Is the frame/engine going to fall out?

So, I bought a new floor pan, for obvious reasons, and under the riveted in galvanized signs and a non-existent floor is this.

I want to pull the engine/trans and finish removing the floor, and I need to fix or replace the crossmember.

What's keeping the torsion bar from exiting, or the trans from leaving the scene?

If I completely replace the crossmember, where does it need to be braced to keep it together?

Or, are the front rails, to rockers, to rear rails enough structure to remove the engine, then torsion bars, then crossmember?

I wouldn't worry about pulling the motor...go for it. As for the cross-member, I'd put it on a frame rack & brace it before replacing the cross-member, but I'm no expert on this.

You'll have to unload the torsion bars, of course. The inner rockers are in need of some big patches to make the car sound. Looks like at least a foot of the inner rocker. You have a bit of a project there. Brace it parallel to the cross member behind it in a solid area, then the same in front.

I'm not sure of the order.
Unload torsion bars, pull engine/trans, remove floor, ad bracing, fix crossmember.

Does that sound correct?

Iirc, the floor curves up close to the rocker behind the crossmember, so I'm thinking the floor needs to be out to weld a brace.

What should the brace be made from?

I noticed a new crossmember is not available for a 62.

Also, I'm curious if frame connectors can be welded to the floor before the floor is welded to the car. Is that a thing, fit the floor, mark it for connectors, pull it out and weld them.
Then you only have to weld the ends to the car underneath.

I need to learn as I go here, self taught as usual.

Anyone want to buy a mustang?

where did you find that car ? at the bottom of a river?

Man, that car is really rusty and needs a lot of metal replacement. I would imagine the rear is in the same condition? Dont want to be too negative towards it, but even if it is a Hemi car, you will be upside down in it real fast. You will never get close to recouping your investment. Just my worthless opinion.

Mate I'm probably not telling you anything you don't know but before you start you should check the remainder of the car thoroughly. That rust looks pretty bad and you may end up in a big financial hole. How are the front frame rails especially insdide the wheel well where the upper control arms are located? Rust starts in here and spreads to the front frame rails - quite hard and expensive to fix unless you're doing the work yourself. Good luck, and know that ditching a car that's too rusty is not failure, it's common sense unless it is rare or has sentimental value.

The rest of the car is fine, with minor issues. Rockers are solid, except for that one section.
PO cut out rear footwells and rivited signs there, and over the top of the front driver section, nothing over the front passenger side.

The passenger side of the torsion crossmember is intact, rear frame rails good, trunk floor has two small holes, two small holes in cowl area on driver side.

I removed the dash, interior, wiring, everything out of car, only thing left in it is drivetrain and glass.
Windshield is coming out next.

I have another car that had rust in the front frame rails. So much debris in the 'bathtub' on top of the rails that the upper control arm mounts were almost completely rusted away. Replaced upper frame rails and shock mount with new pieces.

I also have a parts car with good frame rails, crossmember, etc.

Not sure why this section disintegrated, maybe from sitting with the cowl holes and signs riveted over floor.

I want to yank the drivetrain asap and keep this moving forward.
I'm also buying a better welder, because it's about time and I deserve it.

Never replaced an entire floor, or a crossmember, just concerned about it, don't want to make any dumb mistakes.

matthon said:

I also have a parts car with good frame rails, crossmember, etc.

Click to expand...

Is there a reason your not working on that one instead?

Yes, it's a 4 door that sat in a junkyard for decades. For some reason the frame rails are very good but the rest is shot. The hood is so rusted the Dodge letters fell thru it.

I double checked my 2 door today, front rails are solid, not really any surface rust and no scaling, rears have surface rust but I hit them all over with an awl then a screwdriver, no soft spots.

Rust is part of life up hear in N.Y. Sometimes it shows up in strange places, especially if there is any undercoat, first it protects, then it hides rust.

I've let cars go when the rust is too much, this one can be easily saved with a floor, a crossmember, some patches to the cowl and one small hole in the trunk.

Just trying to find the best way to r&r a crossmember. Some leave the car on the suspension, some put on jackstands, etc.

Got the seat installed today, making progress!