Floor Pans

Sure. Cutting the floor out and grinding all the spot welds down is actually most the work. Make sure you make careful measurements as to where the holes are before you start cutting. The new floors fit, but some holes seem to be 'off' by a little on the aftermarket pans so make sure your holes align. I used a piece of piece of plywood to lay over the pan (and index it to some marks on the tunnel so you can find it again) and carefully marked all the holes. When you lay the new pan on, this can help you figure out where the holes should be.

Providing you've taken the old pan out, ground all the spot welds and straigthened the lips, etc I'd say one to two hours to weld them back in is fair.

Remco

What's the cheapest best tool for cutting out the Floor pan?

This site has a very good explanation:

If you have a sawsall (demolition saw), you could use it - you don't need it, but it would go quicker. At least get a cheap Lowes grinder ($30) with a couple of cutoff disks. You'll also need some locking pliers, a big chisel or large screwdriver and hammer. A good set of channellock cutting pliers are also helpful (those you might use to pull nails with). Don't forget gloves, fully enclosed goggles and a face shield and go to town:

First cut off the perimeter or the pan, along the lip of the tunnel and cross braces but don't cut into these lips. When you get to the seat tracks, just cut them off first so you can get a tool near the tunnel's lip (you'll see what I mean). Then work the leftover edge that is welded to that lip with the locking pliers and/or the cutting pliers. The cutting pliers are handy, not so much for cutting, but they are great to pull the leftover pan's edge with - you can often just pull it over itself and the weld will break or the metal will tear over the weld. Then grind the welds all down flush and you're good to go to install the new pans.

It is hard work but certainly not difficult.

Remco

Thanks for all the help. I towed the bug under the carport so I can jack it up better and put good tired on it for towing. Then I can take it to a friends how to remove the engine and body. he has a Chain Hoist he said we could raise my other bug so I could see all the rust. Could that be used to Remove the body (Hook chain through the window and pull from the roof) of the one I am restoring now? Or will it cause to much damage? It will not be in the air long just long enough to remove it and then to put it back on.

Thanks Steven

I did not lift mine that that way, but a book I have shows that they lifted their body through the door opening using this hydraulic lift. As long as your heater channels and pillars are solid, that should be fine, I think.

Here are some pictures of my lift contraption:

objective was to build a lift that I could operate by myself. Itworks really well but it is a little overkill, in retrospect.The next time I do this I'll mount a 2x6 piece of lumber on to thebumper mounts instead. Those 2x6 will rest on jack stands. Whencarefully jacking the body up, the jackstands will hold the body upwhile the frame stays on the ground. Take pictures - it is great fun seeing that car come apart, believe it or not.

Remco

You do not need to remove the body just to replace floor pans. I can do both sides...body on in a day if working diligently. Of course, its hot here in florida...and we are lazy. So I don't work dilligently...take lots of breaks, and only do one side a day. I have a

60 hour plus full time job during the week...no need to get too ambitious on my day off. =^) Bug Me video has a decent video on this process...though I do a couple things different than them...it will still get you through it. Where are you? There may be a list member somewhere near you with a welder.. I just took mine 3 hours north to do a little reinforcing on a friends baja bumper so he could pull a small utility trailer we put together and bolted a locking roof carier on for camping equipment.

If I am paying someone 45 a hour I am going to make it as simple as possile and I'd alos like to say I did a body off reso even though it will no tllook like one.

Not sure if the heater channels are good or not. I know one of them I want to remove the body from they are shot as their is so much rust.

Thanks Steven

Garys right it would be easy for any one with a welder. My tips to make it right is use your original rear body mount rail and at least remove and re-weld the seat tracks, reuseing originals is much better. And treat /rust proof the pans after installed.

Mario Vintage Werks resto

The ones I bought come with seat tracks. Are they no good?

Thanks Steven

Remco,

You are an expert!!! I can see that you learn a lot on the last months. That's very good. I also would like to have the space and the money for such project. I would build a cal-look or maybe the new Gangsta-Gothic-Rat-look ;-) Well done.

Jo=E3o

Hey Jo=E3o - You're being too kind. Nah, hardly an expert but did learn a lot from doing it and have the battle scars on my hand to prove it. My frame head is all okidoki again so soon I'll put the frame away and start working on my body. At least now I know how to do one should I ever get a basketcase rag or vert :)

Gangsta-gothic-rat look huh? It would need to be slammed and lowered, of course. That's pretty radical, man :) (actually not sure what that would look like :)

Remco

i agree with Mario...re-use your original seat rails....if you compare original seat tracks with the aftermarket ones, it will become clear why we suggest it...

Do the orginal Seat Tracks go in the same spot as the ones on the New Floor Pan?