My floorpan project thread

[iangoround]

Everyone loves a good floor pan replacement thread, right? I've just started my project and took a few pictures. So far I've only pulled the front seats and carpet. It looks like the dash is going to have to come out as some of the rot extends up in to the wheel wells too. The passenger side is in much better shape (comparatively) than the driver side.

The rot stops at the front seat forward mounts on both sides, but I will probably have to remove that piece on the driver side to get to good metal to work with.

Sorry for the crappy picture quality. I had to take these with my cell phone because I forgot my digicam. oops.

[Nemesismachine]

yuck, how did you find this? peel back the carpet or did you buy it like that?

[minigts]

Move down south and you don't have to worry about stuff like that. We have banned rust from the South since 1883.

[MiniMopar]

That looks familiar. Luckily the rails were solid on mine. How are yours?

[iangoround]

yuck, how did you find this? peel back the carpet or did you buy it like that?

When I bought it, it wasn't quite as bad...but I didn't have the means to fix it at the time (2 years ago). Those two years included two summers and a winter of forced daily driving. It got really bad the last winter I had to drive it.


That looks familiar. Luckily the rails were solid on mine. How are yours?

The frame rails are nice and solid. The whole rest of the car from the front seat forward mounts back is nice and solid, if a little dirty. Its just the front floors where feet and water and crud and the e-brake cable are is all ugly.

[WVRampage]

Im sure in a few weeks it will look brand new again.

[rare_ram]

Soon you too can have a ride that looks like this.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/732000-732999/732054_252_full.jpg

[black86glhs]

Soon you too can have a ride that looks like this.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/732000-732999/732054_252_full.jpg
The rare Flintstone model! Mainly sold in 3rd world countries.:eyebrows:

[slasky]

here is what mine looked like
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/7/web/739000-739999/739259_14_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/7/web/739000-739999/739259_16_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/7/web/739000-739999/739259_15_full.jpg

[2.2turboscotty]

Soon you too can have a ride that looks like this.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/732000-732999/732054_252_full.jpg

we are still in the process of finishing this floor pan replacement and lucky for me that my Charger only needed to have a couple of pieces replaced instead of a complete floor pan like Robert's in this pic. every L-body i've seen around here also has to be reseam sealed at the cowl area because the water will run down the firewall inside and allow water to get inside again and cause more rust problems.

[iangoround]

Soon you too can have a ride that looks like this.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/732000-732999/732054_252_full.jpg

Yikes. I don't think I'll end up having to go that far. I hope not at least

I just ordered a bunch rust-related chemicals from Eastwood. If the weather holds out for the rest of the week I'll be able to pull my dash out and start cutting.

I really need to find a bigger garage. The one I'm renting at the moment is fine for storing the car and working over or under it, but its not wide enough to open the doors all the way so I have to roll it outside to do stuff like that. But at $100 a month including electric and a big honkin' air compressor, I'm not complaining too much yet.

[Speedeuphoria]

Yikes. I don't think I'll end up having to go that far. I hope not at least
From the pics I think you should go that far, or get another car. I had to replace the wheel wells on mine also and its was a pain trying to get the metal to bend right.

[WVRampage]

My rampage was almost as bad as some of those and I have to say Id do it all over again just to have the what I have now.

[Clay]

every L-body i've seen around here also has to be reseam sealed at the cowl area because the water will run down the firewall inside and allow water to get inside again and cause more rust problems.

Ok, where is this seam your talking about located? I want to make sure mine is in good shape, though I think I already resealed it when I welded in my new floors.

[moparman76_69]

Move down south and you don't have to worry about stuff like that. We have banned rust from the South since 1883.

I beg to differ, it might not be as bad but it still happens.

[MiniMopar]

Ok, where is this seam your talking about located? I want to make sure mine is in good shape, though I think I already resealed it when I welded in my new floors.

If you look inside your front fenders where the back of the fender meets the firewall and frame rail, you'll see a bunch of body caulk. The caulk cracks due to flexing in this area, crud gets in and rots the area out. Not that difficult to patch, really. I just cut out the rust and welded in a plate. It didn't need to be that wide, so getting it shaped was not difficult.

Outside:
http://www.knizefamily.net/russ/auto/daytona/fender-driver-outside.jpg

Inside:
http://www.knizefamily.net/russ/auto/daytona/fender-driver-inside.jpg

More:
http://www.knizefamily.net/russ/auto/daytona/history.html#2003-11-17

[MiniMopar]

Oh, and here is my Flintstone pic:

http://www.knizefamily.net/russ/auto/daytona/floorpan-driver-stripped.jpg

[rare_ram]

Here's my cross member.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/732000-732999/732054_248_full.jpg

[Turbo_Rampage]

Ok, where is this seam your talking about located? I want to make sure mine is in good shape, though I think I already resealed it when I welded in my new floors.

I'll answer the question for ya, :D

If you were to look directly above where the logic module is located, there is a seam where the upper cowl is pinch welded to the side piller and there is usually gobbs of seam sealer there from the factory (on both sides of the car) and usually they leaked from new or the seam sealer cracked over time, but everytime you wash your car or it rains, the water goes through the vent on the hood and then in the cowl area, which then makes it's way under the carpet... Hence why Chrysler wrapped the LM in a plastic bag, :lol:

My Rampage leaked in this area as well, but luckily it never rotted the floors out. Try dumping some water in the cowl area and see if there is a waterfall inside the car.

[iangoround]

Well, FedEx decided to try to deliver the stuff I bought from Eastwood before the receptionist was in at work to accept packages so my chemicals are sitting on the back of a truck somewhere between here and Henrietta until who knows when.

Monday I have to take the fiancee out for our 2 year anniversary, but hopefully Tuesday I'll be able to get the dash out and start cutting!

[butchsuppe]

Move down south and you don't have to worry about stuff like that. We have banned rust from the South since 1883.
Head west young man, whats rust ?:eyebrows:

[iangoround]

Rust free cars? Pshaw. Where is the challenge in that?

Work resumes Tuesday, weather permitting.

[iangoround]

Cut out the passenger side and started on the driver side today. Looks like rust has creeped in under the driver side seat member, I started removing it and ran out of time. D'oh.

Friday I'll finish up the driver side, clean everything up, prep stuff with the eastwood rust stuff and start cutting out patch panels.

[MiniMopar]

I had the same problem with mine. The driver's side had a bit of surface rust, so I opened the hold and dealt with it. The passenger side was pretty rotten under there, so I cut out just the center part as it was easy to bend up a new one.

[iangoround]

So, I haven't done anything with the car until today. There's a long story involving no electricity ,a cranky old redneck lady with no teeth, morons at U-Haul, and a huge rainstorm while towing my car with no floor that ends with me moving in to a new 300sq.ft shop on the other side of town.

I cut the driver side seat crossmember out entirely and cut another 4 inches back to get to some solid metal. There's a few pinholes in the stuff I left, if it doesn't open up a lot when I blast it, I'll holesaw it and patch it. Hopefully I'll be able to save the crossmember, but I may end up building something new. Doesn't really matter I suppose.

Also bought a set of tall jackstands to get the car up nice and high, and a MIG welder. Next is an air compressor and a sandblaster. More pictures soon for anyone that cares.

[rich tideswell]

Oooo progress pics are always the best. Ofcourse we want more!

[iangoround]

Got a whole bunch done today with the help of my friend Jenny. Removed the dash and heater/blower monster, wiring, and all the pedals except the gas. Found a whole bunch more rust up where the wheel wells meet the firewall, so that will be fun to deal with. I did start welding the new metal in to the passenger side however. Its not pretty, but it'll be covered up by carpet anyway.

I left the camera at the shop though, so nothing tonight. Well, I hope I left it at the shop and not on the back of the truck as I drove away...that would suck. Pics tomorrow if I can find the camera!

[iangoround]

New pictures of some of the ugliest welds in the world.

But, the passenger side floor is in and all coated with some Eastwood rust treatment stuff. Tomorrow is the driver side floor, and then if I can find a tool that is small enough to fit in there, I'll do the firewall/wheel wells.

After that, its the radiator support. Then I'll pull out all of the rest of the fuel and brake lines, and suspension. Soda blast and de-grease the whole car and then I should be able to FINALLY start body work.

[rich tideswell]

Got a whole bunch done today with the help of my friend Jenny.

ok, pics of her and the car....

[MiniMopar]

Nothin wrong with those welds. They're just floorpans. :p

[iangoround]

ok, pics of her and the car....

Jenny was all proud of pretending to be a big dirty man all day.

[rich tideswell]

lol. i thought you guys were working on l-body floors, not g-body floors

[iangoround]

Finished up the passenger side wheel well today, save a few pinholes in the welds, paint, and seam sealer. I didn't have anything small to get up in the corner where the firewall and wheel well meet the outer panel of the car, so that was a lot of fun.

Also got my 2M/70cm rig back from repair and installed in the Dakota. HOLY RFI BATMAN.

I think I left the camera in the truck, pictures tomorrow maybe.