while starting to pull interior i have found some bad rot on passenger side {leaking heater core}}. driver side has some rust also and someone at sometime cut a hole in the tunnel near shifter. rear pan looks good. i want to restore this car correctly so i want to replace complete floorpan. how hard is it to install a one piece floorpan? are the ones at the venders all from the same company? if not which one is best? best way to cut old pan out{plasma cutter, cut off wheel, electric shears, TORCH}? Also do i need to be concerned with body flexing, moving, bending, when i take old floor out? ANY tips suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. woops,,,, should of stated this is for my 1970 442 pace car convertible.
thanks charlie,,,

 

In a convertible the floor is the only support for the stucture of the car. You need make sure everything is square first , then weld a jungle gym of supports, then cut the floor out. If you don't the car will fold like a pretzel

 

Patching is so much easier than a complete floor. You also need to deal with the floor braces. You can get the floor sections and cut out what you need and blend them in to the original floor pan.

 

Charlie, where are you located? I've got a nice clean floor pan in the 1972 Cutlass I'm dismantling. John

 

Actually, the primary bending stiffness in a convertible comes from the rocker boxes, though the driveshaft tunnel certainly contributes. The one-piece floor will by far give you the best finished product, but it is also the most work to install. The floor needs to go in from the bottom, so the body needs to come off the frame. As noted, you need to weld temporary braces into the body to keep it aligned when you cut the floor pan out.

 

body off............. wanted to throw new interior in it and get this thing running. then cruise it this summer and get some enjoyment and tear it down next fall for restoration. got to get a game plan together!!!

 

chicago il {suburbs} might be a option for a temp fix. let me know!!

 

Charlie, here's some pictures of the floorpan. I've got several more on my photobucket site of: http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...Cutlass%20442/

P1010153-1.jpg

P1010154-1.jpg

P1010155-1.jpg

P1010156-1.jpg

P1010157-1.jpg

 

Here is a thread from ROP, Ben Napier and I think 70Post replaced floor pans in a convertible on the frame. Very nice job
http://72.22.90.30/phpBB2/viewtopic....675&highlight=

 

No one ever said you can't install patch panels from the top. The question was about the repro one-piece floor pan, which must go in from the bottom.

 

well i got all the carpet out................. seems the floor has some good rot at both front footwell areas right up to the front seam,, very disappointing. the rear footwell area {both sides} has ALOT of pinholes. it looks like at some point this car had a 4 spd in it by the butchering of the tunnel area{looks like someone had a inline shifter in it}. the front and rear seat areas look great as well as the sides. i do NOT want to pull body off frame as this seems to always open pandoras box and empty the checking account. i am thinking of picking up a set of floorpans full length in two pieces {180$} and repairing this way. if i do this and replace one side at a time {not going all the way to the side factory seam} will i still have to worry about body flexing around? sheesh starting to get a little frustrated tearing multiple things apart and finding more crap.

 

It wont really help now,, but I'm in the south and the Heater Hoses have been removed and blocked off at the fire wall. Dont need the Heater and it causes problems like the one your talking about. Good Luck on your floor work.