Anything else to consider, floor replacement?

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Joined
Mar 27, 2011
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Location
Charlotte N.C.
My Car
1972 Q code Mach 1
IMG_0825.JPGIMG_0825.JPGI am dropping my car off at a body shop that has much experience with Mustangs to have the drivers, and maybe the passenger side floor replaced. He is going to charge $500 to r and r the drivers floor, prime, paint and undercoat with me paying for the floor. 1. If we decide to do the passenger side should i consider a full floor replacement? 2.would the labor be more than twice as much for a full floor,3. is it much more difficult than each side separately? 4. What would be better for the car. 5. Anything else i should have him look at or address while doing this to get the best bang for the buck?

Except for paint color, edlebrock carb and headers my car is a very stock Q code 72 Mach 1. Never be a show car but very little rust. Im just looking to get it to a point i can drive it and enjoy it. I dont plan to ever sell and im looking for thoughts on this so I spend my money most wisely. Thanks ahead of time for any comments. Sorry for all the questions.

 
I have seen good jobs replacing floors and I have see botched ones. If the floor rusted because the cowl leaked that also needs attention. There can also be leaks along the trim at the roof that lets water get in.

This shop in Georgia does only rust repair and they have the fixtures to hold the body in position while they do the work, not far from Charlotte.

http://graverobberssheetmetal.com/

I would contact them and talk options since they do it every day they know what is involved.

A friend of mine said he could put a full floor in faster than he could do the repairs. That is once the old one was out. If he just did repairs you had to cut and match everything to get a good butt weld. Some shops just cut the rust out and cut a piece of the repair panel and overlap the edges and weld, THAT IS NOT GOOD. You need to ask questions and know what you are getting.

Is trunk floor and drop offs ok?

David

 
The drivers quarter leaked and the worst was the back floor but i know the passenger side cowl leaks because after a rain there is a puddle under the glove box. I am now able to keep it in a garage. As i undestand it a cowl repair is pretty involved and expensive but i would like to eventually fix that as well. The drivers seat wont mount well with my current situation so my immediate goal is to get her were i can safely drive.

 
The drivers quarter leaked and the worst was the back floor but i know the passenger side cowl leaks because after a rain there is a puddle under the glove box. I am now able to keep it in a garage. As i undestand it a cowl repair is pretty involved and expensive but i would like to eventually fix that as well. The drivers seat won't mount well with my current situation so my immediate goal is to get her were i can safely drive.
You should check with the graverobbers guys and see if you bring the car in stripped, fenders hood off, etc. Engine out helps a bunch. So they can do their thing on the the cowl, floors and everything and see what the cost is. Someone with the tools can probably have the cowl out in a couple hours. Anytime water gets in the cowl you are going to be getting wet. You have to fix the cause of the rusty floors.

Look for the thread on the roof rail leak and repair that is usually another place they leak.

David

 
500.00 to replace one full side floor pan is too cheap I can't imagine the job your going to get for that price. UNLESS they are just doing a front or rear section patch overlapped with a few plug welds then douched with a bunch of undercoat to hide the overlap...That seems more likely to what your getting for that price. you need to ask more questions Heres how I do them the correct way, No way are you getting this type of job for 500.00


Not so even with the front windshield out --trim removed--wipers--wiper motor-wiper arm assy--dash pad--hood--fenders--all that stuff has to be removed first..I don't get how you come up with these times to do these huge jobs ? Do u know how hard it is to drill out 200 + spot welds properly that are over 40 years old? Even with the best tools money can buy

 
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500.00 to replace one full side floor pan is too cheap I can't imagine the job your going to get for that price. UNLESS they are just doing a front or rear section patch overlapped with a few plug welds then douched with a bunch of undercoat to hide the overlap...That seems more likely to what your getting for that price. you need to ask more questions Heres how I do them the correct way, No way are you getting this type of job for 500.00

Yes I do but if you are going to replace upper and lower there are not that many welds you just air chisel the junk off and drill where you keep metal.

I would take the car to the guys that is all they do and they are quick and good. Graverobbers in Georgia. Tell them what you want and they will give you a price.

David

David

 
Yes I do but if you are going to replace upper and lower there are not that many welds you just air chisel the junk off and drill where you keep metal.

David
I guess it might be a good idea to weld in a brace or 2 before you start just ripping apart a major structural component of the car

 
Hey brawler- the floor replacement cost is primarily labor. The more correctly the repair is done, the more it's going to cost. By your original question, you knew that! I paid $2000 to have both pans done (poorly) on a 72 I had, and I paid for the panels! I am not sure what the labor cost is in your area, but $500 sounds suspiciously cheap, I would want to know exactly what type of repair I was going to get for that $$$, so ask them for details on how they do the repair.

You can't be too diligent here, if you plan to keep the car, you want to know it's done right!

 
I too feel $500 is suspiciously cheap, My rear floor pans had to be replaced because the back window and cowl were leaking and all the water settled in the rear floor pans. It took me the better part of 2 months to cut/drill/fit/mount/weld/grind/prime/paint/seam seal everything. NOT something I would do for $500!! And mine were the best case scenario, just the rear floor pans.

 
I really appreciate all the advise. If i had the money i would love to take the car to a shop like Graverobbers and get it all done but as it is im just hoping to get a good base to mount my seat to so I can drive my car from time to time as I can afoard to go further. This guy has a small shop behind his house and his passion is Mustangs. His rate is or at least was $35 an hour when he rebuilt my buddys 40 ford. His quote is just for labor. He did an amazing job on the 40. I have been waiting several months to get in his shop. Is 14 hours an unresonable amount of time for a drivers side floor pan replacement. The carpet, console and seats will already be out of the car. Thanks

 
I really appreciate all the advise. If i had the money i would love to take the car to a shop like Graverobbers and get it all done but as it is im just hoping to get a good base to mount my seat to so I can drive my car from time to time as I can afoard to go further. This guy has a small shop behind his house and his passion is Mustangs. His rate is or at least was $35 an hour when he rebuilt my buddys 40 ford. His quote is just for labor. He did an amazing job on the 40. I have been waiting several months to get in his shop. Is 14 hours an unresonable amount of time for a drivers side floor pan replacement. The carpet, console and seats will already be out of the car. Thanks
I do understand you want to drive the car and just don't have the money to do all of the work. It is like you need new tires but only have the money to buy one used one for now. Not the best but you keep going. I would say that it is better than just letting it set.

It probably won't be to everyone's standards on the forum but you will have your car going. I would make some kind of cover to go over the cowl vent to keep the water out for now. If you get caught in a rain storm you will get wet. I would be sure that he cleans up the inside of the front frame while the floor is out in that area and puts some POR 15 inside it to stop the rust or at least slow it down there.

You should show him Q's videos for reference and maybe in the future to do the other work.

David

David

 
Thank you David. I think i will bring por15 and some brushes just to make that point. I will definently let everyone know how it goes. Wish i had the skills some of ya'll have. I love seeing the projects ya'll tackle!

 
If you have seen his work and are comfortable enough with the outcome then that is promising.byoy keep mentioning seat mounting, Is your seat riser platform rotted too? The hours sound low. I am just a hobbyist, but it took me pretty much a full day to get my seat platform out and the old floor cut, and I would have to at least double that to get the new one fitted and installed...

 
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