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Full Floorpan or Both Sides?

6

67TXStang

Member
The entire driver side floorboard on my Mustang is rusted badly. Only the front on the passenger side is rusted. The tunnel is in perfect shape.

I have a welder but don't have much experience with it.

Should I replace both sides with the full length pieces or just replace the entire floorpan with the expensive one piece? While the full floorpan cost more, I think there would be less welding and grinding involved (especially since I'm very inexperienced at welding).

Any opinions/suggestions?
 
That's a tough decision. I'm currently doing full floors on my 66 coupe. In terms of the amount of welding, I don't think there'll be any more or less with either way. If you replace the full floors, you'll do A LOT more rosette welding. If you do the full pans, you'll do more butt or lap welding. The thought of the full pans appealed to me because of the amount of butt welds involved with doing each side separate. Also, at the time when I took the floors out, I didn't have the sheet metal cutter I have now, so I was more concerned that I couldn't cut it as straight.

I guess this doesn't help, but the point is that there are different benefits to each method and as long as you take your time and do the right prep work, I think you'll be happy with either result. I'm still working on the parts that adjoin the floors (toe boards, rear floor to trunk transition, etc).
 
I'm in the same situation, except I'll be replacing the rear floor pan as well. If you're rear pans are fine, check the area under the seat pans from underneath the car. If they're in good shape, order the front pans and call it done. No need to replace metal that is ok.
 
We are doing a one piece floor right now, and will be doing a full follow along on it. I have never done a section since they came out with the one piece. You will have a better looking job with the one piece. Rich.
 
"mustangstofear" said:
We are doing a one piece floor right now, and will be doing a full follow along on it. I have never done a section since they came out with the one piece. You will have a better looking job with the one piece. Rich.
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Concur.

Has the car been blasted? Chances are if you have rust in one pan, you really have rust in them all but may not see the pin holes or weak spots until it gets blasted.
 
If I had it to over again! I would have replaced the full length pieces, on mine would have been both sides! I also would have done a little more research to do the best possible repair. I look back and am just dissappointed! It's a tough job, do it correctly the first time! Use a mig welder with gas, not the flux type!!
IMG_5645.jpg
 
heres a few pics from my floor pan replacement. I was lucky enough to just need one side of my floor pan done. The floor plan was mostly fiber glass from the PO. Peeled it off in one big piece. and found the holes. Id probaly go with a full floor pan if you have that much rust.
 
"Daves69Coupe" said:
heres a few pics from my floor pan replacement. I was lucky enough to just need one side of my floor pan done. The floor plan was mostly fiber glass from the PO. Peeled it off in one big piece. and found the holes. Id probaly go with a full floor pan if you have that much rust.
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Nice work. Want to head over to CA with that welder? LoL
 
I've not blasted the car but I wish I had started with that step. I started with very little money and focused on getting the suspension, steering, and brakes all working. This led to me refinishing the entire engine bay. I'd turn to blasting now but I'm worried they would trash some of the work I've done.

When I purchased the car, the driver door regulator and passenger rear window regulator were broken. As a result, they were just left down and rain regularly got into the car. I've not found too much more rust on the car yet but I could be wrong.

At this point, I'm leaning towards the full pan. I can pick it up about an hour away so shipping is no concern.
 
"Daves69Coupe" said:
ive considered moving to Cali for better weather and the better racing options out there.
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Just put us down as references on the out of state moving to CA transfer application. LoL What? You all thought we just let anyone move in. LOL! YEAH WE DOOOO!
 
The one-piece full floor pan may be difficult to install for fastbacks and coupes...how do you get it in place? Via the windshield or up from underneath up and over the seat rails. Having the full floor pan out means that the car is held together very poorly---by the roof alone!
 
It goes in through the w/s and is a lot easier to me then welding in sections. With a coupe or fastback you don't have to worry it's not going anywhere as long as you level it off in 5 places. Rich.
 
I replaced the drivers and passenger side full floor pans on my 67 coupe. Expect to find more rust underneath. Check out my site where I replaced toeboards frame rails, torque boxes and pans, gives you an idea of what to expect.

When I started out I didn't know how to weld either, you'll learn along the way! I used a Miller MIG 135 and that thing is an animal. Just keeps going.Just put new pans in an 86 gt rust bucket I got, once you get the hang of it you are good to go.

Only cut out what you need to, use a sawzall to cut it out or you'll take forever with a 3" cutting wheel. Then trim your pieces with a metal nibbler to match and weld it in. You will need to pull the seat pans as they were not primed underneath at the factory and are likely rotted.

The key is to get to clean metal to weld to, make sure you clean off the paint along the seams.

Quick tip- you likely have outer rocker panels which are galvanized. Before trying to rosette/plug weld your plans in place be sure to grind off the zinc with a grinder where you will be welding. When you weld to galvanized metal the coating when heated releases a toxic gas.
 
I've about decided on the full floor. Before starting the project, I decided to install subframe connectors. I figure they will help everything stay in place while the floor is out. I purchased the Tin Man's and am working on them this weekend.
 
"67TXStang" said:
I've about decided on the full floor. Before starting the project, I decided to install subframe connectors. I figure they will help everything stay in place while the floor is out. I purchased the Tin Man's and am working on them this weekend.
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Great choice, just make sure and measure all the holes everywhere like the seat belt mounting holes.(I have heard that some holes are missing)
 
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