split floor pan problems

[Kidpaint]

Im working on a 67 chevelle for my parents. My dad gets the parts to replace and helps do the work. He got a split floor to replace the old one. Before cutting anything out I took measurements to make sure things were squared etc. Now I wish I had measured the floor width in from and back. The problem is that it looks like the new floor was once a whole floor that someone in a factory just took a cut off wheel and cut down the center...kinda. The sides dont look like there were from the same floor even. I replaced the outer rocker panels and measured the whole time and numbers didnt change. I now have the floor halves mocked into place sandwiched between the outer and inner rockers like factory. The inners and floor are up tight to the outer like they should. In the rear of the floor there is a gap between the 2 halves and I feel the floor is almost too far towards the outer rocker if that makes sense. The floor has a 90 degree bend down were the inner rocker sets and pushes against it. Im wondering if anyone has run into this situation like the bend was put to far inbound and if moving the bend outward to help close the center gap is a good idea? I know this isnt metal shaping but could be if I have to make a strip to fill the center or change the bend. I dont want to put the floor in askew and have the seats sit angled once bolted down.

[Marc Bourget]

Consider positioning the floor according to the seat bolt holes and see where your conflicts are??

[MotoMike43]

this is all so common with aftermarket panels. They almost never fit. Ive had panels so far out you would swear they are for a different car. Unfortunately this common problem is only solved by spending huge money on OEM metal or getting creative making it fit. Its hard to give you a definite direction to head without seeing pictures of the situation. But it really just comes down to… Do what ever it takes to make them work. Add metal where needed. cut and bend where needed. Take your time an analyze the situation so you don't create more work then necessary. There are many ways to add and remove the needed metal to make it work. Thats is where the advise of this message board will come in handy. It is possible to make those floor pans fit and look correct without being able to tell they have been modified. Its dosnt require expensive tools or super experience. Get us some pictures and lets go from there...

[Marc Bourget]

Fleshing out Mike's observation, Friend of mine spent 30+ years making body "tooling" for Detroit OEMs. There's a lot of "Art" in forming the big panels on large presses. Different operators, using the same tooling can achieve markedly different results.

Observing the concentration Kent White expends while shaping metal, I (not so jokingly) often ask myself "WWKD?". Covell does the same thing without (to me) revealing the intensity that goes with the activity.

Mike's advice to spend some time evaluating the situation is valuable. The tough part is to really absorb yourself into the mental task of figger'n out the path of least difficulty.

You can take great pride in the almost invisible solutions to problems such as these - Go for it!!

[cliffrod]

Originally Posted by Marc Bourget

Observing the concentration Kent White expends while shaping metal, I (not so jokingly) often ask myself "WWKD?". Covell does the same thing without (to me) revealing the intensity that goes with the activity.

Mike's advice to spend some time evaluating the situation is valuable. The tough part is to really absorb yourself into the mental task of figger'n out the path of least difficulty.

I haven't worked around Kent or Ron, but will say that concentration and intensity are barely adequate descriptions of Peter Tommasini's work method & ethic. Mike isn't playing either. The metal does what you make it do.

Sounds like you have some good initial dimensions as a starting point. One of the most important things I keep hearing from the more learned metal men here is how inconsistent "factory" parts often are (and how repro parts are often even worse...) and the necessity to just make things work. One piece parts that fit without work are the very rare exception, not the rule. Smaller parts welded together into a larger piece is a more practical approach.

The problem you're facing is why I decided to set up to make the pieces I need instead of buying repro and then trying to make them fit. Watching what so many here do with very basic equipment is a big help. Good luck.

[John Buchtenkirch]

In most cases on a car worth saving it’s only the lower foot wells that are rusted out. Usually the higher parts of the floor like the transmission / drive shaft tunnel and the perimeter of the floor where it joins the rocker panels are sound unless it’s a convertible. Generally on a job like that you leave the sound parts previously mentioned intact, cut out the lower rotted areas, lay your half floors in the car and mark the openings in the original floor on the replacement floors from the bottom. Remove the replacement floors, trim them 1/8” to ¼” oversize so you have a slight overlap and mig weld them in. That would be a commercial body shop job that should last a very long time depending on how well you rust proof it.

On very high end cars that will be judged for originality it is possible to butt weld floors in but it is a lot more work especially if it’s a stamped floor with a lot of shape, flatter floors with just some strengthening ribs wouldn’t be too bad if you could make your cuts in the flatter areas. Unless you have a few years of experience in changing body panels and also considering that you are using aftermarket floors makes me highly recommend that you go with the lap method even though it isn’t considered truly restoration quality.

There are 3 reasons why aftermarket floors are made in 2 pieces. Half floors use smaller and cheaper dies and presses. You wouldn’t be able to get a full floor inside a sedan…….. only a convertible or a hardtop without the center post. Shipping boxes are then probably small enough to ship by UPS or FedEx. Living & working in the Northeast (where they heavily salt the roads ) I have certainly changed & patched my share of floors. GOOD LUCK . ~ John Buchtenkirch

[Kidpaint]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll take some photos of what I'm working with and where I'm at in my process. I didn't have much hope for these right from the get go, as I know repro's are off at best lol. One thing I did notice was I thought about making the seat bolt holes square to the body and going from there....no holes in the floor pans so I guess I can drill them square later but can't use them as a form of measuring. Have some other house stuff to do this week. May be closer to this weekend before they show up.

[John Buchtenkirch]

I just have to add………. while the aftermarket panels generally don’t fit perfectly they are a better start for most people than just a flat sheet. They have allowed shops that have minimal or no equipment to patch together numerous cars thru the years. ~ John Buchtenkirch

[crystallographic]

Hi Cody,
After reading through this thread, I think that you might want to take a look at those flanged edges, again. If they can be flattened and re-bent to give you the distance you need ....? Maybe toss in a photo of this edge, to see what it looks like?
I tend to go in this direction of re-working the edges, 1) because my skills are adequate for it (I've moved a lot of crooked or off-measure flanges ...
and 2) anything otherwise looks like too much sweat, contortion and frustration. ....
(my sympathies for your dilemma)

[Dyce]

My first thought is to use the original transmission and drive-s haft tunnel. Like John said normally these parts of the floor are in good condition on a car worth saving. It would be 3 pieces instead of 2. Or make a filler to go across the gap.