81 Malibu project restarting

[Ratchet]

You may have dodged a bullet by not purchasing the eBay floor pans. If the pans are not made by a reputable manufacturer (Goodmark, etc.) they will most likely not fit as well as you had hoped.

 

[08Malibu]

So I was waiting for the truck shipping quote for the floor I ordered, and it’s $300. $749 for a drivers side floor is ridiculous. I’ll be canceling that one tomorrow. Looks like Dixie restorations has the drivers foot well back in stock. I’ll be ordering that tomorrow. Shipping is $20 so it’s a better deal. I’ll just go back to my original plan of making patches for the rear or getting a separate piece for the rear.
Edit: I spoke with them and it was actually $479. Still too much.

 

[08Malibu]

Canceled the one floor, and ordered the one from Dixie restorations yesterday. It came today already.

 

[08Malibu]

So tonight I began removing the floor. I found some rust above the front body mount. Should I support the body at all while I cut this out and repair it?

 

[melloelky]

it'll be ok,id be concerned if you were changing an inner/outer rocker along with the floor section.seeing as the rust is above the mount and not where it meets the frame etc.

 

[08Malibu]

I decided to order the back section of floor too. It also came in 2 days. Hopefully I can get on it early tomorrow morning.
I also ordered some rust oleum fabric paint. Reviews seemed ok. I watched a video where a woman used it on outdoor cushions. She said it held up ok, but looked blotchy. Looked like she didn’t put enough on. I sprayed the back of the seat and it looks ok so far. Color match to my original seats not perfect, but it looks better than gray seats.

 

[08Malibu]

Well, I’m back at it after a screwed up week. I got the left side cleaned up and templates made for the pieces I didn’t buy. I’ll get those cut, fit, and welded in. Then I’ll do the final firmament of the front and rear floor sections. At least I made some progress.
I was hoping to have the car ready for a cruise this weekend, but it didn’t work out. Luckily it’s open to all years and makes. My trucks an 05, so it’s getting up there.

 

[08Malibu]

Forgot the picture

 

[08Malibu]

Today was a cruise I was hoping to have the car ready for but, i didn’t make it. Kind of worked out since it was hot as hell, and my car doesn’t have ac anymore. Terrible decision to pull it. It was a good turnout with 450 cars. We met up then did a loop around a large lake with spectators encouraging burnouts, and the cops encouraging it. My kids enjoyed it and my wife actually did too.
I made it out to the garage when we got back and got the 2 tough patches formed. I was going to bring them to work and use the brake, but I made due with what I had here. Hopefully I’ll have time to weld them in tomorrow. Then I can do final figment on the large pieces I bought. Unfortunately I found a small rust spot on the passenger side, under the plastic wire channel. I’m not sure if I want to get into that right now. I poked around and it didn’t go through, so maybe I’m ok. Fingers crossed.

 

[08Malibu]

I got 2 of the patches welded in. The second one I cut a little short in the back. I made up a backer piece, but I forgot to put it in before I started welding and when I remembered, it was too late. The weld is a little chickenshit looking. I have / more patches to make, then I can move on to the large sections. Then I’ll be back where I thought I was a few weeks ago, ready to install my seat brackets.