I have a 1990 civic std with an ls swap in it. I just bought the car not knowing that the unibody was rusted out. The car has not been in any crashes but uner the driver side door and passenger door the rocker panals are rusted out and the unibody is very weak. The floor pans on the driver side are rusted from the back seat corners to the front of the car by the door. The passenger side is the same way. Is there any hope for the car? Is there any place I culd weld solid piping to the structure to make it really rigid again? I was planning on turning this into a project car but I dont know if it would be worth it. No I cant buy another body and put the engine in it. The car is from Minnesota...... so its seen its fare share of salt and sand. i cant post pix if needed.

here are pix of the damage
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9197768...in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9197768...in/photostream

 

Thats ALOT of rust. It probl wouldnt be worth it to save the car unless your really handy with a welder and have access to a shop.

 

i wouldnt waste money on it.

 

im just curious as to why you cant pull the engine and put it in another shell. because honestly unless you want to really sink money or ALOT of time into that i wouldnt feel that safe in that car.

 

I love these cars and hate to see them get pulled off the road but that really is terrible. I would agree that finding a clean shell, maybe with a blown engine or something and swapping the motor is the only viable option. Otherwise Lots and lots of fab work is needed and you are still left with a cobbled together car.

I know what its like to be forced to give up on something but sometimes its the best option....

 

I have not done an engine swap yet. I am still learning. The car is from MN( those of you who live in this state know what a nightmare Hondas can be with rust). I paid 1200 for the car and just want to make it drive. This is what I have dont with it for the rocker panels to try to save it a little bit. I just need to know where I could weld steel tubing onto the car to make the lower part of the unibody strong again.I would really like to just buy a nice rolling body for 500$ but I dont know how to do an engine swap yet.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9197768...in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9197768...in/photostream

 

Problem lies in our location the Midwest, and the salt they spread every winter.

I am now down to buying cars from Denver to the SW to the NW coast, and no rust. I then pay good moeny to shop them here.
The rust in your pics is MINOR for here. But it is huge rust for CA and West Coast. The cost to pay a body shop person to fix is more than if you fix on your own. The cost of a new shell is usally less even after shipping.

I have not stopped buying west coast cars, due to the rust factor. but your rust is not that bad for mid Usa car. Sure go to WA and you get no rust. but your rust is fixeable if you learn the welder and sheet metal technic.

good luck. I got a pristie mint 91 Si hatch Stock, in iowa with no rips in interior, 100% bone stock, but has rusty rocker and 1/4 for sale. mine is not intot the floor pan rocker like yours. Mine is MINT besides rust, and i would sell it for 2g.

I paid 700 for a rust free denver one that was wrecked in back, car has 100% zero rust, and only 90k. that is what I tel you to do, buy another with no rust, not from the midwest..

 

I will see what I can do. I have had a stock 93 civic si, a 94 civic cx, a 92 civic dx 4dr, a integra ls, another integra but a ***** matic and none of them have been rusted as bad as my red 90 civic. But the red civic only weighs 2100 lbs and the engine and tranny pull very hard. It goes straight down the road fine. I just dont want to hit a bump going 70 or 80 and have the unibody crack and send me out of control. Or go around a corner and pull the ebrake and have it snap. I need to figure out a way to make it strong again. I have access to a wire feel welder and a shop.

 

you can cut out all the rusty pan area, cut to fit new metal, shape bend and then mig weld beads....

but that is more work and cost than starting with a rust free other car.....from not the MIDWEST
maybe sell what is on yours for cash down to engine etc, to get one without rust from the west coast.