53 coupe

First off, you are one step ahead having a coupe. CE stopped producing the sub floor boxes needed for hard tops. As for the floor pans, it really depends on your skill level. I have seen cars where the owner made precise cuts and mated the CE pans to the existing floor of the car and then weld and grind, so it shows no signs it was ever done. Back in the late 80's after taking a year of auto body classes, I installed them. My method might not be the recomended way, but they are still in there. First you have to remove any questionable metal on the cars floor.. If you have to remove the threshold, I suggest tack welding a bar across the door opening to keep the space between pillars from moving either closer, or apart. If you have any questions, you can take diagonal measurments from the otherside of the car. Do it in an X type of measuring, not only across.

Once you cut out the bad floor, use it as a template if possible, draw a line around it, then add about 1 inch and draw another line, the outer line is your cutting line. If you can buy a air operated flanger, and flange both the CE patch panel, and the floor. Make sure the flanges are reversed, so the panel drops in or can be supported from below. The choice is yours, install the panel from underneath, or drop it in. You can Mig Weld, or pop rivet. if welding, do a bead about two or three inches, then quench with a lot of water, then, go to the opposite side and do the same.

If welded, grind away all the excess metal, then with an air operated brush clean the welds.

The toe board will be the hardest part, as you need to really match the bend. CE gives you a small pieceof metal pre bent and scored that allows you to mate the floor to the side of the car body under the vent door area.

From the underside of the car, use any fiberglass or metal filled plastic body filler that is WATERPROOF, and cover the seams under the car. don't use regular body filler as it is not water proof. If you want to spend the exta time you can apply normal body filler inside the car and sand it to match the stampings in the floor.

The first panel I did, took me about four days, as I really was not sure of what I was doing. the other side took one day.

It is not really hard to do, but think ahead.

Biil