New Boot Floor, or ...? Opinions Requested

[Ronnie]

wires

While you are thinking about this learn to weld.

I'm completely with you on this and have been looking at entry level welders already. What's always put me off Welders is the need for the compressed gases, for obvious reasons.

You can use fluxed wires for use in mig/mag welding sets, but you have to be able to reverse the welding polarity on the set, and also chip off the flux on your finished welds.

[cobolman]

For those following this thread, here's where I've got to:

After trying a multiplicity of different approaches to remove the Tetroseal, so I can see the state of the floor, this is what I settled on:

1. Apply white spirit liberally, with a paint brush
2. Let it dwell. Long enough to work but no so long that it flashes off. About 15-20 mins during winter weather seems right
3. Wipe off. Use rags if possible as they are more absorbent. Otherwise, the Scott blue towel paper
4. Repeat steps 1-3 above, as required.

It's boring so I break it up. An hour here - an hour there. Oh, and I always open the garage doors for fresh air, and wear a respirator with vapour resistant filters.

Here's the current state of the floor:

2024-01-13_12-28-53.jpg

Yes, it still has some Tetroseal but most of its gone and I can see what's what. I'll remove residue bit by bit.

The areas of concern to me are around the rear of the wheel arches. Here's the left side:

2024-01-13_12-30-19.jpg

I removed the fuel tank stand so that I could get in here and clean, then examine the area. There are at least two patches, which don't appear fully welded. Some 'holey' metal. And a section on the wheel arch that seems it should be connected to the boot floor, but isn't. Not sure what to do here.

Here's the right side:

2024-01-13_12-32-06.jpg

That beige coloured stuff is filler. It has gaps in the fold that let light through. It's close to what I think is the connection to the sub-frame so I'm concerned about the structural strength though research tells me there are three folds of metal here?

What all this has shown me is that I should invest in a welder and a training course! So, that's next on my list

[gs.davies]

You could have chopped it all out and fitted a new one by now…

With my car, I could have gone down the route of forensically removing all the various shit repairs and dissolving the various layers of under seal etc that were all over it, before embarking on the creation of a floor and boot floor patch by patch. I chose not to, hacking all the rotten and defaced bits out and replacing with new seemed to make most sense from an effort/time point of view.

Depends on the journey you want I suppose.

[MiNiKiN]

For those following this thread, here's where I've got to:

After trying a multiplicity of different approaches to remove the Tetroseal, so I can see the state of the floor, this is what I settled on:

1. Apply white spirit liberally, with a paint brush
2. Let it dwell. Long enough to work but no so long that it flashes off. About 15-20 mins during winter weather seems right
3. Wipe off. Use rags if possible as they are more absorbent. Otherwise, the Scott blue towel paper
4. Repeat steps 1-3 above, as required.

It's boring so I break it up. An hour here - an hour there. Oh, and I always open the garage doors for fresh air, and wear a respirator with vapour resistant filters.

Here's the current state of the floor:

2024-01-13_12-28-53.jpg

Yes, it still has some Tetroseal but most of its gone and I can see what's what. I'll remove residue bit by bit.

The areas of concern to me are around the rear of the wheel arches. Here's the left side:

2024-01-13_12-30-19.jpg

I removed the fuel tank stand so that I could get in here and clean, then examine the area. There are at least two patches, which don't appear fully welded. Some 'holey' metal. And a section on the wheel arch that seems it should be connected to the boot floor, but isn't. Not sure what to do here.

Here's the right side:

2024-01-13_12-32-06.jpg

That beige coloured stuff is filler. It has gaps in the fold that let light through. It's close to what I think is the connection to the sub-frame so I'm concerned about the structural strength though research tells me there are three folds of metal here?

What all this has shown me is that I should invest in a welder and a training course! So, that's next on my list

This guy ises dry ice for sound deadening and an IR-heater for undercoat removal. Worth watching his other videos too BTW - mymechanics is a perfectionist

https://youtube.com/shorts/xaj0vch9GJM? ... Bkx5ujMXzz

[GrahamJCarter]

A new boot floor is slightly different to your original. I would repair.

[Fanfaniracing]

A new boot floor is slightly different to your original. I would repair.

Also my opinions

[Nick W]

You could have chopped it all out and fitted a new one by now…

With my car, I could have gone down the route of forensically removing all the various shit repairs and dissolving the various layers of under seal etc that were all over it, before embarking on the creation of a floor and boot floor patch by patch. I chose not to, hacking all the rotten and defaced bits out and replacing with new seemed to make most sense from an effort/time point of view.

Depends on the journey you want I suppose.

This would be my approach to be honest