[Nifty150]

After tearing out my interior and investigating/cleaning the floor pan, I have found that I would need to replace about 7 pannels in the floor pan. Most rust is in the wiring channel and worst near wheel wells. Some surface rust in front of rear seat. Rust above bracket under front seat. I'm thinking I should just order the floor pan halfs. I think it would be alot less welding. Can I do this without taking the body off the frame? Rockers to be replaced also. Any suggestions for the repair process would be appreciated. I will post some pictures when I can.

 

[Old Buzzard]

My vote: Use the 1 pc floor..

 

[NickP]

My vote: Use the 1 pc floor..

I would certainly have to agree.

 

[oldfart]

My vote is; Assess your skill level,do what you can afford and whatever will make YOU happy.arty0031:

 

[bigdave R.I.P.]

If you need to replace the braces a 1 piece is cheaper than buying all the pieces separate. I am going the same way soon. from what everybody here that has done it say the 1 piece is easier and faster than piecing it together.
do a search and you will find threads on this and they will answer alot of your questions.:anim_25:

 

[3 Tri-Fives]

I went the indivdual pan and brace route on my '57 and left the car on the frame. I modified some of the pans and made them smaller where I was able to in the rear wheelhouse area. The edges were my main problem much like your situation and the center was all good. I couldn't see cutting the whole floor out. Maybe a whole new pan is a cleaner way to go if you are willing to remove the body from the frame but if you aren't looking for a perfect floor such as in a show car, there is nothing wrong with the individual pans and braces. They make repair sections for the long braces and I used them. I replaced the inner and outer rockers too and I am very happy with the way that the floor turned out.

 

[NickP]

If you need to replace the braces a 1 piece is cheaper than buying all the pieces separate. I am going the same way soon. from what everybody here that has done it say the 1 piece is easier and faster than piecing it together.
do a search and you will find threads on this and they will answer alot of your questions.:anim_25:

Spot on Dave. It's much eaiser, however if one doesn't have the space needed to store the chassis, then some consideration may need to be given to other solutions. Having said that, I have in the past leased a storage unit large enough to house the chassis while cutting out the old floor and making preparations for the new floor.

I can tell you from first hand experience, crawling under a tri-five while cutting out braces and or other items is no pleasure - regardless of how young ou may feel. Replacing them and getting a good fit along with welding them back in is no picknic from under the car.

 

[Nifty150]

Floor Pan Repair

I went the indivdual pan and brace route on my '57 and left the car on the frame. I modified some of the pans and made them smaller where I was able to in the rear wheelhouse area. The edges were my main problem much like your situation and the center was all good. I couldn't see cutting the whole floor out. Maybe a whole new pan is a cleaner way to go if you are willing to remove the body from the frame but if you aren't looking for a perfect floor such as in a show car, there is nothing wrong with the individual pans and braces. They make repair sections for the long braces and I used them. I replaced the inner and outer rockers too and I am very happy with the way that the floor turned out.

I have always said I want to keep it driveable until I retire, making small improvements every year. If I take it off the frame, I have a feeling it will be apart for a long time. I have a week off from work starting November 1st, hoping to finish it in that amount of time.

I really think the middle of the floor is in pretty good shape and the braces look good except for the angled ends in the rear. I'm not building a show car as 3 Tri-Fives suggested above. I think I will go with patching the floor with individual pannels.

 

[GaryC]

I have always said I want to keep it driveable until I retire, making small improvements every year. If I take it off the frame, I have a feeling it will be apart for a long time. I have a week off from work starting November 1st, hoping to finish it in that amount of time.

I really think the middle of the floor is in pretty good shape and the braces look good except for the angled ends in the rear. I'm not building a show car as 3 Tri-Fives suggested above. I think I will go with patching the floor with individual pannels.

I've gone the individual pan route, and wish I hadn't......same for the trunk.

 

[57-Geez]

Do your patch work on the frame. In reality I probably should have gone the whole floor route, but I started gathering pans years ago, so I went that way.

Two front pans, two half sections under the seats, two pans in rear footwell, all new short braces, replaced outward sections of long braces, inner and outer rockers, sections of the toe panels on both sides and both A piller reinforcements down at the rocker. Did it all while on the frame. It can be done.

I did most of my welding from the top, except for braces and items underneath. This much work will take you longer than a week. But it sounds like your car is not as rusty as mine. Remember surface rust can be ground , sanded etc. you want to work with the best metal you can find.

I'm very pleased with the way it turned out,

Gil

 

[55 carman]

Piddler, thats a nice looking 150 don't blame you for not wanting to stop driving it. I think your on the right track buying full sides if you don't want to lift the body. You can trim them to fit your needs. Do one side at a time. Your schedule of one week might a bit tight. It takes a lot of time to strip the floor pan from the old braces and prep for the new parts. Don't forget to protect your glass from sparks. Hope it goes well, take pictures and post updates. Ron

 

[Surestart Engine Service]

Floor repairs,,,,AAAUGH,,,,,,,,,

Hi there Pidler, I have just completed doing some major floor repairs on my '55 and for what it,s worth ,I would recommend you hold out until you can find some extended down time to do a frame off repair/refurbish. My own car was in pretty decent shape and I thought that it would be a minor job to replace a few floor braces and a couple of small patch panels. Well I got started on this job and soon discovered that my old bones just can,t tolerate laying on the shop floor for any extended period of time.(arthritis and that sort of stuff) I was fortunate enough to have a friend who had an auto rotisserie that he would lend and let me tell you..what a Godsend! This tool made a cra..y job a pleasure to do and as you can well imagine , the quality of the repair/refurbish was great compared to what I could have accomplished laying on my back. You,ve got a great looking car there,take the time to do it right....

 

[bowtie_nut]

My 57 needs all new braces and some patching on the floor, and I prices all the pieces to do the repair and the price was hundreds of dollars more than the new floor at restoration world. Right now they have a new floor with ALL the braces and inner rockers welded into place for 829.00. That is the route that I am going to go.

 

[MISURACO]

My 57 needs all new braces and some patching on the floor, and I prices all the pieces to do the repair and the price was hundreds of dollars more than the new floor at restoration world. Right now they have a new floor with ALL the braces and inner rockers welded into place for 829.00. That is the route that I am going to go.

:tu:tu

 

[Nifty150]

Progress

Well one week was not even enough for one side. Several suggested one week was not enough. Getting old rusty stuff out was more work than anticipated. Metal prep and pannel allignment took longer that I thought also. I feel good about what my dad and I got done. It was nice to work on the car again with my father, like we did 25 years ago on the same car.

See next post for pictures.

 

[Nifty150]

Pics

Maybe this will work.

 

[NickP]

can't see pics, but just working with ur dad says it all. Enjoy

 

[56 shoebox]

GOOD JOB PIDDLER JUST TAKE YOUR TIME AND A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME

 

[tjsdelivery]

Gives you a good idea now what it will take to finish the job. Good progress though.

 

[pistoncan]

Good job, I blew up the pictures so I could see them clearly. I like how you patched the floor Keep the patches as small as possible. From the look of it, you didn't need to replace the entire front floor pan. Everything takes me twice as long as I figure too.
Gary