Diamond Plating on interior floorboards. (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Threads
32
Messages
342
Location
Montana
Hey Mudders, I am planning on having a little rust on passenger rear quarter panel cut out and replaced and blended this winter. Roughly 30years ago (2 PO’s ago) the PO put diamond plating on the floorboards on drivers and pass. side and in rear. This appears to be all in line with his other “hunting rig” modifications. I have removed the gun rack bolted to transmission hump and the four slats of wood bolted on w 16 10mm bolts on the hood for draping an elk and/or shooting across. You can see I’ve left the camo cordura seat covers for the dog, etc. I truely believe this diamond plating was installed to beef up the floorboard and not to cover rust. The rig has very little rust and again this was over 30 years ago. The PO I purchased from this year bought it this way in 2000 and left everything. Big question is: should I screw with it? While my body shop guy is repairing the rust this winter do I have him take it out and clean up floor a bit or not worry about and save some money? I am in Montana, dry, no salt, and my body shop guy says don’t worry about it. Of course I figure removal will ensure no moisture getting under there and save a little weight too. Picture of the diamond plating and the entire rig for reference. ‘82 mostly original. Original paint except hood blending. Orig suspension, etc.
thank you all in advance,
Mitch

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More pics for reference:

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And now the outside and other context pics from lunch today after a hose off. This includes the rust spot to be repaired:

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These are unrelated to the diamond plating but can still give overall info about the trucks condition:

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How is the diamond plating attached to the floorboards? Are they bolted down? What is the overall use of your truck? Do you need that type of protection?
 
Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but if you '82 is like mine, your going to encounter rust under the diamond plate. From what I gather, the steel in later years is not as good as the older 40's. My rear tub and floors were toast at one time and records indicate it was a southeastern vehicle.
It really depends on your feelings of diamond plate and how you want to have your rig represented. Your rig is in way better condition than mine. IMO i'd go all the way to have it removed and fixed properly.
 
Really depends on what you want for a final product. If you want to move towards a nice FJ40 or a user rig. Being a 1982 , it is a good year to have. One thing is true, the steel Toyota used in the mid 1970,s had 2 issues. One was using recycled steel and the other was thickness. The oil wars started then and the looked everywhere to lighten up the vehicle.
 
X2 on removing the plate, is the front attached? rear looks like a few bolts on the wheel wells and the entire piece will come out. there are ribs in the floor so there are gaps between the plate and the rear floor, they may be full of gunk.
the front floorboard should have a tar material on it.
 
How is the diamond plating attached to the floorboards? Are they bolted down? What is the overall use of your truck? Do you need that type of protection?
Yes, they are bolted down. Truck is almost exclusively a trail rig for remote fishing transportation and mountain exploration. Meaning, it gets me way up in the mountains and back, I am not out to test its rock crawling abilities ;). I don’t believe she missed a weekend in the mountains from June to October this year.
 
Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but if you '82 is like mine, your going to encounter rust under the diamond plate. From what I gather, the steel in later years is not as good as the older 40's. My rear tub and floors were toast at one time and records indicate it was a southeastern vehicle.
It really depends on your feelings of diamond plate and how you want to have your rig represented. Your rig is in way better condition than mine. IMO i'd go all the way to have it removed and fixed properly.
Thanks jenloe
 
Yes, they are bolted down. Truck is almost exclusively a trail rig for remote fishing transportation and mountain exploration. Meaning, it gets me way up in the mountains and back, I am not out to test its rock crawling abilities ;). I don’t believe she missed a weekend in the mountains from June to October this year.
Actually, I’ll have to get a much closer look at the front. I don’t recall seeing bolts up there, but definitely in rear. front is attached or adhered in some manner.
 
X2 on removing the plate, is the front attached? rear looks like a few bolts on the wheel wells and the entire piece will come out. there are ribs in the floor so there are gaps between the plate and the rear floor, they may be full of gunk.
the front floorboard should have a tar material on it.
I’m not around the truck right now. I don’t recall seeing any bolts on the front pieces. The do not move at all, so not sure how the front are attached or adhered.
 
While it's generally thought to create a place to trap moisture, how are those rubber floor mats not worse? (I took mine out because of this).

It's also putting dissimilar metals together, and steel being the less noble, will corrode faster. At least, that's the story from the steel boat book I read once....

It actually looks kinda nice, and if it's all solid beneath, having been there for years, really up to whether you like it. If it was kept dry enough to prevent rust, that might have saved the tub with who knows what the previous owner was throwing back there...
 
I'd get that diamond plate out. It's just creating a place for water to collect and it's better to know what's there than to wonder.
Good point. It’s always in the back of my mind. I knew it was there when I bought it and figured I’d have to get it out and see what surprises were lurking under there. Good news is I’ve looked under the rig intensely for rust where the diamond plating is, and everything visible (minus a small spot in pass wheel well, looks really good.
 
Since the truck was not yours from day One, either the prior owner was trying to cover up a problem, or just liked the ruggedness of the diamond plate--uncovering it will tell. If you choose to reattach it, treat the floors with something protective and use easily removeable fasteners for later inspections.
 
Really depends on what you want for a final product. If you want to move towards a nice FJ40 or a user rig. Being a 1982 , it is a good year to have. One thing is true, the steel Toyota used in the mid 1970,s had 2 issues. One was using recycled steel and the other was thickness. The oil wars started then and the looked everywhere to lighten up the vehicle.
Thanks 69. Honestly, I’m trying to make this a functional but nice rig. Not restored and nice and close to original. Use it, but not trash it. It’s an important rig for me. I’m making memories in it w my kids, and one of those knuckleheads will have it one day ;)
 
the fronts may just be stuck to the "tar" below, from being there the last few decades.
 
Beats the license plate my brother had in his '64 Nova that covered up the floorboard hole, when the hole wasn't being used as a means to dispatch empties.
 

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