How do i attach the full lenght pan to the new braces? Some type of metal adhesive? I also have an inch gap between them. The floor is sitting on the door sills higher than the orignal floor. Do i need to cut more out? It looks difficult to cut anymore along the door opening. 66 chevelle

thanks
frank

You should do only one full length floorpan at a time, and trim as necessary to butt weld at rocker panel/doorsill, overlap is ok at other parts, but about 1 inch, this involves time consuming trimming and make sure you use a magic marker, my floor braces didnt fit at all after pans were done, I cut middle part totally out(3 pieces) fit and tacked outer parts out and then welded driveshaft tunnel part in. Is easier if you have a lift and a trans. jack and a helper. I used 2X4's to hold floor braces in place and then tack into place. Not a job for the faint of heart, but time consuming.

Frank
66 SS396

When I did my floor pans, I "button welded" them at the cross supports.

A button weld is where a hole is made in one of the pieces and then it's welded up. Try holes about 1/2" in diameter.

If you try drilling a 1/2" hole with a normal drill it will distort the pan. What I did was drill a small pilot hole and then use a "Greenlee" hole punch. That way the pan stays flat.

I can't make any recommendations on how much you have to trim. It depends on how much you have to replace.

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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference section
Gold Member #5

I still have my original crossmembers in, the floor is fully cut out, my problem is where it lays at the door sill, it is sitting higher than the original floor, giving this one inch gap between the floor and the crossmember, my original plan was to leave the original crossmembers in they dont look bad, just por 15 over it, i dont think thats a good idea? So im not sure how to solve my "gap", it doesnt look like i can cut anymore out at the door sill, it looks like the orinal floor fit under a lip, do i have to do the same, somehow cut further?
frank

I'm in hte process of doing this now. I don't however have to go up as fgor towards the sill. Do you have a digital camera and can you post some pics??

Cam

lay the floors out the go under the car with a magic marker and mark out the supports drill holes in the floor over the supports to prepare for button welding as explained by Wes V drill all along the supports so you have enough to get good strength lay the floors back in over the supports then use self tapping sheet metal screws long enough to reach the supports. screw the floor pans down pulling them to the supports start at the sill on each side and work your way to the middle then trim if needed. weld the floor to the supports through the hole that match up with the supports that you drilled. as you weld on each side of a screw remove it and weld the hole shut if you take your time it will come out very nice

Frank if you look back about a week for a post labeled WHERE TO START ON CONVERT you will see a post left by me, detailing a floorpan install.

You have to remove all of the floor not just part of it. the floor is sandwhiched inbetween the rocker panel and the inner rocker. You need to drill out the spot welds on the rocker, that will loosen the floor from the rocker but you still need to loosen the floor from the inners. Just take a big screwdriver and ply the rocker lip over to gain access to the floor that was underneath. If you can drill out the spot welds but more then likey will have to take a cut off wheel and grind out the welds. that will loosen the floor from the inners and the remaining bits of the floor are now gone

Once that remaining floor is out place your new floor in. Drilling a 1/2 hole for the welds is bit much I use 5/16 holes to 3/8...Eric



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1970 chevelle
1970 chevelle SS455 not a typo its a buick baby
1949 and 1972 chevy trucks
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/sevt_chevelles

Thanks sevt_chevelle, thats exactly my problem i will work on it. Robert, Im a litte confused, am i drilling two holes at various points on the support? one for a sheetmetal screw and another to spot weld? Wes V said to weld up? that sounds difficult on my back,is that possible for a rookie welder? so you spot weld the hole in the support to the floor, while a sheetmetal screw is holding the floor in place right?
thanks,
frank

Frank;

I may have added confusion when I said "weld up" the holes!

What I'm talking about is that where the pan goes over the cross-brace, you would place a series of holes in the pan. You then weld around the perimeter edge of the hole to the brace below. You are doing all this while sitting on the pan, inside the car's interior. NOT UNDER THE CAR.

The reason for saying "weld up" the holes is that the hole, for the most part, is filled with weld.

I wish that I had taken good photos at the time.

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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference section
Gold Member #5

Thanks everyone, i think i got it.

I just wanna say i really appreciate this site, if it wasnt for this site and everyone using, i dont see how would be able to restore a car by myself. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

create a series of holes in the floor pan and use some to screw the pan to the support and weld as you go along