Floor Pan Replacement - GM A-body

[twertsy]

First, I'm by no means a pro. I purchased a very rough '70 GTO as my "guinea pig" project for a first time complete frame off resto. I'm touring the car so I'm not concerned with originality. It needs the entire floor pan, including trunk. My question deals with maintaining the integrity of the vehicle while doing this. They sell a complete floor pan (minus trunk) complete with crossmembers/floor supports. However, the car is on a rotisserie and I'm concerned with stressing the remainder of the vehicle. Do I need to do some bracing before cutting out the existing floor pan/braces? Should I take it off the rotisserie and perhaps do this while on the lift.....or body cart? Or, should I not purchase the complete floor pan and replace each section individually? To complicate it further, I'm also replacing the rockers. http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2013/04/full-13224-4315-onroti.jpg

[BLACKLS5]

I can't be of much help other than leading you to thread on Team Chevelle in the "Restoration Corner" section entitled "1970 Convertible Restoration". Tom shows details throughout his restoration including replacing floors, trunk, rockers and just about everything else on the car.

[twertsy]

Cool.....thanx much!

[RPOLS3]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BLACKLS5</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I can't be of much help other than leading you to thread on Team Chevelle in the &quot;Restoration Corner&quot; section entitled &quot;1970 Convertible Restoration&quot;. Tom shows details throughout his restoration including replacing floors, trunk, rockers and just about everything else on the car. </div></div>

Click here for the link to 1970 Convertible Restoration (http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=352656&amp;highlight=)

Jake

[Xplantdad]

Tom is a member here as well! Click Here for his contact info (http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/users/1773/BlueSS454)

[twertsy]

Wow.....and I thought the Goat was rusted. Not nearly as bad as that one. My floor is quite a bit better, but still needs replacing, and my trunk pan is gone. My issue is it appears he kept it on the frame (for the most part) while doing these repairs. My frame is off to blast/powder currently. I'm assuming I shouldn't attempt any of this while on the rotisserie.

[Schonyenko2]

Without seeing the floor or trunk area it's hard to make an acessment of what it needs. My 2 cent advise though is if you're doing a full floor replacement it should be sitting on the frame with the frame mts in the correct location. Without that, you won't know if the pan is going to line up with the frame for sure. I think you'll want to put the bolts in as you go and pull them to torque specs too as on an A body, that can effect your gaps.
The AMK full floor is very nice, but correct placement in relation to the frame mts is a must. JMHO

[twertsy]

Ask and you shall receive:

Whole Floor
http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2013/04/full-13224-4325-whole_floor.jpg
Rear Floor
http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2013/04/full-13224-4326-rear_floor.jpg
Passenger Floor
http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2013/04/full-13224-4327-pass_floor.jpg
Driver Floor
http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2013/04/full-13224-4328-driverfloor.jpg

[twertsy]

One more thing; Should I have it blasted before repairing or after?

[MosportGreen66]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: twertsy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">One more thing; Should I have it blasted before repairing or after? </div></div>

Oh of course!

[BARRY]

SAND BLAST FIRST

[Schonyenko2]

A couple of thoughts. One is that you pretty much only sand blast the bottom, and frame parts.

Second, is that if you can see that you are going to need to replace a major panel, ie: a qtr panel, there's not much use in having it blasted with anything as you're going to cut it off anyway. If it's a question about the extent of the damage, that can go either way, but if the floor pan looks like this GTO, or as you can see on the picture, the rt qtr looks like it either had damage at the base of the sail panel, or what I expect is a replacement qtr cut in low as was common at many body shops back in the day, you're spending money on blasting a piece that's probably going to be laying on the shop floor.Saving money on a resto is a good thing. I suggest you blast only what you're going to save. JMHO

[twertsy]

Not at the shop but here are a couple more pics of quarters off my ipad

http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2013/04/full-13224-4352-image.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2013/04/full-13224-4353-image.jpg

And here's one from inside the trunk......might need trunk pan too.

http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2013/04/full-13224-4354-image.jpg
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

[Pulnaway]

You said you were going to do it ProTouring style? What are the plans for suspension?

[twertsy]

I installed the entire RideTech A-Body setup.

[twertsy]

I'm resurrecting this thread for another piece of advice. I've gotten plenty (all conflicting) from locals but thought I'd pose the question here. I've gotten the inners/outers in, and the trunk floor pan (complete). Now, as discussed earlier, I'm going with the complete floor pan, including rockers already in place. I'm also replacing full quarters. I've cut out and repaired all the rust from the floor mounting points.

My question is quarters first or floor pan first? Seems logical to me that the quarters would go on first to ensure stability?

[twertsy]

Ok, prepping for floor replacement. I have a new complete floor pan, all one piece including the rockers.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/12/full-13224-19380-full_floor.jpg

I built a fully adjustable bracing system which (fingers crossed) I'm hoping will keep everything in place.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/12/full-13224-19381-bracing_system.jpg

The plan is to separate the old floor, raise the entire body via the trolly/hoist system, get the body cart out of the way, wheel the chassis / floor pan under and lower the body back down. Tack in the new floor and line up all body/frame mounting points, hang the doors temporarily, confirm measurements and align seams and proceed with new quarters.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/12/full-13224-19382-full_setup.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/12/full-13224-19383-rearview.jpg

I've gotta say, having never done this I'm scared as hell she's going to fold on me. I'd use the lift but removing the rockers means there's absolutely nowhere to put the arms. The body is going to have to hang for a little bit while I repair a couple body-to-floor mounting points that I can't get to when they're together. Looking at the setup, do you guys see any &quot;glaring&quot; gotchas?

Very much appreciate the feedback!

[Bill Pritchard]

I can't comment intelligently on your preparations, but you might want to look at Rick Pauley's thread about his 69 Chevelle that he is doing much of the same work to. It's a lengthy thread, but the last several pages are directly related to the work you are doing....

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthrea...elux#Post517403 (http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/517403/black-l78-1969-ss396-300-delux#Post517403)

[twertsy]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bill Pritchard</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I can't comment intelligently on your preparations, but you might want to look at Rick Pauley's thread about his 69 Chevelle that he is doing much of the same work to. It's a lengthy thread, but the last several pages are directly related to the work you are doing....

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthrea...elux#Post517403 (http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/517403/black-l78-1969-ss396-300-delux#Post517403) </div></div>

Thanks for the link Bill, but there's one crucial factor that differentiates the 2 builds, and that's the rockers. Looks like he did the floor inside the original rockers or, he did the rockers separately. I'm attempting it all at one time.

[Canuck]

whose sheet metal are you using, Dynacorn or AMD?

[twertsy]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Canuck</div><div class="ubbcode-body">whose sheet metal are you using, Dynacorn or AMD? </div></div>

I get most of it from OPGI. I'm not sure where they source it? Maybe someone else knows?

[twertsy]

Well, she's out. Seem extremely sturdy with the bracing system. Got to patch a couple little floor mounting areas then get the new one back in there.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/12/full-13224-19472-floor_out1.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/12/full-13224-19473-floor_out2.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[twertsy]

So I'm finding out this whole restoration thing aint as easy as you and your peers make it look! Check out the new floor.

First, the fender mount bracket bottom tab doesn't slide down through the rocker like the old one did. Old rocker was spot welded through outer rocker, then tab, then inner rocker. Trim tab or cut spot welds in rocker and weld as original?

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/12/full-13224-19576-floor1.jpg

Second, it appears I have the same problem in the drivers rear. Tab (inner/outer wheel wells) that slides into rocker is too long and bottoming out inside the rocker. I'm going to trim that one.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/12/full-13224-19577-reardrvrfloor.jpg

I think the tunnel misalignment is from the front rocker problem and will see if it fixes with what you recommend from the first pic?

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/12/full-13224-19578-fronttunnelfloor.jpg

[ds1]

Looks like you are doing a good job. I is an SOB finding all the spot welds. I did a Mopar for a friend that had 12 spot welds on one side and almost 30 on the opposite side. This part is time consuming