Partially Replacing Outboard Floor Support?

[89BlueLego]

I'm going to create a build thread on it once I get it going. This is my 89 Lego set blue turd. Has a 1993 XJ engine, an unknown small pilot bearing AX15, CJ-5 Dana 300 and narrow track 78 Wagoneer axles. I did an external slave conversion on the original transmission (ax15), it popped out of 2nd gear so now it has a 93 YJ transmission with external slave conversion.

Right now I'm trying to figure out what to do about the outboard floor supports. The seatbelts rusted out. The waterfall panel rusted through and the floors under the roll bar are pretty bad.

The Outboard floor support is rusty where the rollbar mounts (I had to cut the bolts). But it's solid where the body mounts go and all the way to where it mates to the transverse support. I don't want to cut ALL the floors out, but I do want the rollbar and seatbelts kinda supported.

Has anyone bought a replacement support , cut it apart and welded it to the existing one? Seems like it would be a bit easier than cutting apart floors that aren't rusty and then welding it all back in.

I just need to replace ... outside of waterfall panel, floor, B pillar (have these) and rollbar mounts.

This is a trail beater that's definitely been rolled over and taken a hit in the left rear. The body isn't really worth the effort of making it perfect. I just want it safe-ish.

 

[Flyer58]

I have some welding experience with sheet metal and frame repair but not in the areas you describe.

Looking forward to seeing what your dealing with and the repairs. Hows the frame holding out?

 

[89BlueLego]

I have some welding experience with sheet metal and frame repair but not in the areas you describe.

Looking forward to seeing what your dealing with and the repairs. Hows the frame holding out?

The frame itself is pretty good. I had to repair the driver's side rear where the shackle mounts, pretty typical for YJs. I'm going to repair the passenger side now that I have the thing torn apart, but there's no evidence of rust or repair in the middle section.

I'd love to know the history on this jeep. Someone loved it at some point and took care of it ... a lot of the bolts im taking out have anti seize on them. The rust on it is from being full of mud. It was definitely a trail rig most of its life. I think it actually may have been under water and that is what lead to the rust it has and the 4.0L swap that someone did?

The gauge cluster has a lot of mud on the backside of it. I can't imagine now it would get there.

Either way, for what I want to do it should be good! I bought it for less than I can buy a dana 300. It was originally going to just be a parts Jeep for another jeep (plan was to buy another xj or yj roller) but ended up deciding to keep it alive because i hate to see stuff in the junkyard

 

[dieselearl]

In missouri , the department of revenue/vehicle section/ keep the records on {VIN} if one wants history of vehicle, might be as well in your state. good lucks

 

[89BlueLego]

Well this got out of hand. I decided to just cut around the floor support. Figured it would be easier to just repalce it and patch the floor than play arts and crafts with something as important as that. then when I went to start fitting in the new B pillar ... I nearned that it's not going to work because the body is too messed up on the driver's side.

It was in a wreck or a rollover at some point. There was 1/4-1/2'' of bondo all on the driver's side wheel well / b pillar / dogleg area. Not rusty (or not very ... ) but it's just too crinkled. So I ordered a cheap quarter panel.

This is a beater Jeep. I can't justify putting real money and buying the nice quarter panel because it's just going to get hit on a tree or rock.

Hoping to get started on that this weekend.

In missouri , the department of revenue/vehicle section/ keep the records on {VIN} if one wants history of vehicle, might be as well in your state. good lucks

I ran a car fax on it a few months ago. It was around western PA and registered pretty consistently until 2015 then it just dropped off the map until 2023 when it was registered in NY, had a new clutch and transmission (which were no good), then I just bought it and registered it in 2025.