advice for the floor please

[jackson101]

What should I use to replace the "roofing felt" and black "goo" that previously covered the floor here. Does it need to be replaced? Would also like to thank all the folks that have stepped up with parts and offers of advice. Thanks very much to all who participate.
This is not my car (my son bought it) and I'm sure glad he didn't buy a grandam, but,...wow, this car needs soo much. Here's a short list I've come up with so far.
Can someone identify this axle as " hydro-pneumatic" or not? If it was " hydro-pneumatic", would it require a separate hydraulic pump under the hood?
What is the advantage of a HN axle?
Chassis tag# 12-106768

• 1- window crank LR
• Drivers vent-window crank
• Brake master cylinder
• hood star and base
• A/C idler pulley ( bracket appears to be intact)
• Alternator
• Front bumper support
• Front,oval, plastic air-vent, drivers side

[JMela]

Pic is of a standard spring-dampened rear axle. Hydro rear axles have a sealed compensating unit in place of the horizontal spring on the rear axle.

Removing and cleaning that small vent pipe on top of the axle might help with that leak.

[Pooka]

The 'goo' on the floor was there for two reasons. The first was rust prevention and the other was sound damping.

The rust proofing part did not really work out as the goo developed cracks that allowed moisture to reach the metal where it was then trapped. So the floors rust out.

The sound damping part works, but there are better ways to do this today than there were 50 years ago. Truck and Van accessory shops sell a sound damping, rubber type of blanket that needs to be applied to the floor of a truck or van to do the same thing the goo did: stop the metal from vibrating as you drive.

If you remove all the black goo you can then put down this blanket which will not crack. Well, maybe it will 50 years from now.

Your rear axle has a spring compensator and not a hydro-compensator which is a good thing since the hydro units are very expensive.

I agree that the vent hole on the top of the rear end should be cleaned out. Check your rear end fluid level while you are in there since it appears that a lot of it has leaked out.

[daw_two]

If you want to see what one looks like:
FS --- daw's mega new old stock (NOS) parts

it is the lower edge, center of the photo in Post #1 --- Several forum members have commented that it is a big difference in the ride. I do not know.........yet.

[jackson101]

Great advice, thanks again.

[tonkovich]

i assume you plan on doing something to the rusted floorpan to stop the cancer? or is it only surface rust? (and no, i don't know the solution, sorry, but the regulars here probably do? maybe the famous "por15"?)

anyway, nice ride, your son has good taste, especially at his age. (grand am bad - mercedes good.)

[JeffreyNMemphis]

POR-15 is the solution I used to treat the rust (product is fantastic!).

Does your car have a "Generator" or an "Alternator"? My car originally had a Generator which also requires a voltage regulator. Now my car has an modern 4-phase Alternator that puts out 96 amps where the original Generator put out 36 amps.

Please try to buy some parts from our host! Perhaps he can get you the brake master cylinder?

I would concentrate on the safety and driveability issues first like replacing the fuel lines and the brakes. Does your car have a brake booster on the firewall or is it behind the headlight next to the radiator? My brake pedal felt soft until I rebuilt the brake booster.

[Ritchie]

I agree. POR 15 is great stuff. Dynamat, lizard skin type products on top of the POR 15 help a lot with heat and noise.

[daw_two]

1) Wire brush the loose stuff
2) Then POR 15 (or some other locally obtained rust converter).

The one I use I bought at the Auto Zoo place. The can recommends that you pour it into a smaller "work" container, so you don't contaminate the orginal container. I use a gatorade/poweraid jug that I cut the bottom out of ---- leaving a lip up about 1/2 of an inch. I usually use a cheap throw away brush to apply. The product I use suggest for big surfaces to cover the surface with sarah wrap --- helps the curing process ??? After it is cured, then it must be painted.

Take a look at my before and after pics of my brake booster and master cylinder area on Ben. The master cylinder was leaking where the brake fluid reservoir "plugs into" the master cylinder. There's a gromment and a washer along with a new "banjo bolt" that comes in the rebuiliding kit.



Before wire brushing:



After the wire brush:







Ater treatment and paint --- please note only the brake booster and master cylinder have been repainted. I still have the rust converter stuff exposed:

[jackson101]

Alright then, great advice. POR15. Then some floor covering after it's painted. Nothing to it, all it takes is time and money!

[daw_two]

Originally Posted by jackson101

Alright then, great advice. POR15. Then some floor covering after it's painted. Nothing to it, all it takes is time and money!

And usually it requires a lot more time than money ----- especially for us DIYers.

[cth350]

Actually, the task list is:
- Scrape the loose stuff vigorously (wire brush on drill perhaps?)
- Scotch-bright pad with a metal prep solution (follow instructions for application and washing residue)
- Por-15 over the white residue when it's all dry. That's fair game says the manufacturer

While you can paint over rust, cleaner metal is better.

-CTH

[Squiggle Dog]

I like rust converter myself as it chemically changes the rust to a black "primer" which can be painted over or ground off later.

[mercmad6.3]

I have found that there MUST be a reason why the front floors rust and then I take take time to find where the moisture got in.
You need to sort that out properly or else the floor will simply rust away somewhere else.
This is my latest 'rust removal ' project. I have removed most of the Rust and just need to remove the sills/rocker boxes to get rid of the rest of the rust.

[mercmad6.3]

Looking at that picture,that indicates water coming from the front ,through the heater duct under that box section between the front and rear floors. Look in the front to see where the moisture is coming from. I have seen rust in the rear lke thatr caused by engine coolant leaking from the heater cores and the cowl rusted out and water coming into the heater via the holes.