[Kyle Rittenhouse]

I purchased a rusty 55 abandoned gasser project a few months ago. It had the two floor halves installed very badly done with no braces no inner rockers and rotted but still barely intact outer rockers holding on. It came with all new braces and inner and outer rockers in the trunk that I'm trying to come up with a game plan to install. I've removed the floor halves because when the braces were in they were obviously not going to line up properly with the frame mounts. I'm thinking I'll replace the outer rockers then install the inner and braces then fit the floor halves. Does this sound like a good plan? I've installed floor halves in cars in the past that had good original bracing still intact and it went well that's why I'm thinks this will work thoughts.

 

[Carson Blocks]

Have you looked in to the complete floors that have all braces etc. already installed?

 

[Kyle Rittenhouse]

Have you looked in to the complete floors that have all braces etc. already installed?

Ya I know about those one piece floors. The parts were part of the purchase I intend on using them it would be a waist not to. Plus I'd rather spend that money on things I don't already have when the time comes.

 

[Granpa49!!]

If your A and B pillars are in good shape you should be able to set your outer rockers pretty well. If your doors are fitting well you will want to brace the door openings before cutting out the outer rockers (search this site for details). Once you do that you can build from there. I assume the two piece floors are already welded to the inner qtrs and the firewall up front. I am not familiar with the two piece floors but I assume they have some sort of alignment points where they meet down the center. Check to see if they were mated up properly. If not, the overall width of the floor might be off.

Once you have the new outer rockers in place, attach the inner rockers with sheet metal screws along the lower flange of the outer rocker and the bottom weld flange of the outer quarter (assuming two doors) about every two feet. Next attach the upper flange of the inner rockers with sheet metal screws to the floor in the channels that run up and down each side of the floor. Next wedge the supports in place and attach them to the floor with sheet metal screws. You will find a few, not many, but a few alignment features that will let you know you have the parts aligned correctly. Once you are satisfied with the fit you can go back and do your welding. Good luck.

 

[Kyle Rittenhouse]

If your A and B pillars are in good shape you should be able to set your outer rockers pretty well. If your doors are fitting well you will want to brace the door openings before cutting out the outer rockers (search this site for details). Once you do that you can build from there. I assume the two piece floors are already welded to the inner qtrs and the firewall up front. I am not familiar with the two piece floors but I assume they have some sort of alignment points where they meet down the center. Check to see if they were mated up properly. If not, the overall width of the floor might be off.

Once you have the new outer rockers in place, attach the inner rockers with sheet metal screws along the lower flange of the outer rocker and the bottom weld flange of the outer quarter (assuming two doors) about every two feet. Next attach the upper flange of the inner rockers with sheet metal screws to the floor in the channels that run up and down each side of the floor. Next wedge the supports in place and attach them to the floor with sheet metal screws. You will find a few, not many, but a few alignment features that will let you know you have the parts aligned correctly. Once you are satisfied with the fit you can go back and do your welding. Good luck.

I had to remove the already installed floor halves. They were installed really bad and it was really easy to remove them. The welds looked like an arc welder was used just big globs of metal barely holding the metal together. The entire front seem had probably 5 welds the entire length and the passenger side along the door had no welds. The long braces would not fit the floor properly and line up with the frame mounts. It's a mess I have to undo before I can go forward. I'm in the thinking the important thing is the rockers and braces first.

 

[Granpa49!!]

One step at a time. Sounds like you have it in hand.

 

[Kyle Rittenhouse]

One step at a time. Sounds like you have it in hand.

Not quite in hand I wish it was. I got the floors out and I'm looking at how the forward braces next to the firewall line up and one side is close to the mount hole and lining up with where the inner will come somewhat close to but the other side is way off. Gotta do some measurements almost seems like the car is a little too far back sitting on the frame. But I'm not sure how accurate these aftermarket parts are either.

 

[Granpa49!!]

If you get the floor aligned correctly with the body everything willl be aligned correctly with the frame. There is an alignment hole in the rearmost floor brace, driver's side, that aligns with a hole in the floor.

There is a similar alignment hole in both of the front braces (short pieces near base of firewall).

There is a drain hole in the inner rocker (both sides near the rear) that aligns with a drain in the qtr panel.

The rear weld flange on the inner rockers fits against the fender well.

The center full length floor brace is contoured so much that it will only fit one way. And of course, the humps in the full length braces align with the center of the tunnel. If your pillars are in good shape you dodged a bullet. There are a couple of dog-legged corner braces that go up front on top of the floor. I recommend waiting until the rest of the floor is finished and you have the body back on the frame before welding in those braces. They stiffen things considerably and if they are welded in wrong you'll have a heck of a time doing anything about it.

 

[Kyle Rittenhouse]

If you get the floor aligned correctly with the body everything willl be aligned correctly with the frame. There is an alignment hole in the rearmost floor brace, driver's side, that aligns with a hole in the floor.
View attachment 363086
There is a similar alignment hole in both of the front braces (short pieces near base of firewall).
View attachment 363087
There is a drain hole in the inner rocker (both sides near the rear) that aligns with a drain in the qtr panel.
View attachment 363088
The rear weld flange on the inner rockers fits against the fender well.
View attachment 363096
The center full length floor brace is contoured so much that it will only fit one way. And of course, the humps in the full length braces align with the center of the tunnel. If your pillars are in good shape you dodged a bullet. There are a couple of dog-legged corner braces that go up front on top of the floor. I recommend waiting until the rest of the floor is finished and you have the body back on the frame before welding in those braces. They stiffen things considerably and if they are welded in wrong you'll have a heck of a time doing anything about it.

The rockers are the big problem now I'm thinking. They've been patched mudded and reinforced with angle iron over the years. I need to get all that out and start with new steel. The driver side was most out of wack even the body mount under the rear seat wasn't lining up with the hole in the new floor so nothin on that side would line up. The lower A pillars at the rockers are rough I'm hoping to fab that up to have something to weld the new rockers to and build from that. I couldn't get the braces to line up with the frame mounts while they were lined up with where the floor was . It's a mess luckily the floors we're easy to remove not welded in really well. So far measurements I've taken look good from what's left that's original. The frame seems correct from what I can tell has a gasser subframe installed with speedway axle kit can't cheak everything.

 

[Granpa49!!]

brace the door openings before you cut out the rockers.

 

[Granpa49!!]

People buy one piece floors with the floor supports already welded in. Since you have all of the parts, perhaps you can make your own one piece floor? You may be able to use it as your alignment standard, fitting everything to the floor. If you do weld up a one piece floor you could certainly fit it to the frame to make sure everything fits. The body is really quite flexible. You could fit the body to the floor instead of fitting the floor to the body. That way I think you could wait until last to weld in the outer rockers.

 

[Kyle Rittenhouse]

People buy one piece floors with the floor supports already welded in. Since you have all of the parts, perhaps you can make your own one piece floor? You may be able to use it as your alignment standard, fitting everything to the floor. If you do weld up a one piece floor you could certainly fit it to the frame to make sure everything fits. The body is really quite flexible. You could fit the body to the floor instead of fitting the floor to the body. That way I think you could wait until last to weld in the outer rockers.

That was my first thought but I'm not sure I can pull it off I'm sure when they put those one piece floors together they have a jig. It's still a thought and would be great if I can get it right.

 

[Granpa49!!]

Play around with the pieces. I know you can get the width right over the two rear floor supports and the inner rocker weld flanges that turn down on each side are parallel from front to back. I suggested putting it together with sheet metal screws. You can always take it back apart if you have to. I am sure you know about punching weld holes along the edges of the parts so you can simulate spot welds. You could put the pieces together with sheet metal screws first until you are satisfied with the fit, then take it back apart and punch the spot weld holes. The over all width of the inner rockers in my car is 64 5/16". Perhaps a couple of other guys can check their cars and confirm that.

 

[Granpa49!!]

I am not familiar with the two piece floor. Did they give you divots or line up details for matching the two pieces? Shame on them if they didn't!! Do they have the line-up holes shown in the photos above?

 

[Kyle Rittenhouse]

I am not familiar with the two piece floor. Did they give you divots or line up details for matching the two pieces? Shame on them if they didn't!! Do they have the line-up holes shown in the photos above?

No line up marks on the floor halves I've noticed but I did have to do some cutting around welds to get them apart. They can only fit together one way with how the floor is designed. The width is the only thing you can play with where they overlap probably half inch wiggle room. They do have the holes to line up the forward most braces. The long braces have a sweet spot they line up with they seem to sit flush the best no line up holes.

 

[Granpa49!!]

Are you inner quarters intact? You can measure across at the weld flanges that turn up to know how wide the floor needs to be between the quarters. Is your car a two door?

 

[Kyle Rittenhouse]

Are you inner quarters intact? You can measure across at the weld flanges that turn up to know how wide the floor needs to be between the quarters. Is your car a two door?

2 door coupe. The inner quarter below the rear side glass has no edge left to measure. All that's left is the toe boards that need repair and the trunk section where the shocks mount. I installed a rear brace with 10in trunk section just temporary so it can sit on mounts while the floors are removed.

 

[Granpa49!!]

That makes it tough. This might help. My car is a two door sedan. I don't know if there are any differences. I can get a pretty good measurement at the rear but not at the front. However, I believe it would be the same in both places. Don't quote me on that. I can't get a good measurement because the driveline tunnel is in the way. I'll work on coming up with a way to do that.
Ignoring the gaps between the weld flanges in my drawing the overall width of the floor would be 62 3/4".

 

[Granpa49!!]

It would be great if someone who had a one piece floor could check the overall width front and back.

 

[Kyle Rittenhouse]

That makes it tough. This might help. My car is a two door sedan. I don't know if there are any differences. I can get a pretty good measurement at the rear but not at the front. However, I believe it would be the same in both places. Don't quote me on that. I can't get a good measurement because the driveline tunnel is in the way. I'll work on coming up with a way to do that.
Ignoring the gaps between the weld flanges in my drawing the overall width of the floor would be 62 3/4".
View attachment 363133

Thanks. Screenshot taken for future reference.