Need some serious advice re '86 Toyota Corolla - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

mnlioness820 · 08-30-2005, 11:46 PM

Hello!

I bought my '86 Corolla in April. During the last couple of months or so, I discovered the floorboard had seriously rusted out.

A mechanic told me to junk it. Another told me to get the floorboard repaired. One estimate would be at a cost of almost 5 times what I paid for it.

I love this car - I love the gas mileage - I love the handling.

Did I say I love this car?

What should I do?

Thanks for any advice

Damemorder · 08-31-2005, 01:03 AM

Do it by the numbers, I've spent sooo much on cars a I loved and I still end up with the same crappy car...

ToSS · 08-31-2005, 11:32 AM

floorboards are simple to fix. depending on what section is rusted it might be just as simple as welding up a new flat piece of sheet metal.

my guess is shop around for a cheaper mechanic. if you can't find any, think to yourself: "can i replace the car for the amount it will take to fix the floorboard?"

depending on the answer to that question, you'll know what to do.

seanperia · 09-05-2005, 12:13 AM

find a cheap body shop. do most of the gutting out to get to the floor board yourself and then ask them if they are able to cut the old rusted out part and weld a good quality sheet metal (galvanized steel) paint with primer

DRIFTASSAULT · 09-05-2005, 09:43 PM

Cut it out, get a new peice of metal, weld it in, prime it with zinc chromate good to go.

EngineerBoo · 09-05-2005, 10:19 PM

Hey I had the SAME problem with an old Chevette I bought for $300 from my boss in Alaska.

The snow had rotted the floorboard right under the drivers' side but it ran great.

Here's what I did...I removed the seat (just 4 bolts) then I ripped out what was left of the carpet and knocked out all the rusty metal. (Which made a pretty big hole....probably about 3 feet long by about 18 inches wide.

Then, I got a packet of rivets and a rivet gun, along with a drill (the rivets will tell you what side hold to drill)

I bought a sheet of sheet metal (not the thickest but not the thinnest...you want to be able to bend it but don't want it too thin. I used a big hammer and made a "bowl" in the middle of the sheet metal. Then, I cut off the excess metal, drilled the holes all around, (being careful around the transmission), and riveted it in. (I think I used at least 20 rivets all around.) I sealed it real good with silcone. (But, still, had to put up with the teasing at work when the guys found out what I did....they nicknamed the car the "Flintson mobile!"

:-)

Good luck!!

Boo

mnlioness820 · 12-02-2005, 10:39 PM

Thanks for all the responses - I was able to get the previous owner of the car (who is an auto teacher) to gut & weld the area and that is great!!!

Nad1370 · 12-02-2005, 10:48 PM

^^ Hopefully this is not the only part that has rusted out.

I'd put the car up on a lift and inspect the gas tank, fuel/brake lines,control arms, ect....

I know you love the car but is it worth putting more money into it?

mnlioness820 · 12-02-2005, 11:14 PM

Hi, Nad -

It was placed on a lift and we both looked at things. Basically outside of a new battery and basic oil maintenance. no, it would not be worth putting more money into it and I am starting to save for a much newer car in 2006 (at least in the late '90s :-)