ConcoursMustang Forums

Restoring - General discussions that span across many different groups of years and models => Body, Paint & Sealers => Topic started by: Sunlitgold68 on February 22, 2010, 01:47:45 PM

Title: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: Sunlitgold68 on February 22, 2010, 01:47:45 PM
What is the best way to restore the floor pan drain covers? Are they zinc plated? Mine look like they have a black rubber like coating on one side and appear corroded. Best to replace these?
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: CharlesTurner on February 22, 2010, 02:58:47 PM
What is the best way to restore the floor pan drain covers? Are they zinc plated? Mine look like they have a black rubber like coating on one side and appear corroded. Best to replace these?

They were originally galvanized.  If you find someone that can do them, let me know!
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: J_Speegle on February 22, 2010, 09:26:17 PM
Reproductions are out there  but many of the big guys try to find southwest original to replate or use.

Have found places to galvanize them - just not happy with the final look. Looking for heater duct finish - get galvanized fence post look :(
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: 67gta289 on February 22, 2010, 09:56:48 PM
Mine also had sealant that appears to have been brushed on the bottom, covering the whole plate.  Assuming these were installed after the primer, was the sealant applied last?
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: J_Speegle on February 23, 2010, 12:39:40 AM
Mine also had sealant that appears to have been brushed on the bottom, covering the whole plate.  Assuming these were installed after the primer, was the sealant applied last?

Yes after primer and body color was applied. Only have seen a chalking around the opening - haven't seen any brushed on
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: Sunlitgold68 on February 23, 2010, 08:29:45 AM
"Have found places to galvanize them - just not happy with the final look. Looking for heater duct finish - get galvanized fence post look :("

I believe that is the only galvanizing process available (hot dipped galvanized) which is going to give that look.

You get that heater duct finish by galvanizing before fabrication when the metal is "mill galvanized" from a continuous sheet. This is a thin coating compared to post fabrication which is thick and not as consistent and appears like an object was dipped in silver paint.
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: JKWilson on February 23, 2010, 11:15:11 PM
The technical term for what you see in the large grained galvanizing is called visible spangle (such as seen on the floor pan plugs or the trunk latch). The spangle is controllable during the hot dip process. You can specify the level of spangle to the plater. From my understanding, all hot dip galvanizing has spangle present. The difference is whether it's actually visible or not, basically, how large the spangle is.

BTW Charles, I still haven't forgotten ya!
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: bryancobb on February 24, 2010, 10:13:08 AM
Everything looks easy from the side of the fence a person is on, but...
As close to being "FLAT" as these things are, (Only 1/4" dished or so) 
It looks like a person who is fairly good with their hands could make a simple die set (I'll attach an off-the-cuff drawing)
Get some of the ??ga galvanized sheet from a HVAC supplier, get a sledge hammer, and form up a dozen in just a few minutes.
(http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad350/bryancobb/th_whack2.jpg) (http://s950.photobucket.com/albums/ad350/bryancobb/?action=view&current=whack2.jpg)
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: Sunlitgold68 on February 24, 2010, 10:54:43 AM
Do they have any markings on them? I was under the impression they had some #'s?
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: CharlesTurner on February 24, 2010, 11:20:23 AM
There is currently already a pretty nice reproduction of the 65-67 style.  Sometime in '68, the design was changed, I don't think there is a repro of that one, but Ford did service them, so you see them come up for sale now and then.
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: bryancobb on February 24, 2010, 12:06:46 PM
OH ... OK... I just thought they were the same as the 65/66 and he was not happy with the way the galvanize on the repops looked.
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: J_Speegle on February 24, 2010, 01:31:40 PM
Do they have any markings on them? I was under the impression they had some #'s?

At least the later style have dates like the other sheet metal - right this moment can't recall if the early version does also
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: CharlesTurner on February 24, 2010, 03:54:00 PM
No dates on the early style drain covers.
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: Scott302 on February 25, 2010, 12:15:49 PM
Sometime in '68, the design was changed, I don't think there is a repro of that one

They are coming...soon. ;D
Scott
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: J_Speegle on February 25, 2010, 02:35:20 PM
They are coming...soon. ;D
Scott

Hope their good - as I always seem to have people asking for some rust free ones


Need to check through my pictures as I recall the change over point differently and may (like so often) depend on when and where the car was built
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: mach1one on February 25, 2010, 06:33:35 PM
Hope the new repos will be galvanized just like the originals!!
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: Sunlitgold68 on February 25, 2010, 07:36:36 PM
after soaking in mineral spirits, I found this stamped on mine  2  27  D2

Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: Sunlitgold68 on February 26, 2010, 05:12:05 PM
Since my drain covers are date coded and 75% rusted, I am considering sending them off to be zinc plated instead of buying a reproduction. Would this look acceptable? Any better ideas? Thanks
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: 67gta289 on February 28, 2010, 08:25:03 AM
Here is a picture of the bottom on one from a 67 SJ.  You can see evidence of the galvanized finish.  Not sure if the caulk-like material in the center is "normal".  I have my suspicions due to what appears to be black paint which would not be original. They have since been cleaned up, and there is no part number stamp.  One more thing - notice that the outer edges appear to be jagged.  This is the case on all four after cleaning, the stamping process was not very crisp.
Title: Re: Floor Pan Drain Covers
Post by: TLea on March 02, 2010, 01:10:07 PM
On Metuchen cars we often see sealer brushed over the interior side of the drain in addition to the caulking. 68 and up are dated