1971 mach 1- full floors vs LH/RH

7173Mustangs.com

Help Support 7173Mustangs.com:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

classicsguy

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 27, 2011
Messages
634
Reaction score
1
Location
Puerto Rico
My Car
1968 GT/CS California Special
Is there any advantage replacing full floors with the LH/RH panels or is it better to get the full floors on a 1971 Mach?

 
If the transmission tunnel is good, I would just replace the LH and RH pans... that's what I had to do on mine.

Click on the link in my signature below to see all of the sheet metal replacement I have done so far. Still gotta get some fenders and more body work done before it's ready for paint, but it's pretty much a car again.

 
The answer is it depends.

To put a full floor in you really need to remove the windshield, the dash,the steering column and of course the full interior except for the headliner (which you should probably protect by covering)

To put left and right panels in , you can manage without removing the windshield or the dash and steering column.

Also a full floor cut out will require bracing to keep things square while doing one side at a time and leaving the transmission tunnel intact minimizes the potential for twisting the chassis.

I would suggest that you consider the condition of the car. If the tunnel is nice and solid and the floors are just starting to rust through use the panels and preserve as much of the good original sheetmetal as possible. Just because you buy it doesn't mean you have to use all of it!

If you intend a rotisserie restoration to a Concours show car then (find a rust free car to start with) maybe a full floor makes sense.

This is all just my opinion- I'd PM Mister 4x4 he's replaced a pile of sheetmetal while building his car (I hear the only thing that is still original on his car is the vin tag and the right headlight trim ring)

 
Don't do a full floor on a concours car

The full floors are for 65 - 70

They will fit a 71 -3 but...

They have 8 holes for seat bolts and too many drain holes

Plus all the ribbing is incorrect and has to be flattened out

so the pan will sit on the frame rails.

Don

 
The answer is it depends.

To put a full floor in you really need to remove the windshield, the dash,the steering column and of course the full interior except for the headliner (which you should probably protect by covering)

To put left and right panels in , you can manage without removing the windshield or the dash and steering column.

Also a full floor cut out will require bracing to keep things square while doing one side at a time and leaving the transmission tunnel intact minimizes the potential for twisting the chassis.

I would suggest that you consider the condition of the car. If the tunnel is nice and solid and the floors are just starting to rust through use the panels and preserve as much of the good original sheetmetal as possible. Just because you buy it doesn't mean you have to use all of it!

If you intend a rotisserie restoration to a Concours show car then (find a rust free car to start with) maybe a full floor makes sense.

This is all just my opinion- I'd PM Mister 4x4 he's replaced a pile of sheetmetal while building his car (I hear the only thing that is still original on his car is the vin tag and the right headlight trim ring)
Let's see... how does that go again? Oh yeah: "Yes. Jeff's correct." rofl

Seriously though, I'd remove the steering column anyway, because it's just going to be in the way on the driver side. Also make sure to cover any and all glass during the process, because it does not stand up to flying sparks at all (ask me how I know - this whole car has been a major learning process for me).

Scott (QCode351Mach) has posted some videos on the proper way to replace floor panels, and I think they should be "required reading" for anybody wanting to do sheet metal work on their cars.

And I'll have you know Jeff, I was also able to save the license plate frames and disc brake dust shields, along with the gas tank filler neck as well. ;) :D



Don't do a full floor on a concours car

The full floors are for 65 - 70

They will fit a 71 -3 but...

They have 8 holes for seat bolts and too many drain holes

Plus all the ribbing is incorrect and has to be flattened out

so the pan will sit on the frame rails.

Don
Don is also one of the main "Voices of Reason" to pay attention as well - he's forgotten more about these cars than most people will ever know.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Don't do a full floor on a concours car

The full floors are for 65 - 70

They will fit a 71 -3 but...

They have 8 holes for seat bolts and too many drain holes

Plus all the ribbing is incorrect and has to be flattened out

so the pan will sit on the frame rails.

Don
Always there with great information...thanks Don

 
Don was dead on target, I've done it both ways. The universals floors are alot of work and results are fair. You should shop for the floors at are specific to 71-73. All the universal floors that advertise fitting 56-73 are incorrect for the later years. When that was all we could get, you just made it work. Most suppliers will have the 71-73 style. BTW its not difficult to adapt the lower convertible reinforcement pans made for 65-70 to fit a 71-73. It can be undetectable with a few hours work.

 
I stock the correct L & R pans

Don

Item #215494H/I

71-73 FLOOR PANS, FULL PAIR

Correct ribbing reproduction full floor pans. Pair, right and left. Save on shipping when purchasing a pair. Price: $184.95

 
Back
Top