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Tech! Floor patches without special tools! Added more!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Da Tinman, Jan 11, 2010.

  1. Da Tinman
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 4,222

    Da Tinman
    Member

    OKey Dokey,, The wife and I have been working on her falcon,,, seen here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=432137

    Editteddd: More pics and tips..

    As it is typical Ill-annoys car the floors were shot. I tried to get her some patches before xmas but that fell thru so I decided to make them instead.

    About this time I was told by local expert that if it werent for my "shop full of special tools" I wouldnt know where to begin. (BTW I dont have a shop full of special tools.)

    I took it as a challenge and this is the result.

    Since the car is a unibody and the floors were shot all the way to seat brace I tacked a brace between the rockers and tacked the framerails to it. The brace also make a good shim holder too.

    [​IMG]

    As I dont ususally make patterns I didnt have proper pattern materials so I grabbed a newspaper and used it. Its a bit flimsy but it has some benefits as you can throw drop light under the area you are workin on and see the framerails and braces through the pattern.

    [​IMG]

    For the rounded corner I folded, wrinkled, pleated the paper and taped into place. At this point you can also mark the pattern for any folds or breaks that are needed, like where it rises to meet seat mount.

    (edit) Make sure you mark the flow of the brakes too. Instead of one brake in the corner sometimes it will fit better if you use 2 or 3 smaller brakes to get around the corner.

    Also mark the framerail and any braces on the pattern.

    [​IMG]

    In order to accuratly layout the patch the pattern needs to be flat so cut the gather/taped areas and layout the pattern on the sheeting. I cut the pattern in 3 places to get it flat, BUT when cutting the patch you should only cut one pie slice!!! (edit) The reason you leave the other 2 pie slices uncircumised is to give you an overlap to make clamping easier.


    [​IMG]

    I used 20 guage for the patches, I like it for floors it welds sorta ok and is plenty easy to work. With a decent welding job its very strong.

    After transfering the pattern to the sheet you should end up with something like this. Marking the location of braces and framerails is so that you know where to NOT bead the floor. The areas that are welded to braces etc dont need any stiffening, and beading these areas may make it a pain in the ass to get patch to lay flat.

    You should also avoid putting beads in the places where the floor is to be bent, these places are plenty strong and putting a bead acroos them will only make it harder to control the bend and the beads will end up flattened anywho.


    This is the point where I pull out my bead roller and have some fun, but since I cant use it,, part of the challenge ya know....

    I used a piece of 3/16" solid round stock bent in the middle to make the beads. Making sure to avoid the frame and brace areas tack the rod to the patch.

    [​IMG]

    Find a nice flat spot on the concrete and turn the patch so that the rod is on the bottom. Mark your start and stop points for the beads on the side you can see.

    [​IMG]

    Grab your favorite deadblow and have at it!!

    [​IMG]

    Cut the rod loose and flip it over and retack.


    [​IMG]

    set it back on floor and whack away again,, should end up with something like this:

    [​IMG]

    As an alternative to the round stock I tried this out too,,

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I did not prestretch nor did I spend a lot of time making nice whacks at it, so there are some hammer marks and some warping. I wasnt all that worried about appearence as its gonna get undercoated and painted on the bottom and carpeted on the top....

    You are now ready for the some bending, but how to know how much bend??? Easy, make another pattern. Take a piece of scrap and trim it so that one end matches the angle of the toeboard and framerails,

    [​IMG]

    cut the other end to match the rise onto the tunnel,,

    [​IMG]

    if you havent cut the pie for the corner get it done as we are ready to use the fancy new flintstone brake,,,

    [​IMG]

    When you bend the patch you can use the angle pattern to make sure you got the right bend.


    I welded the pie closed before welding the patch in so it would be easier to control the angle as the weld shrinks.

    [​IMG]

    (edit) When you are setting the angles off your new protractor its a lot easier to control the angles if the panels overlap, and dont worry about how to cut the overlap out for a tight fitting buttweld, I have a trick.

    The trick is to plan your overlaps before tacking, so that they corespond with your favorite snips. Mine are the reds on the pic. With a good pair of snips you can cut along the edge of one side using it as a guide. This gets you a VERY tight seam that only gets tighter as you weld. (try to get pic of how it works tomorrow.)

    [​IMG]

    Be sure to check you work against the angle patterns as you weld as it will move.

    If everything went according to plan,, it should drop right in!

    [​IMG]

    I was able to turn pattern over and reuse it for the drivers side.

    [​IMG]

    Total time for both patches,, 1 1/2 hour, cost,, 20 bucks.

    [​IMG]

    Both sides done and welded, not perfect mind you but plenty strong and lots better than this:

    [​IMG]

    Hope this helps!!!
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2010
  2. Rob Paul
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 1,272

    Rob Paul
    Member

  3. Topless Ford
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 560

    Topless Ford
    Member

    Simple and effective. Great job.
     
  4. NoSurf
    Joined: Jul 26, 2002
    Posts: 4,461

    NoSurf
    Member


  5. How did you get away with only spending $20??? A sheet like that up here costs $55.... Anywho, nicely done.. this woll definitely help me do my floors.
     
  6. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 3,811

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

    Good clean work and a small budget nice job !!
     
  7. Nice work...with little to no tools.

    I have the same sheet metal brake you do. ha ha!
     
  8. Thanks, I'm always looking for different ways to do sheetmetal work.
     
  9. Aaron51chevy
    Joined: Jan 9, 2005
    Posts: 1,986

    Aaron51chevy
    Member

    I love it, great tips, I really dig the low buck tech's the most. If I have all the expensive stuff, I probably would already know how to do it! This kind of tech anyone can do.
    And since I've got a Model A with no floors I now know how I'm going to put the beads in!
     
  10. Thank you for sharing-nice,simple and effective.
     
  11. low lead lady
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 16

    low lead lady
    Member

    Nice. Great post, thanks. I have a nice break on sheet metal and I like the bead trick. Might test it out this winter
     
  12. henry29
    Joined: Sep 5, 2007
    Posts: 2,873

    henry29
    Member

    What gauge sheet metal did you use?
     
  13. Hotrod1932
    Joined: Jan 20, 2007
    Posts: 227

    Hotrod1932
    Member
    from Oregon

    That's using your head. Good job. Thinking outside the box.
     
  14. Gigantor
    Joined: Jul 12, 2006
    Posts: 3,823

    Gigantor
    Member

    Sweet tech! Thanks for sharing.
     
  15. Zerk
    Joined: May 26, 2005
    Posts: 1,418

    Zerk
    Member

    You've really got me thinking with this post. It's great to give props to outstanding craftsmanship and polished show-quality work, but this is just as interesting to me, and a lot more doable. Nice going, and thanks!
     
  16. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    Excellent post! I just learned how to bead-roll at home today, well done!

    Man, I love Tech Week!
     
  17. Gahrajmahal
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 493

    Gahrajmahal
    Member

    I don't know if anybody still installs sunroofs anymore, but I got the cutouts for free from the shops installing them. That is what I make my patch panels from.
     
  18. Ruiner
    Joined: May 17, 2004
    Posts: 4,141

    Ruiner
    Member

    Jay, you absolutely ruled that challenge...it just proves that just because someone doesn't have $30k worth of fancy shop equipment, it doesn't mean their work has to look like shit or be flimsy...great job man...
     
  19. Deadbird
    Joined: Jul 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,181

    Deadbird
    Member

    Cool post. I've even got all those fancy tools. Let's see, newspaper, tape, pencil, deadblow hammer, c-clamps, concrete floor. Yep, got all that! Thanks Jay. Ya gotta love low tech over high dollar.
     
  20. 231ramona
    Joined: Feb 7, 2007
    Posts: 274

    231ramona
    Member

    Great Job! I had the same issue with my Falcon and made my own patches. I think yours are nicer. They are fun little cars.
     

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  21. belair
    Joined: Jul 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,013

    belair
    Member

    Anybody could do that, what with all those fancy tools you used! Really cool post, smart, not expensive.
     
  22. Nice job, effective solution.
     
  23. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

  24. Show off! In a good way.
     
  25. RalphyBoy161
    Joined: Sep 24, 2007
    Posts: 915

    RalphyBoy161
    Member

    Now thats using the Noodle...great Job Tinman
     
  26. 454_4_ON_THE_FLOOR
    Joined: Feb 15, 2009
    Posts: 179

    454_4_ON_THE_FLOOR
    Member
    from Selden, TX

    Very awesome, I'd like to try that out with my rusty old gmc. My floors not too bad, but its pretty rusty in a couple of places. Thanks for the how to pics
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2010
  27. violet springs
    Joined: Apr 2, 2006
    Posts: 389

    violet springs
    Member

    Great post, it shows want can be done with some very simple tools.
     
  28. Thats really well done. i dont have anything that needs a floor. now i want something thats rusty lol
     
  29. So do we know what gauge metal he used???
     
  30. Swiss50chevy
    Joined: Apr 30, 2009
    Posts: 561

    Swiss50chevy
    Member

    man that looks wicked. what gauge metal?
     

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