Early A floor repair options?

[WoodenNickle]

ClassicIndustries.com

 

[Seansmopar]

I'm in the process of dealing with my floor pans soon..just started to remove interior and caught a glimpse of the Swiss cheese beneath the rug...My question is do I have to weld a brace in by the doors when I start to cut the floor? Probably cut one side at a time from front near firewall to before hump in under backseat.

 

[chryslerfat]

I'm in the process of dealing with my floor pans soon..just started to remove interior and caught a glimpse of the Swiss cheese beneath the rug...My question is do I have to weld a brace in by the doors when I start to cut the floor? Probably cut one side at a time from front near firewall to before hump in under backseat.

First if you plan on replacing that much in an early A be sure to find a good used pan as a full pan is not made for them yet. I bought a whole parts car for full pans in the past.

 

[amx364]

66 Barracuda with sub frame connectors - drivers side - notice marker locations from replacement pan edges

 

[Seansmopar]

Check out view photos by seansmopar, I scored floors from a old 66 race car..still the floors can use repair after I cleaned them up..but much better than in my car..I cut the floor out in two halves, drivers and passenger..then cut them into four parts so they are easier to work with..I have replaced floors before in a full framed car but never in a sub frame..Do I need to brace the car say if I cut from front floor near the firewall to near the hump under the back seat..just on a single side.. I plan to work one side at a time..I'm afraid the doors won't close properly if I cut that much out..I have the car on stands under the diff and under each control arm.. I'm just hoping to not get any body movement without a brace between the doors.. Do I need it? Thanks

 

[amx364]

If you have a convertible and remove the frame, but you have a unibody. Unless you cut most of the body away then no bracing needed. On 66 barracuda above, although I did the pans one side at a time, the cut away was done on both sides. Must have replacements in hand for final cuts. You can cut out the rust holes, because the metal is "unweldable" in the rusted out areas.

 

[amx364]

before pics are common rust drivers side.

 

[Seansmopar]

Thanks for the response and your photo looks to be very familiar to my floor..I'm not cutting any body up..just floors on the barracuda so I won't have to brace.. Appreciate the response and i'll also capture some photos as I progress.. Thanks again..Sean

 

[armyofchuckness]

Agh. Those pictures are giving me horror flashbacks! So familiar. So glad it's over.

I wouldn't worry too much about bracing the frame. As mentioned above, the car unibody should be able to take it. I'd second the idea if doing it one quarter at a time though, just to be sure.

 

[dodgedartgt]

I appreciate everybody's comments and pics. I'll be able to work more over the long weekend, let you know how I fair.

Mike in FL

 

[MoparPhil]

I had the same experience as armyofchuckness with pans I bought from Laysons. I think they were made for a dart which is different than Barracudas. They came out ok for a race car but some of these fabrications (Nice job to those craftsmen) in previous posts look better. Try to get your front pan seams high up enough so they aren't visible from underneath because the ribs are different and won't line up.