Rust happens. For GM A-body cars like the Chevelle, Buick GS/Special, Pontiac GTO/ Tempest, and the Olds F-85/Cutlass, the Achilles' heel is the lower rear window channel that leaks, dumping water into the trunk floor where it quickly turns to cancer. Our '66 Chevelle rusted exactly where all of these cars do, right at the base of the left rear wheelwell. We called Original Parts Group (OPG) for help with a stamped-steel replacement panel. OPG offers three separate panels for the entire trunk floor for either the '64-'67 or '68-'72 cars. The company also offers a cleaner, one-piece panel that eliminates much of the welding for just the '68-'72 cars. For this job, we needed only the left panel, a few cutting and chiseling tools, our Craftsman 110-volt MIG welder, and a free weekend. Now all we have to do is find that hidden sprinkler under the back window. Replacing oxidized sheetmetal is part of the game with old musclecars. After pulling the junk out of the trunk, we determined that we only needed the left panel from OPG to repair the Chevelle.Replacing oxidized sheetmetal is part of the game with old musclecars. After pulling the j The burly kid in these photos is Graham Smith, Jeff's 15-year-old son working on his own '66 Chevelle. We removed the gas tank to prevent damage and to avoid setting the shop on fire. Next, we scribed a cutline inside the replacement-panel outline and cut out the old floor with a saber saw.The burly kid in these photos is Graham Smith, Jeff's 15-year-old son working on his own ' Be sure to not cut through the left-side gas-tank mounting brace and the original trunk floor brace (shown) near the wheelwell. Both were in good shape and did not need to be replaced.Be sure to not cut through the left-side gas-tank mounting brace and the original trunk fl We peeled back the rusty sections at the cutline and used a hammer and chisel to carefully cut the factory spot welds. You can also use a drill bit to drill out the spot welds. We chose to chisel them out and grind the metal flat with no holes to fill later.We peeled back the rusty sections at the cutline and used a hammer and chisel to carefully With the rusty floor section removed, we cleaned the rusty areas with a wire brush on a drill motor to remove the surface rust from all the remaining areas. Then we spray painted the trunk-floor reinforcement panel to prevent further damage. POR-15 is an even better idea as a rust inhibitor. If you must replace the reinforcement panel, consider tacking it in place before final installation of the floorpans. This will save time later. These will require overhead welding, which is a difficult skill to master.With the rusty floor section removed, we cleaned the rusty areas with a wire brush on a dr If you are an accomplished fabricator/welder, you can custom fit the panels with butt welds that will leave a near factory finish. We're sheetmetal hacks, so we decided to trim the replacement piece and overlap the panels. Then we used sheetmetal screws to position overlapping panels together before welding. Overlapping panels are easier to fit and weld but require more finish work.If you are an accomplished fabricator/welder, you can custom fit the panels with butt weld OPG PARTS LIST DESCRIPTION PN PRICE Trunk pan, w/brace, left side PANCRLH 93.45 Center pan GAPCRCP 71.95 3M Heavy Drip Check SC08531 10.95 ea. Trunk-spatter paint PZ51499 12.95 ea. Fuel tank, single vent CH22437 266.95 The replacement panel eliminated a rib. We used a piece of wood to hammer it into shape and close up the gap before we welded.The replacement panel eliminated a rib. We used a piece of wood to hammer it into shape an With the replacement panel firmly in place, we stitch-welded the panels with the Craftsman MIG welder on a low power setting, working slowly around opposite ends of the panel to prevent warping the new panel. Then we removed the screws, welded each hole, and ground the welds smooth for a finished look.With the replacement panel firmly in place, we stitch-welded the panels with the Craftsman After grinding, we smoothed the overlapping panels with a thin coat of Bondo and let it cure. We also sealed the area between the new panel, the wheelwell, and the bottom side of the overlapped panels with 3M Heavy Drip Check to prevent moisture from lodging between the overlapping panels.After grinding, we smoothed the overlapping panels with a thin coat of Bondo and let it cu With the sanding completed, we finished the job with a coat of primer and paint and used a couple cans of trunk-spatter paint to give it that '60s OE look. Then we replaced the old gas tank with a new OPG replacement tank.With the sanding completed, we finished the job with a coat of primer and paint and used a SOURCES Original Parts Group (800) 243- Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
