Floor pan tunnel patch (how to)

Posted By: 1962Savoy

Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/28/09 08:17 PM

I have to patch in the floor and partial tunnel because someone cut it right out to put a 4 speed in.

the floor is not rusty at all solid like the day it was born. I have a patch panel for it from another car and I would like to know what the best way to measure it so it will fit precisly so I can butt weld it in place with no overlap?

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Posted By: 4BBodies

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/28/09 10:27 PM

Unless you are really experienced, I wouldn't advise trying to "butt weld" it. But, if you really feel you have to, you already have a front seam, so the front doesn't need to be butt welded. As far as the rest, cut the patch panel, set it on the hump, and mark it WELL with a magic marker. Then cut the opening too small to start with, like maybe an 1/8 inch or so, and then trim/grind until it fits flush. More work than necessary in my opinion, but do-able.

Posted By: Ply72rr

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 05:06 AM

Line the new panel up on top of the old pan and secure with screws.Then cut both pans with a thin cut off wheel.The thin wheel should leave the correct gap for butt welding.You should make the first cut and add tack welds,then cut a little more and add more tacks.Keep going like this until you are finished cutting all the way around and it should be lined up perfect.

Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 05:11 AM

Quote:

Line the new panel up on top of the old pan and secure with screws.Then cut both pans with a thin cut off wheel.The thin wheel should leave the correct gap for butt welding.You should make the first cut and add tack welds,then cut a little more and add more tacks.Keep going like this until you are finished cutting all the way around and it should be lined up perfect.

Best method

Posted By: 1962Savoy

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 04:14 PM

Thanks for the info guys I will have a go at it in the next week or so and let you know how it went.I like the idea of screwing the one down ontop of the othe and cutting both panels together. weather it will work or not it sounds good to me

Posted By: 68jim

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 04:24 PM

1962Savoy,

I could not see all of your picture but it sounds likes what I needed to do for my Road Runner. A previous owner converted the column shift to a floor shift for racing. The process posted ealier is pretty much the way to go. I used a fine tooth small pneumatic saw vice a cutting wheel but basically you get the same results. Good luck.

Jim

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Posted By: 68jim

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 04:26 PM

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Posted By: 68jim

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 04:27 PM

Posted By: 68jim

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 04:29 PM

# last

Jim

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Posted By: 1962Savoy

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 06:25 PM

Quote:

1962Savoy,

I could not see all of your picture but it sounds likes what I needed to do for my Road Runner. A previous owner converted the column shift to a floor shift for racing. The process posted ealier is pretty much the way to go. I used a fine tooth small pneumatic saw vice a cutting wheel but basically you get the same results. Good luck.

Jim

Hey Jim That looks like my floor but not as bad! my opening is twice that size as I think they installed the 4 speed in from the top! LOL

I'm going to give it a try Thanks Guys!!

Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 06:44 PM

Quote:

Hey Jim That looks like my floor but not as bad! my opening is twice that size as I think they installed the 4 speed in from the top! LOL
I'm going to give it a try Thanks Guys!!

Hows this one... The rust is more surface than anything but some scale.. But I'm not sure if it was a hatchet or a hand grenade that they used for the 4 spd install.. I did a larger repair cause I had the spare floor &doing it this way eliminated all the rust... But the small hole from the driveshaft bouncing around cause there was no trans mount I repaired the way that is being suggested...

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Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 06:45 PM

Almost fixed, the small patch is only tacked

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Posted By: 1962Savoy

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/29/09 08:12 PM

now thats starting to look like it!that hole looks like a IED did that one!

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Posted By: 1962Savoy

Re: Floor pan tunnel...my hole is bigger that yours! - 12/29/09 08:16 PM

Now would you guys square this hole up to patch it or what???

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Posted By: 68jim

Re: Floor pan tunnel...my hole is bigger that yours! - 12/29/09 08:57 PM

Quote:

Now would you guys square this hole up to patch it or what???

Same method as discussed earlier. I would definitely use the forward seam as one end. Trim the other sides so it helps your welding skills better. Avoid having to weld in the little valleys if you can...much easier to work the flatter sections and much easier to sand afterwards. After you get the patch area figured out and before you weld it in, go ahead and repair the cross member frame first. The patch will need to have some welds to that frame. I used a MIG, and just drilled some 3/16" holes in the patch metal where the factory had spot welds, and filled it in with the welder. The little circular welds almost look like spot welds but it is not the critical since it will be painted and covered anyway.

Jim

Posted By: 71DemonRON

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/30/09 01:59 AM

The past owner of my rr did this

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Posted By: QuickBpBp

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/30/09 02:06 AM

Quote:

The past owner of my rr did this

Wow I can't believe how many people cut a big hole in those dash bezels....

Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/30/09 02:12 AM

Quote:

Quote:

The past owner of my rr did this

Wow I can't believe how many people cut a big hole in those dash bezels....

Well as long as we're cutting why stop with a big hole in the floor??

Posted By: 1962Savoy

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/30/09 08:23 PM

Quote:

Quote:

The past owner of my rr did this

Wow I can't believe how many people cut a big hole in those dash bezels....

YOU WIN!
YOUR HOLE IS BIGGER THAN MINE

Posted By: 4BBodies

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/30/09 08:30 PM

Holy crap, they really did take a huge chunk out! But yeah, what these guys said, and if you end up with spots less than perfect after welding, you can use smooth fiberglass..........it's like bondo, only it is fiberglass without the hairs in it. Great stuff, NAPA has it.

Posted By: ArchLAB

Re: Floor pan tunnel patch (how to) - 12/30/09 08:34 PM

I like the idea of bolting in an overlapping panel rather than welding...unless it is structural. if it's bolted (or screwed) in, you can benefit from extra access - never enough of that on A-Bodies.