Topic: Replacement of entire floor pan

[Skyway65]

I watched this video and was fascinated as to what length people will go to resurrect an old car.  Has anyone on this forum actually gone to this extreme to save an old Mustang?  At what point is too much, too much?  Are the Dynacorn floor pans “concours correct?” My thought is that if a Mustang needs this much work it probably is not a candidate for a concours resto.  I just can’t get over how little of the original car is left. 

Any comments appreciated…

[zray]

Are the Dynacorn floor pans “concours correct?” My thought is that if a Mustang needs this much work it probably is not a candidate for a concours resto.  I just can’t get over how little of the original car is left. 

Any comments appreciated…

Don't know how correct the dynacorn products are, but before they were introduced it was not uncommon to use complete floor pans from a donor to restore a rare car. There is no answer to. "How much is too much...?" to replace.   I like to have at least the original engine, inner aprons, interior sheet metal and roof.

Everybody will have a different take.

Z.

[J_Speegle]

Have seen cars that even more sheet metal replaced - depending if your doing it yourself or paying someone else can make a bunch of difference in the final cost but figuring out "if its worth it" is a personal choice.








As far as the floors being "concours" correct it depends on the year and what panels you purchase. They sill selling you can complete bottom end - everything welded by them and in that case its easy to see the differences IMHO just in the welding - like you see in the full unibodies they sell


Donor cars from the same time period and plant are still the popular choice for many people who are going to show or correctly restore their car.

[jwc66k]

Have seen cars that even more sheet metal replaced - depending if your doing it yourself or paying someone else can make a bunch of difference in the final cost but figuring out "if its worth it" is a personal choice.








As far as the floors being "concours" correct it depends on the year and what panels you purchase. They sill selling you can complete bottom end - everything welded by them and in that case its easy to see the differences IMHO just in the welding - like you see in the full unibodies they sell


Donor cars from the same time period and plant are still the popular choice for many people who are going to show or correctly restore their car.

Hey Jeff, what's with the first picture? Is it a right hand drive car, or did you "flip" the negative. Check out the dash section for the steering column.
Jim

[J_Speegle]

Yes must have flopped that one

[suskeenwiske]

My current car is a basket case; poorly repaired dents, badly welded repairs, almost no floor left at all, the battery apron is riveted over what was left of the old one, metal fatigue cracks behind both rear qtr. windows the paint is horrible and not the original color, rust here there and everywhere, the front suspension is shot, gas tank has a hole in it, frame rails are dented from bottoming out or being used to lift the car, the dash has been cut to fit an aftermarket radio, the hood is bent but...the doors are good and so is the glass, the engine and transmission. It's a run-of-the-mill 6 banger of a Soup Bone with fewer creature comforts than most jail cells.

So what's the point of bringing it back? It's a MUSTANG!!! This poor mangy thing followed me home and as ugly as it is I'm going to give it a bath, feed it, get it it's shots and when done, will look like it just came from the dealers showroom.

I think everyone has a different point at which they say it's too much. For me, if I have at least one good door hinge and a couple of fuses that haven't blown, it's on. There's something totally inexplicable about restoring something to it's former glory. We enjoy the get-togethers, the impromptu rally at the local Sonic, the honking cars giving you the thumbs up and best of all, pulling up next to another classic car. For just a spell, you get to feel what it must have been like 50 years ago. If that means building a car around a single bolt...so be it.

[Ryan Miller]

My newest project was one of my old parts car fastbacks.  The floor was rusted out badly so I decided to give it a try.

I bought the Thoroughbred GT complete floor pan assembly.  I took my floor pan out in one piece and had it side by side with the new one and could not tell very much of a difference.

The only difference I could see was that they put the outer rear passenger seat belt backing plate more in toward the frame rail and it was out of a block of steele - I replaced it.

Other than that they appeared identical down to the dual exhaust reinforcement plates/brackets.

I think in todays market one can correctly restore a mustang with quality new rust/fatiqued free metal.

Here is the link to my restoration thread on VMF  :  http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/vintage-mustang-forum/654511-complete-floor-pan-assembly-install-3.html

[midlife]

Ryan:
I don't understand what you meant by "new rust/fatiqued free metal".

[Ryan Miller]

Before there were quality replacement panels readily available we had to find rust free cars wrecked in the front or rear to cut panels out of.  I used to have 4 parts hardtops in such various conditions that were totaled that I bought at auctions 23 years ago.

The metal on these cars was 25 years old then, today 50 years old - rust and stress on the metal causes weakness.  Hydrogen imbrittlement (especially on bolts and other hardened steel) causes metal to crack.

New parts correctly constructed of clean and fresh steel is not a bad way to go and impossible to spot differences from original if done correctly.

 

[J_Speegle]

New parts correctly constructed of clean and fresh steel is not a bad way to go and impossible to spot differences from original if done correctly.

Though they lack the panel numbers that were on some panels and the date codes

Will use good original panels or spot patch  them (another common practice) rather than repos on my cars - just me

[midlife]

Ryan:
I don't understand what you meant by "new rust/fatiqued free metal".

Oh, OK...I think you meant new, rust-free, non-fatigued metal.

[Rsanter]

You never know what someone motivation to save a car is. Perhaps it was his first car. Perhaps it was dad's car.

My 66 GT conv from night school was in an accident where a guy ran a stop sign. Insurance totaled the car but I couldn't let it go. I am now working in the car replacing both qtr panels, trunk floor, pass door, and straightening out the pas rear frame rail.
If the car was not my high school car and if I did t have a connection with the car I would have parted it out to fix another conv

Bob

[Skyway65]

Thanks for the comments and feedback.  I acquired a rather rusty '65 convertible late last summer and I'd like to do it correctly if it's possible.

[J_Speegle]

............ I'd like to do it correctly if it's possible.

That's what we're here for

Good luck and keep the group updated on how the project goes - helps others that will follow

[Skyway65]

Thanks Jeff--I'm 97% on this white one in my tag photo--just getting into the planning stages for the next one.