits out there? This is all I could find: http://store.vacmotorsports.com/vac---e30-aluminum-floor-pan-kit-p333.aspx and I’m not sure if it’s legal, as there is no reference to floorpans in the rulebook, except for in relation to weight ballasts.

2- With a kit like that or sheet metal, how much of a process is this? I’ve seen on forums anything from a fun DIY to people saying you’re better off buying a totally separate car.

3- if my floor pans are that bad [will attach picture soon], what else should I be on the look out for that will need treatment/repair/replacement?

Thanks a ton,
~Harris

#2

1 & 2, see answer #3

  1. Get a new shell. That’s a lousy foundation to invest labor in. Will be cheaper in the end.
#3

I beat and tig welded in a piece of .063 sheet steel to replace the drivers floorpan. It wasn’t fun. I wouldn’t recommend it. Especially both sides of the car. I’m against the practice of destroying good e30s by turning them into racecars so that’s why I started with a rusty 4 door. It would have been cheaper and 10x faster if I had a mig.

That floor pan kit sits on the sheetmetal. It doesn’t replace it. It’s for the racer who has bought everything he can think of already and still has a hole burning in his pocket for floor bling.

#4

LMAO!

Not all E30’s can be rehabilitated to show cars. However most of them can be rehabilitated to race cars!

#5

would not even think about rust repair, get a solid tub, just as important as having a good cage…the tub does as much to protect your ass…

Al