Barneyformula's New Floor Pans

I forgot to tell you that I put a 4.5 inch cutoff wheel on my grinder and its about 20 faster that the air cutoff.  I all so found that it does a very nice job at knocking down the welds.  Good luck with the reassembly.  

Steve, have you decided to still leave the drain holes closed off? You may have already read it - but there's been some more posts about that at:

http://forums.highperformancepontiac.com/70/7627555/interior-restoration/69-gto-interior-floor/index.html

Brazil  

OK, Pics are up! Check'em out! I will likely leave them closed, she's a garage queen and I live on a hill so flooding isn't an issue. I'm also getting a new windshield and fixing that leak too.
Steve  
Trying to help... 'cause we don't all have to learn the hard way!

ahhh!  

Thanks for the pictures they help a lot.  Just a few more things to look out for. I'm willing to bet that your rocker panels are also rusted at the seam between the pan and the rocker. If you don't replace that metal the rust will creep back. You may be able to clean it up with acid or blasting but if the pits are deeper than half way I still recommend replacing the metal.

There is some surface rust that you will need to deal with before paint and carpet.  I explained that in some detail in 69 GTO INTERIOR FLOOR and you might want to look at that.

On the drivers side the transition to the cowl from the floor pan (i.e. under the E. brake) is something I have never be able to find and you will, probably, need to do your own fabricating here.  When you remove that metal there is a heaver structural piece under it be careful not to damage it.  You may, will probably, find that is is badly rusted too.

The 3" over lap is fine but I would put some plug welds in at, say the 1.5 inch level, to ensure there are no gaps where water can get in between the parts.  The extra plug welds will also add some stiffness.

Once you start down the old "restoration road" you get surprised at every turn and you have to deal with it while you can. When I opened the inside the rocker panel (rusted in the same place I mentioned above) I found a huge amount of sand from the blasting process (you can never get it all out) and ran a shop vac hose down the length of the rocker and pulled out a mouse nest and a Budweiser bottle cap.

Good luck again and keep us posted  

If you eventually plan on putting that "stroked" 400 your building into this car now would be a good time to put in some subframe connectors to handle all that future torque? Just a thought as you have her tore down pretty good. Keep up the good work I know that flu can beat u up pretty good.  

Although I didn't take a pic of it, I've already cutout the passenger side toe-board as Milt mentioned because it was pretty bad. The heavier piece under it wasn't too bad except for the bottom corner approximately 2x6" which is easy to fabricate. The toe board is also easy since I'm not concerned with it looking original, a pice of sheet metal about 11x12" will do nicely. As luck would have it the rocker panels are in great shape, the rust was mainly contained to the footwell areas and ended about an inch from the rockers. I used the flat chisel in the air hammer to break those spot welds and they just need to be ground flat to prep the rockers.
The 3" overlap was strictly for getting started, as I start fitting the new pans I will trim it alot closer so I can plug weld a nice clean seam and then seam seal it.
The frame connector are a good idea and I was looking at it thinking exactly that, it would be a great time to install a set and really stiffen things up along with the polygraphite body mounts I installed already. Even if I never build the stroked 400/455, they will be a great improvement in the ride and handling anyway. Thanks for the feedback guys and stayed tuned!
Steve
PS: I'm also going to install a set of catalytic converters while the floor is out, since it will be easier to get at the pipes with the reciprocating saw. The smog patrol has been cracking down on us as I mentioned in another post.  
Trying to help... 'cause we don't all have to learn the hard way!

Steve, don't know if you saw my post about the rust deal, but I wanted to let you know about something I discovered after putting in my new pans. It rained before I started putting in the carpet and padding. I was shocked to see a puddle of water in each front pan the next morning. I had a friend hold a water hose on my windshield while I layed under the dashboard and there was water running down directly over the accelerator pedal and over the plastic heater housing on the passenger side.

I removed that plastic grill thing under the windshield wipers and looked down inside it with a flashlight. Sure'nuff there were two rusted through low spots.
I repaired them with JB Weld and built it up high enough to let rain water flow past it to the corners where it flows to the outside.

It rained really hard yesterday and no sign of a leak. Glad I noticed this before putting in the new carpet. Hope all's going well with yours!
Brazil  

I`ll have to check that on mine too. I`ve had a busy week and the next few are pretty well booked up too, so progress will be slow. It's turning into a snow ball project now. Now that the floor is out, I'm going to install subframe connectors and put cats in the exhaust. Since I have new front rotors and pads to install and I've already done the body mounts, I might take the control arms out and rebush them too. It still needs carpet, seat covers and headliner too and it all takes money! One way or another it will get done and I'm looking forward to it!
Steve  
Trying to help... 'cause we don't all have to learn the hard way!

Yep, it's amazing how every forward step shows up something else to be fixed. The thing is, it'll forever bug you if you don't go ahead and do it - been there too. I wish my lime tree grew green money instead. But ooohhhh when it's done!
Brazil  

So, remind me why we do the restoration work on our rides… I thought it was because I was masochistic or maybe just not to smart.  I could have bought one, nearly perfect for about 11K and I could afford it. Instead I bought one rotted from the doors down.  Then I bought a cheap parts car for $438.19 and had it shipped from Arizona.

Now, 5 years later, I’m still not tooling around in my car.  I have the one from Arizona running; but it still needs paint, interior, and electrical work (30 years in the desert destroys every bit of plastic and rubber but no real rust).  The other one is still stripped to the shell, and I didn’t finish the floor pans this year before I had to put it away for the winter.

I know I will do the car right; and you’re never sure what the other guy did to a ride you buy.  It is often more fun than anything else I can think of (I’m getting old), and it is often very painful (did I mention I getting old).  It is also some of the “I did it all by myself” and knowing that those little leaks in the cowl fixed for good, and that a another classic car escaped the junk yard.  

I hear you! It's either a great hobby or a terrible addiction. It's a long winter ahead, lots of time to do the work and make the money (I hope!). Guess we'll see what spring brings.
Steve  
Trying to help... 'cause we don't all have to learn the hard way!

I know dat's right