Floor Pan Install Question

[jefflock]

I have new front floor pan halves for my 68 Dart. Can these be installed with the motor and tranny still in the car?????
Of course I will only do one side at a time. I'm trying to do this project plus leave the car runable. Thanks Jeff

 

[CUUDAK]

Yes

 

[ESP47]

Yep, if you're using a sawzall to cut, just be careful where you're cutting because there are a couple lines under there you can run into.

 

[CUUDAK]

I wouldn't use a reciprocating saw for floor pans.You can pick up a body saw or a cutoff wheel/grinder to cut the floor. The body saw has a real thin blade therefore less gap. Cut the new pan to the size needed. Screw it to the old pan and cut around the new pan as close as possible. Remove the old pan by grinding the spotwelds. Slap the new pan in the hole and start welding. I would stitch weld every 6-8 inches apart to avoid warping. Stitches can be 1/2" to 3/4" long.

 

[jefflock]

Sawzall's don't seem to work very well for me. I have one along with a 41/2" grinder/cuttoff wheels and a plasma cutter. I was thinking drill all the spot welds and cut the old pan out smaller than the new pan. Then laying the new pan in and using the plasma to cut the new pan along the edge and the rest of the old pan out at the same time. Butt weld or stich weld it in. What about the folded front seam??? Leave it there and cut it out say an inch below the folded seam??????

 

[72ScampTramp]

harbor freight makes a $10 electric body saw Thats what I used and worked great for my floors.

 

[CUUDAK]

Sawzall's don't seem to work very well for me. I have one along with a 41/2" grinder/cuttoff wheels and a plasma cutter. I was thinking drill all the spot welds and cut the old pan out smaller than the new pan. Then laying the new pan in and using the plasma to cut the new pan along the edge and the rest of the old pan out at the same time. Butt weld or stich weld it in. What about the folded front seam??? Leave it there and cut it out say an inch below the folded seam??????

Well hell, you didn't say you had a Plasma cutter!! LoL..... I use the cutoff wheels from 3M as they last a long time. I grind through the spotweld until it starts to turn blue then the edges will start to fold up. That is when you know you are through the first layer of metal. Then use a small prybar and pop the welds loose.

Throw a couple bags of sand or concrete in the middle of the pan to help push it down while you cut with the plasma cutter. This of course after you have removed the majority of the old pan. If you don't remove the old pan, when you cut the new one it will just fall through due to the larger gap.

Leave the front seam. You can always overlap and weld both sides. Be sure to use a light coat of weld-through primer!

 

[moparclown]

As said above when you get to the final cut(Cudak used sand bags)and I used selftapping screws to pull the pan down to the frame.
I saw a guy that wrecked a set of pans because he cut them with the new pans laying on top of the old pans and when it got fully pulled down ended up with over an inch gap in places.
I also did my Dart with the engine and trans in place(just sealed it up yesterday)
Doug

 

[jefflock]

Looks Great! Thanks for posting and the screw tip.
One question. What did you do at the front seam??

 

[moparclown]

That can be a tough spot as its pretty tight to fit the welding gun up in there with the engine and trans in place.I cut the pan just below it and once the pan was out I removed the spot welds.I also had to make a small repair(can see it in the first pic)

 

[moparclown]

I went back and read this post again(must of had a brain fart)
When I was putting the pan in I found the self tapping screws worked real good for pulling the top seam together.
I am actually installing the interior now.

 

[BrianT]

Be careful cutting the right floor pan out no matter what you're using, but especially using a plasma cutter. The fuel line runs underneath it. Took three full fire extinguishers and a power washer to get the fire put out!!! Not me, but a friend.

 

[Idaho]

I thought I had mine stripped down, forgot about the wires on the driver side , got too close with a torch and burnt them.

 

[moparclown]

One more thing,cover up all glass
Foil style windshield sun shades work pretty good and if it catches fire it can be pulled right out and put out.