Question for those who have replaced a floor.

Dakotaacres · Apr 10, 2019

Did you replace just the bad/rusted floor area with a after market pan? Cutting the after market pan to replace the bad/rusted area. Or did you use the whole after market pan, rocker to center hump even if you didn't need too.

My drivers side floor below the pedals is rusted. The floor under the drivers seat is good. The rear drivers floor is rusted. Trying to figure out what I should do.

thank you

MoparBill · Apr 10, 2019

I try to leave as much factory metal as possible, and put seams where you can finish them decently.

69L48Z27 · Apr 10, 2019

I’m in the MoparBill camp. It just comes down to how much is bad vs good. I like to retain as much as possible but at some point you need to cut your loses and replace the entire pan.

Got any pictures?

Runner 68 · Apr 10, 2019

We just went trough this on my son's Duster. Cutting the entire floor out in these uni-bodies is a royal bitch.
We bought full half pans then cut to fit only where we needed to. Can't beat AMD panels for fit.

flypaper · Apr 10, 2019

I would rather remove and replace all
but I enjoy the challenge of the removal part of it.
and after doing a bunch, I find it pretty straight forward and easy for me.

most splices always will come back to bite you in the *** with rust down the road
that is one thing people who splice will not mention.
I will only splice when the part isn't available
you get me the part and I will replace it whole
and I don't care what part it is.
once you cut a hole out of the pan , it isn't original anymore
so I never got that argument,
I think its just saying
Its too hard/takes too long to do it all and I want to take short cuts to make it easy.
for a duster or run of the mill car
I can see doing it it
for a high dollar car , I would be disappointed
but to each his own.
just not how I would roll
a few cars I have I even stuck oem pans back into.
wish more were available

DCCoronet · Apr 10, 2019

There are a few things to consider. Do you have a strict budget and is there a timeline on the repair? I prefer a full pan and is easier to do than patching, but it depend on the projects price and time budgets. I have done full pans, half pans, and quarter pans. I also like the full pan to get into the torsion bar crossmember to do a good cleanout, prep and encapsulation. Good butt welds take a lot of trial and error, time, and can double the time needed to install vs. a bunch of plug welds. Think of the time it will take to wire wheel the rest of the pan top and bottom to clean it up.

Runner 68 · Apr 10, 2019

flypaper said:
once you cut a hole out of the pan , it isn't original anymore

With all due respect Fly, doesn't cutting the entire pan out and replacing it make it not original anymore?
Also, Duster run of the mill car? When was the last time you saw one cruising the streets of Ocean County NJ? ****, 4 year old BMWs rust out there.

flypaper · Apr 10, 2019

Runner 68 said:
With all due respect Fly, doesn't cutting the entire pan out and replacing it make it not original anymore?

that is correct
so what is the point?
I only mentioned using oem parts
never called the work original at all.
it is restored to a higher level then splicing in pieces
at least it is whole..
once it is replaced (whole or parts)
it is not original no matter what you put back in..
what is original about a pan with splices in it?
A. nothing
as soon as you take pieces away or the whole thing
the ship has left the port.

slimt · Apr 10, 2019

Having a proper place with lots of space can make a job like this easier.. when it comes to replacing a whole floor.. as well as having a proper points of the body secure to keep it square. alot of overlaps to contend with from other panels as well... I guess it all comes down to how much is rusted away to whats involved to replace.. i did my Henry J floor.. hand rolled and beaded all the contours.. 6 Body Mounts for the frame.. all the hats for strength,.. inner rockers and outers..as well as making sure I had it square so the doors would line up.. and site level on the frame.. It was a major challenge.. and very mind consuming.. 2 years later I think I got it.. .. I would not do another.

Runner 68 · Apr 10, 2019

flypaper said:
what is original about a pan with splices in it?

What is original about a pan that has been fully replaced? Answer, nothing, it's a replacement, AKA not original.
No different than patching, not original but a hell of allot less labor.
I suppose in Jersey you may worry about rust issues in seams of a patch just like you would replacing the entire panel, no difference. You still need to address the seams.
Fortunately we don't have to worry about those things out here in the dry west.
Unless it's going to be a Barrett Jackson trailer queen, patch that ****** and drive it.

flypaper · Apr 10, 2019

how did I know I would upset a splicer
I find splicing to be about the same amount of work
take about the same amount of time, with a lesser outcome as DCCoronet also does.
plus you get to expose and protect places that you will never access
when you just put that patch in and cover up that splice with mud.

heck if it makes you feel better I'm splicing a part of a floor pan
its about a 3x5 inch section up near a firewall seam
small enough not to justify a pan
if it was any more then that, I would rip that sucker out in a good afternoon.
but then I'm not afraid of a little bit of labor.

flypaper · Apr 10, 2019

Runner 68 said:
Also, Duster run of the mill car? When was the last time you saw one cruising the streets of Ocean County NJ?.

4 days ago
a purple 74 that is out every weekend..
there are more classic cars per square mile then you would ever imagine in this area.
and yes a duster is run of the mill to me.
only got real popular when B and E prices went thru the roof.

moparedtn · Apr 11, 2019

flypaper said:
there are more classic cars per square mile then you would ever imagine in this area.

My visits to that fair state, I found that to certainly be true. The word "concentration" springs to mind - in warmer months, they're literally everywhere and they're not afraid to drive 'em in some heavy traffic, either.

Other things that I remember about them:
a. they hate the "Joisey" stereotype
b. there's a TON more to it than just the turnpike
c. food is ridiculously good everywhere and can be had 24/7
d. you don't pump your own gas or they get really offended

Is d. still the case, fly?

flypaper · Apr 11, 2019

You are correct
Been a long time since I went out and had a bad meal out around here.
You just need to know where to go to
In your area.
I spy many neat cars on the road
In the summer.
I saw a 77 Pontiac can am out yesterday
How many of them do you see left on the road?
Heck the last time I remember even seeing one was back in the late 70's
You just never know what you will stumble over or is stashed away around here.
I know of over 10 local (from 2 towns)
1970 runners.
4 are located on the same street block
Owned by 4 different people who are all neighbors most in their 60''s
They seem to be run of the mill around here

gkent · Apr 11, 2019

Here's a shot of mine. I also only had rot in the pedal area and I had a mint floor out of a wreck - it was even the same color !! 1) I botched cutting the spot welds out of the replacement - didn't have the right tools 2) I screwed the replacement panel in place then cut through both with a cutoof wheel. End result: the gaps were too big for comfort to weld 3) Bought an AMD floor section and cut out the whole section. BIG mistake and a whole lot of unnecessary work.

You only need to replace that pedal area ... cut the spot welds along the front and side flanges, the frame rail and across ONLY the front flange of the crossmember. Cut the old section out between the flanges of the crossmember and join the new and old sections there. The welds will be invisible from the bottom side.

Dakotaacres · Apr 11, 2019

Stanton said:
Here's a shot of mine. I also only had rot in the pedal area and I had a mint floor out of a wreck - it was even the same color !! 1) I botched cutting the spot welds out of the replacement - didn't have the right tools 2) I screwed the replacement panel in place then cut through both with a cutoof wheel. End result: the gaps were too big for comfort to weld 3) Bought an AMD floor section and cut out the whole section. BIG mistake and a whole lot of unnecessary work.

You only need to replace that pedal area ... cut the spot welds along the front and side flanges, the frame rail and across ONLY the front flange of the crossmember. Cut the old section out between the flanges of the crossmember and join the new and old sections there. The welds will be invisible from the bottom side.

View attachment 748313 View attachment 748314

thank you. very helpful

Dakotaacres · Apr 11, 2019

This is the floor I'm dealing with.

gkent · Apr 11, 2019

I think you're looking at a full side there bud

CodyS · Apr 11, 2019

I used an air chisel with multiple different ends to remove the last full floor that I did. I used the end that takes a quarter inch strip of metal out to remove it in pieces. It saves a lot of grinding wheels and cutting wheels. IMO I would do the whole floor, much simpler than smoothing out seam welds.

Runner 68 · Apr 12, 2019

flypaper said:
You are correct
Been a long time since I went out and had a bad meal out around here.
You just need to know where to go to
In your area.
I spy many neat cars on the road
In the summer.
I saw a 77 Pontiac can am out yesterday
How many of them do you see left on the road?
Heck the last time I remember even seeing one was back in the late 70's
You just never know what you will stumble over or is stashed away around here.
I know of over 10 local (from 2 towns)
1970 runners.
4 are located on the same street block
Owned by 4 different people who are all neighbors most in their 60''s
They seem to be run of the mill around here

**** you sound like a pre-1970 B Body snob Fly.
I would have never guessed that the state that is notorious for the worst drivers in the nation and rusted out cars was a classic car mecca. Thanks for the intel.
Last time I was there I got sick from drinking the water and threw up for three days. If early 70s Mopars, A, B or E falling from the sky there I'll have to plan another trip.
:poke:

Question for those who have replaced a floor.

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