Since everyone's talking about floorboards...long question!

[38Chevy4door]

I've seen the many floorboard discussions, but, I still don't know which is the best route for me...

The body is on the frame with the glass in it, everything else (trunk, doors, front clip) are off. I've reinforced the body with thin galvanized tubing, but not enough...I'll do more. I've cut out the trunk, and I've cut out and replaced the rear seat area. I've cut out and replaced the tunnel with a raised one, but I hate the result.

The rockers and the rest of the floor is eat slap up...I need to replace the whole floor, including the rockers...plan is 16 gauge with beads over 3/4" square tubing.

So, what do I do? I've seen mentioned replace the rockers first...how do I ensure door alignment then? Reinforce with the round tubing through the cabin? If I put the doors on and weld, how do I get to the rockers? Do I do the steel tubing subfloor just to a point that it reaches the frame, then pull the doors back off and attach the rockers to that?

My brain comes up with many questions, it comes up with no answers...

If anybody wants to put up enough information, instructions and pictures that this qualifies for tech-o-matic, that'll be just about how much help I need!

Thanks,
Steve

[Boones]

Steve, My brain gets the same way and I do not even drink Mountain Dew... From watching people I say you do the rockers first. You will probably want to keep the existing floor in it until the rockers are done. Watching FlamedAbone, he tacked welded in a bar across the door opening and then across the car from door to door to ensure stiffness.

here is a pic where you can see the bracing

[HOTRODPRIMER]

I posted a bunch of pictures last week about the floors in my wagon,,,,,,,they were RUSTY,,,,,,,try to use 18 gauge ,,,its easier to roll beads.

Do replace the floors first!.....then the rockers

measure,,,,then measure again...brace everything then replace the rockers,,,,,,,and do like me.....hope the doors fit....the passanger door does............haven't worked on the drivers side yet!

Check out the past couple of post I did on floors ..It might help..HOTRODPRIMER

[HOTRODPRIMER]

Ain't that like a bunch of gear heads ,,,,we can't agree on anything ,,,,two replys and two different opinions!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gifHRP

[38Chevy4door]

Thanks for the information, guys! Between this, and some searching, I've got a couple routes I can try...

Steve

[Tinbender]

This is how I do them.

I start with the doors hung and fit. I cannot over stress fit. FIT UP IS EVERYTHING! Then I brace the body. How much depends on how much structure I'm removing, and replaceing. I use 1"square tube. Size and wall thickness depends on the situation. Over kill is good. If I'm doing a full floor and rockers I make an X from the bottoms of one A pilar to the tops of the other. Another across the B pilars (from the bottom of the right to the top of the left, and visa versa) I also build at least one X, usally 2 conecting the two X's. So I end up with 2 X's across the body, and 2 length ways. If removing inner and outer rockers I add more. Again, nothing wrong with overkill(I usally do all of the work at one time, but you can do rockers and floors seperatly) As much as possible I use existing holes in the body, or weld in washers and tabs, so that the braces are removable, one at a time for clearance when working, or placeing parts. This sounds like a lot of work, but in the long run will save work and headaches through the rest of the job.

Once the car is well braced and supported you can remove all the rusted parts. Once everything is cut out I'll touch up any blasting that needs to be done(Even sent a few back to the blaster at this point)

The next step is to fab up all the pieces. I generally will build or buy all the parts and mock up everything before welding, it just depends on the job. For mock up I use clamps, clecos, and zip screws(zip screws are self drilling screws, with 1/4" hex heads)

As much as possible I leave the doors on throughout the repair. I check and recheck fit many times. Once everything is in place, and I'm happy with the fit, I dissasemble all the parts and prep them for final assembly. For lap joints, I like to use MIG plug welds at 1&1/2" pitch(spaceing) I use weld thru primer on all bare metal mateing surfaces, but nowhere else(only where the metal laps over other metal)

Once all the parts are preped (cleaned, drilled for plug welding and primed as needeed) I start the reassembly. I weld in what ever braceing, or other parts that are covered by other parts, then clamp and screw in the rest. I move around while welding to some extent, but a well braced car doesn't move much. Again, I check fit often, so that if a problem starts to develope, I can correct it as I go. The doors only come off when I have to remove them for access to a weld. As much as possible, I save those areas for last.

When finished I clean up the welds, keeping the grinding to a minimum. (I leave the weldment, if it's not visable) I prime with epoxy, and seam seal all joints with two part seam sealer. Most of the time I coat floors with spray-in bed liner. I like Morton brand. It seals them and reduces road noise. Long answer http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[Tinbender]

Here's a pic of my 33 that shows the braceing. This was done for the chop, but it will work for floors too

[Boones]

Primer, Since i have not done this job yet I was only relaying what I have seen so you may be correct.

I agree that you can not overbrace the area

[tokyo]

Tinbender...THANK YOU...GOD i feel better now, knowing what i need to do on my floor, to do it right!. later,
tok

[fatluckys]

Thanks Tinbender!!

[plmczy]

I was just thinking about this and was going to post a question about it. What about if you have a tudor sedan and the floor is completely gone. I remember seeing a post that had a pic of a framework for a floor. Is this necessary if your floor is gone? I think this post should be saved for the tech forum. Oh yeah PLEASE!!!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif. later plmczy

[38Chevy4door]

WOW!!! Tinbender, I appreciate it...a long answer is just what I needed...it has the details, so I can just print it out and do it...or at least attempt it!

I think this would be a good one for Tech-o-matic! (If that happens, I'll post a link to the misc. floorboard posts that turned up in the search...)

Again, thanks to everybody for help on it!
Steve

[Tinbender]

Plmczy, The more structure you have to deal with, the more braceing you need to do. As far as frame work for the floor, I use 1"sq. tube most of the time & 18 ga for the floor. 18 ga beads and brakes easily with lighter tools.You can attach the flooring to the frame work with plug welds, or screws work fine too. If you weld then use weld thru primer. If you use screws run a bead of seam sealer, or metal adhesive on the frame work first(I like Duramix, and Fusor brands) on the tube frame work. Does that answer your question?

38 chev, go for it,floors are not hard, just a little overwhelming the first time you see your car with a huge hole where the floor usta be! Glad I could help, I've gained far more information on this board than I can ever give back! let me know if you get stuck, I'll do my best to answer any more questions.

[laverda]

Great info TinBender!

I am not sure I understand the use of weld through primer (I did not know it even existed) http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Is the idea to prime the tube structure and floor material, then weld it up ... the primer stopping any rust? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I would have thought that after the floor is all done I could coat the top/bottom in some kinda sealer (rust proof paint, duraliner, etc) Thanks again.

this board rox http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

later,
papa al

[Tinbender]

Weld thru is a high zinc primer for areas where two pieces of bare steel lap together. Once welded you can't get to these areas, so the zinc helps stop rust. It has rather poor adheasion, so you don't want to use it anywhere else. Use it lightly, too heavy and it will cause spatter and porosity in the weld. It comes in bomb cans and brush on. I like the brush on type. After welding wipe off any of it that is outiside of the joint with laq. thinner, then prime as you normally would, then seam seal.

[laverda]

[ QUOTE ]
Weld thru is a high zinc primer

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh ho ... I had to ask http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Isn't the toxic quality of galvanized metal have to do with the zinc content/coating? I will be welding everything myself with an OA setup and want to keep the toxic fumes to a minimum.

Thanks again.
papa al

[Tinbender]

The zinc is really not an issue, as long as you have some ventilation / air movement. O/A will work, but I'd use a MIG for floors if you can. Weld thru is more for MIG welding. With O/A your heat effected zone is much bigger and the weld thru will be burnt away to the point that you'll lose most of it anyway.

[plmczy]

Oh yeah, that covers it. Thanks for the info. later plmczy

[laverda]

Thanks Tinbender. I had to make a decision a ways back to go OA or MIG, I could only choose one. My argument at the time was the OA setup had a wider range of uses. I had hoped to build the car using the one setup ... we shall see http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Much appreciate the advice.

Later,
papa al

[TP]

That's why my doors never fit. Tinbender thats what I needed also. Thanks TP