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Whole floor or patch?

Posted By: jjschm

Whole floor or patch? - 09/26/09 09:44 PM

My 67 Belvedere convertible has a series of intersting patches under the carpet from old stainless, plastic, and other scrap metal riveted over the floorboard holes. Basically, the floor is rotted in the typical spots under foot. My question is do I patch the four areas under foot, or go with the whole floor replacements AMD is making? It's not a show car, but I need a better fix than how I got it.

I'm guessing many of you have tried both ways and may be able to steer me in the right direction.

Thanks,
Jon
Posted By: Dougsmopars

Re: Whole floor or patch? - 09/26/09 09:52 PM

The new floor pans are the way to go. Patches are only that , patches. It will come back. Only way to fix rot is replace. Show car or driver. If your going to keep this car for a while don't cheat it will only come back to bite you.
Posted By: Stanton

Re: Whole floor or patch? - 09/27/09 01:17 AM

A floor pan replacement is a big chore. Finding and drilling out all the original spot welds is no easy task, especially the ones where the pan meets the firewall. The ones along the sill are a [Edited by Moparts - Family Friendly Site - Keep it clean] to. Are you planning one side only or the whole pan?

I'm in the same dilemma. I had a mint floor section from a wreck and spent HOURS drilling out all the welds I could find. This was in broad daylight with the section up on a stand! I'm by no means an impatient person but when it came to the sills that's when I gave up. I took a zip wheel and cut the pan where I'll be comfortable welding it in. Done patiently and properly its as good as any full pan replacement and a lot less work.

On a 1 of ? Hemi something-or-other full resto I'd do the pan. On the average car, go with the patch. You can buy the patch you need for a lot less than the whole pan too!
Posted By: MoparJoe

Re: Whole floor or patch? - 09/27/09 01:49 AM

I would do the whole floor, should be easy since it's a convertible, just remember to brace up the body before cutting so it doesn't fold in half.

It's time consuming but worth it if you're keeping the car long term, when I did the floor in my Dart I took out most of it using a 4" grinder with a cutoff wheel and used an air chisel to scrape the sheetmetal off the rails then it's just a matter of fitting the new floor, cleaning out and painting inside the rails, drilling about 1,000 holes in the new pan for plug welds and buzzing it in, it's also a good time to add subframe connectors if you don't already have them.
Posted By: pnypwr

Re: Whole floor or patch? - 09/27/09 02:07 AM

Quote:

I would do the whole floor, should be easy since it's a convertible, just remember to brace up the body before cutting so it doesn't fold in half.

It's time consuming but worth it if you're keeping the car long term, when I did the floor in my Dart I took out most of it using a 4" grinder with a cutoff wheel and used an air chisel to scrape the sheetmetal off the rails then it's just a matter of fitting the new floor, cleaning out and painting inside the rails, drilling about 1,000 holes in the new pan for plug welds and buzzing it in, it's also a good time to add subframe connectors if you don't already have them.




convertibles are reinforced in the rockers id put in a door bar to do it but you dont have to get crazy for a floor pan replacement, as to the orig questions it depends on how bad the floor is, if the hole is the size of a quarter, or the size of a small farm animal...
Posted By: DaytonaTurbo

Re: Whole floor or patch? - 09/27/09 02:34 AM

Really depends on how bad the rust is. I've owned cars where the whole floor is thin or completely toasted. Others have had only very localized rust where you could cut your the crappy sections and the remaining metal was not rusted at all.
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