Boxburn is right don't order panels yet....go ahead and pull up carpet in the rear and see how far it goes back. I was lucky did not go into the cargo area but was some spots at the brace where the rear seats mount so I had to remove it to weld.

 

The only thing stopping me from taking the carpet out is one nut on the driver seat. It is rounded off and seized onto the bolt. It's always that one thing that stops ya

 

 

Then comes the really fun part of finding where the water is coming in through.

 

It might be that big hole in the floor

 

I've always wanted a pool in my car

 

Carpet is out. What is the prescription?

 

Get to work with a wire wheel and cut out all the bad. Do you have access to a welder or know someone who can help you out?

 

luckily i know someone. So much for being a beginner mechanic lmao. Getting into untapped territory myself

 

I have to ask, have you pulled back the carpet on the other side that goes into the boot? On the plus side, at least the drivers side looks reasonable intact.

 

not yet though I peaked underneath and there isn't any rust. Im just happy it isn't worse in the cabin area.

 

I see you are from texas. Has the vehicle been there all its entire life? Anything rust on the frame before you get into doing the floors and are in over your head.....

 

as far as i know. The entire carpet underside is soaked on the passenger side front to rear. I think my heater core went out at one time and water made it under somehow and sat. If it was in texas the rust wouldn't be that bad. The topside of the carpet was greenish so maybe coolant?

 

Possibly. The carpet has a good thick rubber layer to it so I can easily see how water can get under there and struggle to get back out, especially if a good quanitity makes it under. Mine had a lot of rust at the top of the windscreen and in a few spots in the roof gutters, that's how my water got in while it was stood for years.

 

that's my thinking because my rear end is sagging because of leafsprings so i can see how water could get through and go down to the rear and sit. Eating away the metal.