[syncro buddy]

Hey guys, haven,t posted in a while been too busy cuting rust out and replaceing metal on my 57 hdtp. Ive worked my way down both sides including some floor patches and Im looking at that nasty area behind the trunk tail pan and the trunk floor. The tail pan is in great shape however the left dog leg and about 18 inchs of the tail pan brace and floor starting behind the left tail light and extending toward the center of the car is nearly gone. When i removed the undercoating on the rest of floor and brace was like new. My question is is it possible to replace the last few inches of the floor pan and the tail pan brace as well as the left inner dogleg without removeing the tailpan. I was also wondering if there was ever a thread on this procedure. thanks a bunch SB

 

[3 Tri-Fives]

The floor is spot welded to the tail pan. I think you could probably do it or else just cut the tail pan on each side towards the edge of the trunk opening, seperate it from the trunk floor and weld it back in later. Good luck!

 

[Rick_L]

That's what I had to do with mine. The tail pan was good except for one easily repairable pinhole. I cut all the spot welds, melted the lead out of the pan to dogleg joints and separated those. Then I went back to together in this order: trunk floor, tailpan brace, the tailpan and doglegs. I used sheet metal screws to hold everything together where the spot welds once were, and didn't do any of that welding until everything was in place. Then I started welding by removing a few widely separated screws at a time, then coming back and welding halfway between the first welds, etc.

 

[syncro buddy]

tail pan/brace replacement

thanks for the imfo. based on your experience i think Ill wack the tail pan and after everythings positioned then reweld the tail pain in place. Thanks a mil guys. As soon as I figure out how to post some pics Ill git her done.