Drivers side floor pan work

7173Mustangs.com

Help Support 7173Mustangs.com:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
226
Reaction score
1
Location
Flint - Michigan
My Car
1973 Mustang Mach 1 - Q-code auto - Medium Bright Yellow
Driver's side floor pan. Okay, so I've extracted some of the cancer but still have a long way to go. Just how hard is the welding thing anyway? I just figured out the cutting part. I went through a bunch of dremel cutting discs, then shifted to the angle grinder metal cut off wheel, until I found my recip saw with metal blade.

I'd really like to take off the seat riser as I'm sure I'd find some more red stuff under it, but I'm not sure just how to take it off and save it. Here's some pics of where I'm at.

I'm ready to invest in a mig welder or whatever works best, but don't have 220 to the garage.

I'll take any advice but what I lack in cash, I can make up in time so be easy on me.

DSC06653.JPG

 
Should some spot welds that you can drill out and should come out. Just mark on the transmission tunnel and rocker panel where it went. I have a Lincoln 110v mig and it works great for body work. Let us know how it goes I'm about to do that same thing shortly.

 
I just removed my seat riser, drilled out spot welds, I bought new risers but probably could have reused it, probably better to remove it and see what damage lies beneth.

 
Are you planning on fabricating the floor pans or buying new ones? Other guys on the forum, Ohio Mustang Supply or CJ Pony parts could probably advise re the fit of new repro pans but depending on the ones you use you will likely remove the seat riser anyway. As you mentioned though, fabricating is less costly.

When restoring my first Mach1 (along time ago) we used oxy acetylene and arc, there weren't any floor pans for 71-73s and it was a lot of piece work. I haven't tried mig yet but guys I work with say with a little practice it is the way to go.

I'm looking at buying a mig welder too so I'm interested to hear what you get and how easy it is to work with.

Looks like you still have lots of solid metal to attach to on the floors so that will make it easier. Just be sure to cut back to the solid metal or it will be difficult to weld to. It'll be worth it in the end.

Has anybody used POR 15 on floors and frame rails? I'm thinking of pulling up the carpet, coating the floors and doing the inside of the trunk but it seems pretty permanent so I wonder how it will affect the value of the car in the long run.

 
220 mig welders are great but if you just plan on welding small gauge steel 110 will be just fine. The first rule to getting good at welding is practice. Spend a day practicing on scrap metal {as close to what you will be welding} and you should be fine. Mig welding is the easiest of all. I do suggest you get a welder that uses an inert gas. Welding with fluxcore on body work is not the best. When you start practicing look for the small pool of metal in fusion that is the part you want to control. If you are having a hard time making a nice bead {al bumpy and not smooth} you need more heat. If it seems like the wire is burning back into the nozzle you need more wire speed. Like I said play with it for a while and you will get the hang of it.

Oh! and one more tip don't cheap out on the welding helmet. You will be glad to have an electronic helmet when you are in a crammed space under the car.

 
Hey, thanks guys for all the advise. First, I'm looking into that POR 15. Here's their web site. www.por15.com Sounds like this stuff is the best. I haven't used it but I'll probably buy a pint or two in the next week to see how it works.

I spent most of the day today grinding and cutting. Removing the seat riser may be a bit much for my talents though. I do like the idea of working with the suppliers and getting their views on the replacement pan sections. I will make contact with the one's on this site to see what they think.

I think I can get a 110v mig welder for $140 plus wire plus helmet and I'm out another $200. But in the long run, it may pay for itself...

Thanks again.

 
Remove the seatriser and use the full 71-73 specific floorpan. Piecing it in is probably more work than just doing the whole pan.

FWIW, if you spend less than $500 on a MIG welder, you're throwing your money away. A welder is a lifetime investment, so buy it right and buy it once. You need to get a MIG (metal inert gas) welder, do not get a gasless flux core wirefeed unit - you will regret it.

This is the welder that I recommend to most people, it's right at $500 and is a perfect machine for auto restoration.

http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Catalog/equipmentdatasheet.aspx?p=59618#disclaimer

You can get the Home Depot version...

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xga/R-100670934/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

...or Lowes..

http://www.lowes.com/pd_256722-1703-K2480-1_0__?productId=1072945&Ntt=welder&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dwelder

Another option is to buy used, check your local classifieds or Craigslist. Just have the owner demo the unit by layng a bead with it. If he can't or won't, move on.

Regarding POR-15 : it's a good product for rusty or pitted metal, not so good on virgin steel. That being said the entire underside and a good portion of the inside of my 71 is POR-15'd. I recommend you use it at the very end of your restoration. DO NOT use it anywhere near where you are going to be welding- the fumes of burning POR-15 are extremely toxic.

MVC_080F.JPG

MVC_106F.JPG

MVC_045F.JPG

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Somehow I just knew this was going to be a great site. Thank you so much for the adivse. You might have saved my life with that burning POR15.

I'm going to continue grinding away and see where it takes me. Here was my latest effort today. Driver's side rear seat area.

Your pictures are great also, thanks.

DSC06668.JPG

 
Be careful of whats underneath, I accidentally cut my emergency brake cable when I replaced a floor pan.

I have the Lincoln welder from Home Depot that uses gas as well in 110 volt, it is a nice machine, Just make sure you weld clean shiny metal, remove all paint and rust with a grinder/sander.

Order the 71-73 specific floorpans some advertise fits 65-73 but they dont fit well on the 71-73.

 
[/u]Great advise on the brake cable. I already ripped that off the underbody during the rust discovery process. Turns out that that cable was rusted shut. Complete replacement on order.

Current status.... grinding away....

DSC06661.JPG

 
[/align]Although the holidays have taken me away from the garage for a few days, I have been able to sneak into the man cave for a few hours of grinding. I've made it over to the passenger's side and discovered this box of rust up near the firewall. A few more days of grinding and I should be almost done with the surgery.

DSC06756.JPG

 
[/align]Although the holidays have taken me away from the garage for a few days, I have been able to sneak into the man cave for a few hours of grinding. I've made it over to the passenger's side and discovered this box of rust up near the firewall. A few more days of grinding and I should be almost done with the surgery.
I'm the process of doing the same job...

http://www.saturdaymorninggarage.com/

You need a mig welder as eveyone here has stated..120v (household current) is fine you don't need 220...all the work I have done on my car is with a 120v mig more than capable I can't remember if I'm using 025 or 030 size wire but i wanna say 025. Forget about por-15 You will get better results using rust bullet...You should do any areas that are open now(inside the frame rails torquebox etc..I posted here how to do it

http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-current-project-update

you just need to grind away the rust bullet where you weld & spray with weld through primer...Theres 2 ways to do the floor--1--you can do whats called a butt weld...Where you cut the new floor to meet the old floor & "butt them together" you weld where the seam is...Much more time comsuming & very little room for mistakes...2-- you do an overlap joint..You leave about a 1/2" of "overlap" on the new floor use a tool called a flanger

flanger tool

Make your flange then plug weld every inch or so along the step..You can then run a few stich welds every few inches along the overlaps inside the car & again under the car. Much easier for a first timer..

Scott

 
Thank you soooo much for the advise. Although I've been a 'car guy' for years, I've never gone this far into body work. Can't afford a pro, so I'm the 'joe'. I am searching for the MIG welder presently and will probably get one in the next week or so. I've ordered a pair of floor pans and hope to get everything together in January. Thanks again for the tips.

 
Just picked up a flux wire welder and have been trying my hand at welding.

Man, those professional welders sure make it look easy. Okay practice practice practice.
Md..why on earth did you buy a flux wire welder when everyone here advised you to get a gas mig ? Imo a very bad move..your wasting your time...Gonna make your job much much harder ! I would return it ASAP & buy this instead it will serve you well and at $300.00 it's resonable http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html Look at the reviews ! Guys who are pro welders are raving about this machine. I'm going to be doing a floor pan relpacement video very shortly ..Gonna take you start to finish & show all the "little tricks"

Scott

 
Looks like too much wire speed, or not enough heat. Try doing some shorter beads.

If they have a gas kit you can purchase so you can use solid wire instead of flux core your welds will be cleaner. I did use a flux core welder to replace some panels. The weld is dirtier but if you get your heat right it will do the job.

 
I have a Matco mig welder at my shop. Need to practice with it some more. I use a 25/75 gas mix. not much splatter with the gas. They were right about the helmit. One of the best investments I made.

jim

 
Okay, Okay, I'm a slow learner. I kept the box and I'll check to see if I can get an upgrade. I must say, this thing really heats things up. I almost burned through my work bench practicing.

Unfortunately, being on the Obama handout line going now on 12 months unemployment doesn't do well with the wallet. I have an interview on Tuesday and another one in the works.

Working on this car has always been a time and money thing. When I have the time, I don't have the money. When I have the time, well we stretch where we can.

More news later....

 
Back
Top