How Much Rust Is To Much

[OrganicMechanic]

I have Been working on my M3 now for a few months and have the drive line pretty much squared away. I get under it and look up and see the floor boards are shot through with severe rust. At what point do you decide that it is not going to be structurally sound and do what Vlad did and make a M3 Cabrio? I really like the idea of getting the M up so I can do HPDE (bmwcca won`t let carios particapate, only hard tops). I also love the idea of setting up a M3 cabrio. At what point do you give up the ghost and part out?

[E30SPDFRK]

Never!

[RedHoodRidah]

Never!

This is why you are my boyee!!!! Ugh ow

[TDE30]

Personally, any rust that I can't Dremel or POR away is too much. For you though, if there is rust under the carpet (e.g. in the floor boards, as with your car,) I'd say you're probably in for some fairly radical reconstruction.

[BenM]

This much:



Original thread from a long time ago :) - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=88039

[uofom3]

it really also depends on your abilities and budget. What might seem like an insurmountable task in rust repair to you could be negligable for someone else. Post some pics up for us to see. If it's a clean titled e30 m3, i would say save it unless the rust bug has bitten it so bad it is truly beyond repair. Because you're posting this, I would assume the car is either still salvageable or you're trying to be positive about it and don't want ot have to scrap the project :).

[uofom3]

This much:



Original thread from a long time ago :) - http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=88039

that is for sure an example of too much.

[archemedes]

look at the muscle cars out there, what was not worth even trying to get parts from is being restored, cars with a following will start to disappear, and worse and worse examples will be fixed

[OrganicMechanic]

I am going to take pics of the areas that have me most concerened. I may wind up haing a buddy go with me to the salvage yard and take a portable torch to cut a floor pan out. You`ll see what I am dealing with tomorrow.

[Ray McCooney]

I would post a technical reply, however, I'm told Californians are exempt from understanding the concept of "rust". Good luck.

[OrganicMechanic]

I have heard the same thing about Arizonaians, whom would be next in line to be the "new Califorinia".

see you all in Arizona Bay...

[Madhatter]

as long as it doesnt get into the pillars, its only pressed sheet metal you are dealing with, so it doesnt really have any structural nature to it. So id remove the entire floor pan if it needed, its sills and the pillars that give me second thoughts.

[der affe]

I have heard the same thing about Arizonaians, whom would be next in line to be the "new Califorinia".

see you all in Arizona Bay...

hey! as one of very few actual AZ natives...i really resent that!

i shall never surrender my state to californication!

as long as we have sherrif joe we are all good!

back on topic, if you are trying to keep it as original as possible, you could remove the sheet metal that is shared with a regular E-30 and replace the bad stuff in the M-3, you should be able to swap inner rockers and floors if i remember right. rockers can be tricky if you have never done them before, because the car can "close up" on you if not supported properly while the rocker is removed.