i'm aware of the knowledge on floor boards on this forum and i have scoured what i have, so don't jump me for it. i started working on my 57 buicks floor board today. i knew they were soft under the carpet, but i didn't know how soft... ripped out the seats and the crapet only to find the infamous midwest powdered floor board. for those of you out west, thats when you vacuum up 40% of your floor board with a shop vac. so, my gas pedal plate has rusted itself off, the back driver side has been cut out into a 2ftx2ft hole, the front by the toe board is soft and needs replaced, the sides by the door rails where the carpet tucks under is a holy mess. most or less this cars been bless by the Vatican, if you catch my drift. so, i could patch all this together and have it looking like a scare crow's face, or just by new boards. the trans tunnel is very nice. just everything to the sides of it. i have limited tools welder' grinder etc. and limited money, and i'm not into the whole resto mod thing so i'm just kind of going with what i know. but when would you guys says enough is too much and call in and order a new board? thank you, i'm sorry if this happens to be a redundant thread, i looked i swear it.
Sounds like you are there. Maybe as you gain skills you will be more comfortable with those type of repairs. As somebody once said a man has got to know his limitations. Mine don't extend all that far in a bunch of areas. I picked my current project car because I knew it would extend my skills but not so far that I get overwhelmed. But if you have a welder and work within your limits you can probably fix this. As long as it is safe when you are done with it the floor doesn't have to look perfect.
Hard to say without pictures, but I think you'll save yourself a lot of time and grief if you put new floors in. Do it once, do it right. You won't regret it.
It's not a unibody car so I wouldn't sweat it all that much. I'll put it this way, if you can make strong butt welds that penetrate properly, and you can shape patch panels into shape with ribs in them, then do it. Properly made patch panels can be just as strong as a repop floor pan and do the job just as well. If ya can't, then get repop floor pans or farm the job out to a pro.
if you take your time, use common sense, and in places where you're not sure use redundancy, you should be alright. use poster board and card board for templates. floors don't have to be perfect unless you plan on showing your car with mirrors underneath. there is a fine line between restoring and over-restoring.
yeah i agree. i know i can do the butt welds, i was 3 years into my journey mens card for sheet metal when i was laid off. i do lack a bead roller, but buddy owns a shop and he has one. i'm sure i could get him to give me a friends discount. it's a special, series 40, 4 door 302gmc. it's pretty rotten but not a 100% junk. the rest of the car is decent. i suppose just patching it in would be fine. i was just wondering what anyone else thought. when it stops raining i'll take some pictures of it. i cut out a 2x2ft chunk in the back, and i'm not in the business of making show cars. but i do want it safe, if i'm gonna drive my girl in it. i dont want her falling through the floor...though sometimes it sounds nice. ha
dont be a sissy! man up grab your hammers and some snips. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=435411
I read "floor boards" and thought you must have a wooden floor in your car. Then the "powdered floor board" confused me more. Lots of older cars had wooden floors, but not a '57 Buick surely.. lol
if the panel is too complicated or it's not cost effective to make them i buy new ones, but i have a lot of equipment to do it, make up your floor boards and take them to your friend to put the beads in. seam sealer, undercoat, and carpet will make it look perfect.
heres the pics i promised. though after looking at Da Tinman's thread on home made floor boards i kind of feel like a bitch...soo haha i'll take care of this. the road stock for making beads and shit is just smart..which makes me feel just dumb! haha but yeah, thank you for all the help, and telling at. i appreciate the fire lit under my ass and i'll make something work.
Since you're already the type of individual who's inclined to own a welder and a grinder, I don't see the need to shell-out any of the limited money on ready-made pieces... but that's just the impression I get. It sounds like you're committed to taking out the bad and putting in some good. How much harder do you think it's going to make the process if you add measuring & cutting from some sheet into the mix?
http://www.classicfabrication.com/ Front Toeboards $45.00 Front Floor Pans $65.00 Sides of Front Seat $35.00 Rear Floor Pans $65.00 Inner Rockers Panels $45.00 Outer Rocker Panels (2 door) $55.00 depends on how much you value your time at.
It's metal. Beat it, cut it, weld it, etc... Make it structurally sound. Don't worry about pretty....the guy you run over may care but no one else will!
If we put a $ value on every hour we spent on these things we wouldnt do it. Make the pieces, learn something on a part that virtually nobody is going to see. There will come a time when you wont be able to buy what you need and everyone will see it. Think of this as practice for that day. Take your time, relax, dont hold your breath for too long, stretch out every once in a while, and have fun.
thanks a lot guys, i'm gonna do some shopping tomarrow after work and start making this work for me. i appreciate the motivation, seeing as i'm limited on any help from my friends.
The Jalopy Journal
