Replacing floor pans

[Anonymous_User]

OK, I have a week off work the first week of July. I have been planning on using that week to replace the floorpans in my Z.

I have a complete floorpan cut out of another daytona that is 99% rust free with solid rockers and all. My tona is rusted out on both rockers and from the driver's feet back to the rear seat. The exhaust tunnel is about all that will stay. Frame rails are not rusted.

Now, I have noticed that the fit of the doors isn't quite right so I assume the car is actually sagging a bit. Being a T-top car without solid floors, I know there is a lot of flex.

My plan is to level the car up on stands, strip the interior, cut the old floor out and weld in the new. What I am wondering is how I will go about making sure the car is straight before welding in the new pans. I imagine once I get it up on stands I can weld in some bracing from the front door jambs to the rear about half way up and then a cross across from the drivers to the passengers side. This would just be temporary bracing until the pans are replaced.

While I have the pans out, would there be any benefit from installing some subframe connectors? Something that attaches the front frame rails to where the rear axle arms attach to the body.

I am already stocked up on .024 wire for the welder, a full tank of steel mix, some extra 20-gauge sheet just in case, and all the pneumatic tools you could dream of.

I've replaced quarter panels on other cars in the past, but never this much floorboard. Any and all advice welcome. My main concern is welding it all up and finding out the whole car is tweaked somehow.

[raccoon]

I know my post isn't going to help you at all, but it sounds like a true nightmare.

I wish you the best of luck saving it.

[mark]

when i redid my floors in my SC they were pretty bad... I can PM you pics if you want. I was in the same boat as you. I needed metal and stuff. I did everything with the car on all 4 wheels to keep it as straight as possible.

for metal I used old computer cases, they worked perfect! Then I slathered on POR15 and used the fibreglass mat and it came out really good...

[Clay]

Typically what Ive done in the past is "level" the car while sitting on the ground. This is where it will be when its driven, so thats where I level it and weld in the bracing. It can be harder to do with the car on stands in the air.

You can jack the car level with a floor jack, then while everything is straight, weld in your door bracing. and at least one brace across the body of the car. (ie between the doors).

On a side note Ive only done this on cars with the doors out. I find that if the door sags, its probably more in the hinge than in the body. Lift up on the door while its open to see if there is any play. That should tell you if there is a loose hinge. They should be pretty tight. Then what sucks if its a hinge problem on these cars is the repair. You just cant unbolt the hinge and rebuild it on a table.

[MiniMopar]

Having done the same thing to my Daytona, I can relate the following:

If you are going to set it on jack stands, support the vehicle by the control arms and rear axle. To check for frame sag, measure the distance to the floor from the front and the back of the frame rails and the rockers before cutting anything out. That should give to an idea of where things currently are. If both sides are not the same, then you know something is out of place. Also check the rockers for bowing with a long level.

Check for fatigue around the spot welds where the frame rails go up the firewall. This seems to be a high stress point. I welded them back together from the outside. Also look for cracks where the tunnel meets the firewall.

[WickedShelby88]

Just buy mine My doors line up great and that with having jacked the car up all sorts of ways. The 87 and ups are alot stiffer for some reason. Okay I'm not much help.. Trying though,

[Anonymous_User]

Clay and Mini, good advice!

I have ZERO play in the hinge pins, yet the doors do not line up very good. I adjusted the driver's door so it opens and closes nicely right after I started driving the car. Judging by how the gaps are to make the door work properly and by how the passenger door looks, I'd say its sagging for sure.

I'll be sure to support the car as if it were on its wheels and make sure I'm on a clean part of the garage so I can measure and make chalk notes right on the concrete.

Wicked - I've still got your car on my list. Honestly hoping to pick up the GLHT, but if I can never get a hold of the owner.....

And yes, my '88 Shelby Z was much stiffer than the '86 that I have now. But, with the '89 CS suspension and brakes, new floor pans, front and rear tower braces, and possibly tieing the subframes, this one should be plenty stiff!

[supercrackerbox]

You might want to take it to a frame shop afterwards and have it checked. Even without rusting out, 20+ years can tweak the unibody a suprising amount. They can make sure it's straight, and then a good suspension alignment will make the car drive like new.

[looneytuner]

Maybe you and your bor should do a 2 fer down here in Maryland Heights Mo.
St. Louis
I have an 88 Daytona and 2 87 GTS's, and 89 TC, 86 GTS which is spoken for, and an 87 SL which is not for sale.

the Daytona is for sale. I would have to think about the 87 GTS's since one has the A&A gfx and the other is full power. Let me know if it interest you.