[napa2u]

Okay, I've read some of the previous posts on floor pan replacements. I think I've gotten the message that replace as little metal as possilbe. I think,for me, that would be the front 2 sections. If my pics download, I would like anyone's opinion confirmation. the back sections are surface rust be appear to be pretty solid looking good from the bottom. anyway, who sells just individual panels? goodmark doesn't appear to sell them. I'm going to post this and add the pics. I'm having trouble downloading/hyperlinking them.


http://photobucket.com/barrysnova

 

[NIGHTSHADE]

Your floors.

Your floors.

My recommendations.

The spendy route, requires truck freitght but will give you ALL of what you need .

The less expensive route. With these you can cut in half and if your rear feet areas are good, use the rear sections to re-construct the toeboards. They ship Fed-Ex so less freight and lower cost.

 

[JRouche]

Great suggestions NS. I think the "less expensive" panels would be the way to go, his tunnel looks solid still.. JR

 

[tnblkc230wz]

I've never said this, but you may be a candidate for the spendy replacement. The top of your tunnel looks rotted and there is rot in other areas that look to be in the tunnel.

How are your floor supports? Are they solid?

 

[napa2u]

floor pans

thanks, in advance , all good advice. the floor supports are solid with just surface rust. Re: going the spendy route I'm afraid of not keeping the car squared up and properly supported. Would need help there but I'm willing to try. The split pieces would be easier to install because I could bring them in normallly whereas the full piece requires to come in from underneath and room is an issue. My question NS. How come the split pieces don't come with as much toeboard as the full piece. I'm not a great fabricator is why i'm asking.

 

[NIGHTSHADE]

Thats a tough question, they have been around a long time and the others are new for GoodMark. Possibly they were initially meant to replace the lower portion where water would sit and rot away the bottoms of the car??

The others (with toe board) are also side pans, so if you choose to do one at a time you could maintain a little more body integrity you could.

I do see that the grooves on the toeboard are straight up and down while originally they are diagonal, at least on my 62. Maybe they are different on other years??

 

[1floho]

floor replacement

If it was my car I would just replace the entire floor in one piece. A complete floor is available with supports already installed. It seams like alot of work, and it is. But in the long run its way cleaner, will last much longer, and will save you hours and hours of grinding welds, not to mention warped floor boards.

I did mine and it was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. I started by ruff cutting out the floor with a sawzal. The welds on the rocker can be broken loose without drilling holes into the rocker panel. I used a tool called a weld buster that you hit with a hammer and it breaks the weld without creating holes. I did drill holes in the floor boards behind and in front of the new panel to cut out the welds. I used these holes to weld in the new panel and when I was finished there were no holes anywhere and a pro could not even tell the floor had been replaced.

Patch panels are just that. If you patch your pants you will be happy with a "patched up job".

 

[Chevy6455]

I have to agree with 1floho. I would use the complete one piece floor too. I bought the half pans and they have been a pain in the butt. Alot less cutting and a much cleaner look when its done with the full pan. Not to mention all the brace etc. are usually installed on the full one piece pan. The up front cost of the pan may be a little more but you time and grinding wheels etc will add up too. I personally will never buy half pans again. I have done them on 55-57 Chevy's too and its the same deal. Better off doing the whole floor if possible and getting it done in one shot.

 

[napa2u]

floor pans

Chevy and floho,

Well, it does make more sense and definitely would be a clean look. My concern is maintaining integrity with the car and keeping it squared up. Who's got some good suggestions. I know it jack support is important. Please share your thoughts. I appreciate all of the imput.

Barry

 

[1floho]

floor

If you leave the rear floor in tact and the front floor/firewall in tact you should not have any movement. Make sure you have the front end on stands , the front and rear rockers supported and the rear end supported so there is no stress on the unibody and cut away. If the rockers spread slightly you can use some car tie downs and wrap them around both rockers and tighten until the floor meets the rockers. You will not have any "diamond" of the unibody. I did not have any problems are it is easier to replace the entire floor than it is to make 20 feet of welding and grinding like you will do with patch panels.

Don't be scared do it right the first time and do it once. PS use weld thru primer in the areas that are covered.

 

[NIGHTSHADE]

Not a bad thought but the one big flaw in the "less welding" aspect is the same reason I never mentioned a complete floor.

Toe boards.

With the toe boards being in bad shape, they are needed. The complete floor ends at the seam that is before the gas pedal, with it new or replacement toe boards need to be gotten too. So the savings is only 2 feet of welding give or take plus having to work on removing the frame rails too. I'd think the half sections would be easier to maneuver around also.

 

[1floho]

floor

The frame rails do not have to be removed. The "frame rails" are no more than sheetmetal and are easily drilled out with a weld cutting drill bit available at bodyshop supply stores. If you take your time you will not cut through the good metal. The bottom line is to do it correct and in a way that will preserve the car for the long run. Complete panels only need spot welds that are easily grinded off. Patch panels are often welded in with a continuous weld that take alot of grinding and look terrible when finished. I want my car to look good on top and bottom as well. Any one can get a nice paint job but whats hidding on the underside. But I can understand the fear people who do not do bodywork for a living might have doing a full floor replacement and replacing part of the toe board. Don't be scared its just sheetmetal.

 

[NIGHTSHADE]

I guess it's all in how you wish to do it. I've seen partial pans put in so you don't even know they were replaced, that would be what a grinder is for. But if you don't want to clean up your welds to make them "invisible" where would you rather have them, hidden by the tranney and driveshaft or in plain view at the toeboard seam?

 

[napa2u]

re: floorpan

A big thanks to all for INVALUABLE INFORMATION!!!!. Especially, to Floho and Nightshade for thought provoking imput. I've decided to do a LH/RH replacement set rather than the full monty. For my first time, I'm going to do what I feel is better suited for my skill level. I'm not trying to build a show car. Just a solid, pro-street runner. I'll post pics and let you know of my process.

Barry

 

[1floho]

Good luck

Good luck Napa2u. I am sure you will be proud of yourself when you are done. There is aways more than one way to skin a cat. Send you photos up when you are done, we would love to see the results.

 

[pat123]

I noticed on my floor pans their are no mounting holes for seats, are they made with out the holes?
Thanks

Pat

 

[NIGHTSHADE]

I noticed on my floor pans their are no mounting holes for seats, are they made with out the holes?
Thanks

Pat

The lower cost floor pans are just that, pans. Everything else needs to be saved from the original and reinstalled. Including the seat belt mounting points.