 Heres what the floorpan...  Heres what the floorpan looked like after we peeled up the original carpet. A leaky heater core had rotted the carpet underlay and part of the floorpan into a nasty mess. |
 Before applying any of the...  Before applying any of the components in the POR-15 floorpan resto kit, thoroughly clean the area to be repaired. Removing built-up corrosion and other debris not only yields a better surface for the POR-15 to adhere to, it also gives you a better chance to assess the true extent of the damage. In our case, it turned out a lot of what we thought was rust was actually just residue from the rotted carpet padding. The actual damaged area was much smaller than we first thought, which only reinforced our confidence in using the floorpan repair kit instead of cutting out the affected area. |
 1. The first step in prepping...  1. The first step in prepping the surface for the POR-15 is to apply Engine Clean, a strong degreaser. Mix it according to the instructions (1 to 3 parts hot water for each part degreaser) depending on the surface, scrub the surface, then rinse with water. |
 2. Metal Ready degreases the...  2. Metal Ready degreases the cleaned surface so the POR-15 paint can adhere properly. Spray it on, keeping the surface wet for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse off with water and dry thoroughly overnight. We used a heat gun to speed up the process. |
 3. A large sheet of fiberglass...  3. A large sheet of fiberglass reinforcing fabric is included that can be used to bridge small holes up to about an inch in diameter in the floorpan. Cut a piece to fit the repair area and embed it in the first coat of POR-15 paint, being careful to saturate the entire sheet without applying too much. Let the first coat dry overnight. |
 4. After the putty and first...  4. After the putty and first coat of POR-15 paint have dried, you can apply the final topcoat. POR-15 paint is available in several colors, including gloss black, silver, gray, and clear. You can also choose the companys chassis black paint or one of several primers that allow you to paint over POR-15 with any type of paint you want. The final repair is rock solid and guaranteed not to rust again. |
Rusty floorpans are common in the East and Midwest, where the harsh winter conditions and road salt eat away at a cars undercarriage virtually from the first day it hits the road. In California, extensive floorpan rust isnt as common, but dry-rotted weatherstripping and leaky heater cores often lead to isolated trouble spots like trunk floors and areas that lie under water-soaked carpet in the passenger compartment. This car had a leaky heater core sometime in its past that left some small holes in the passenger footwell. A small area like this is an ideal candidate for POR-15s floorpan restoration kit.
Weve heard about this stuff for years but had never personally tried it. However, word of mouth testimonials left us with two impressions of the product: when used properly, it cant be beat and lives up to every claim the company makes, but if the directions for preparation and application arent strictly followed, your results may vary. Weve heard of people who simply glopped the POR-15 paint directly onto a raw, rusty surface only to have it peel off in a sheet later on. Armed with that warning, we read the instructions thoroughly twice (to familiarize ourselves with the products and their use) and referred to them throughout the process. It isnt hard or time consuming to use POR-15 the right way, but you do have to give it a chance to work the way it was designed. We did, and we were very pleased with the results. It sure beats breaking out the cut-off wheel and welder!
If youre looking for concours-perfect floors, this product may not be for you. But if you simply want a strong, functional repair for a fraction of the cost and hassle of welding, give POR-15 a try. The kit costs $120 and contains enough material to do several large trunk and floorpan sections.