Surgery for the track car

[JGood]

The 87 325is track car had some rust forming in the floorboard. I went to jack up the car from the square lift point, which then went up into the carpet. So began the surgery:

• Cut nice big square area out of floor
• Cut similar square, but ~1" bigger in all directions, out of parts car (89 325i)
• Clean all the undercoating and paint from area
• Discover rust in replacement panel (DOH!!!)
• Clean away rust, find a 1" hole left over
• Weld new metal into replacement panel
• Weld panel into car (from underneath, so it overlaps)
• Grind welds, seal it (used body filler)
• Spray undercoating
• Spray duplicolor red on inside, which is pretty close to zinno (close enough for a track car, anyway)

Obviously, this is far from professional, and was done in the spare time I have between full time work and school, to get a track car ready for the season. So don't bust my balls too bad

[153624]

Good job! I did the same with a bunch of mid 80's fords at my last Job. I failed to pay attention to details as much as you did.

[Hick]

Nice work, but im pretty sure thats NOT a jacking point.

[Teaguer]

Nice work, but im pretty sure thats NOT a jacking point.

Haha I was going to say the same thing .

Oh and Jordo would NOT approve . :D

[JGood]

Haha I was going to say the same thing .

Oh and Jordo would NOT approve . :D

That square is not a jacking point? I most often just use the frame rail anyway, but every shop I've ever been to has used that square.

Why wouldn't Jordo approve? I kept it red, no pink paint here...

[FredK]

Jordo got into an e-fight with this canuck about welding in patches in the floor. But, that's water under the bridge.

Good job on the fix though. Nice and strong.

[Farbin Kaiber]

But this guy used pateches of what look like other e30's the other guy was using scrap.

[JGood]

I though Teaguer was referring to Jordon's respect for my Mark Kay Pink eta.

[Spiff325iS]

Sick build man. I would love to undergo a project like that. Nice work!

[Zorin]

But this guy used pateches of what look like other e30's the other guy was using scrap.

It was me and I didn't weld in scrap metal, but brand new sheet metal same thickness as the original metal. Please don't post comments when you don't know what was used. You commented that welding in new pieces will make the car weaker - any comments this time or is it ok to weld in 20+ years old piece of metal versus brand sheet metal ?

[155///MPH]

Do yourself a favor and remove the rest of the sound deadening, a lot of hiding places for rust.

[JGood]

It was me and I didn't weld in scrap metal, but brand new sheet metal same thickness as the original metal. Please don't post comments when you don't know what was used. You commented that welding in new pieces will make the car weaker - any comments this time or is it ok to weld in 20+ years old piece of metal versus brand sheet metal ?

Easy turbo.... Looks like you got a nice build going though! This kind of work is fun when it's not your daily. This was second body job, and since it was on my track car vs. the daily, I actuall really enjoyed it.

[JGood]

Do yourself a favor and remove the rest of the sound deadening, a lot of hiding places for rust.

Yep, it's already gone. I've found a very small amount of rust on the drivers side floorboard, but due to time constraints it's going to have to wait til next winter. I know it will grow, but I simply don't have the ability to fix it if I am going to get it back on the track for the two series that I run.

[Zorin]

Easy turbo.... Looks like you got a nice build going though! This kind of work is fun when it's not your daily. This was second body job, and since it was on my track car vs. the daily, I actuall really enjoyed it.

Thank you and your repair job looks very good.
I would recommend applying primer before applying paint and undercoating.

[Farbin Kaiber]

It was me and I didn't weld in scrap metal, but brand new sheet metal same thickness as the original metal. Please don't post comments when you don't know what was used. You commented that welding in new pieces will make the car weaker - any comments this time or is it ok to weld in 20+ years old piece of metal versus brand sheet metal ?

Hey amigo, by scrap I meant "non e30 component" material. Scrap, new, whatever. Bottom line is you used peices of metal, wheras he used peices of e30. Pull th pompasasity out of your attitude. For fcuks sake, Jessie James makes tanks/frames out of "Scrap/Bulk" so don't take it to the butt.