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Floor Pan and Other Half Done Metal Work

JAFO

Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
1,556
Loc.
Beaverdam
I am replacing my floor pans etc with the complete floor and platform kit from Wild Horse. I think leaving the door pilar and just cutting the bottom is easy, if I replace the door pilar then it would make send to have all new metal behind it. My fear is the how good are my measurements etc to put the pilar back exactly where it needs to go.

Hard to tell exactly from pics, but I suspect your bracing will be in the way if you are replacing the whole door post. And if just doing the bottom of the door post, I would also brace from floor up to dash, or floor up behind dash to cowl. Whatever it takes so the dash, cowl doesn't sag when you cut out the bottom of the post. Just hard to know what will happen to all the rusty parts when the door post bottom is gone.

I had similar rust and I just did almost the whole body. Only metal remaining original on my body is upper outer quarters of the tub, top of tub, the passenger taillight housing and the doors (which I blasted, rust inhibited and re-skinned). The rest is all new body parts, done in sections. Get one part installed, aligned, then move on is how I did it.

It is a lot of work, but I will say that knowing the body is 100% feels good in the end. I reworked the whole body, had everything lined up, only then removing the body to do the frame.
 

rydog1130

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,019
Rydog I have looked through your build a few times the last few months. We have the same issues, I am hoping I don't have all that rust behind the dash! I am replacing allot a metal like you. I noted you had to shim a bit to get everything to line up? My frame is a mess and it will need to be replaced at some point. My boat is to shim to get everything square and when I move the body to the new frame I should be able to make it work I hope. I think my only big question is the door pilars, how should I proceed? I have all the metal, but my goal was to cut around and only cut off the bottom that is rusted.

Well, looking at your photos it looks like someone had already cut that lower section of the post out and welded a new section in, along with the lower portion of your kick panel. You ordered the complete floor pan right? If so it includes the inner rockers which fit behind where your planning on removing the rust. Its going to be tough but I would put some braces like jafo said under the cowel where the dash mounts down to the transmission hump, anywhere else they will get in the way. Take measurements from the floor to the dash on both sides because once you cut that floor out your going to get sag, its going to happen. I would cut out the lower door post and bad areas of the kick panel. Save the kick panel piece so you can make a template for a new piece to weld back in. Then I would cut out the floor plan, remove it, drop the new pan in, line it up and sink some screws in like I did to attach it to the transmission hump and upper floor boards. Now, this is where you need to check you floor to dash height, I used a body jack from HF, (I bought 2 they def come in hand) to push my dash back up to the correct height, this is when you would tack back in your lower piece of kick panel then zip dome screws in to hold it in place to your inner rockers. Do this on both sides then replace the lower sections of your door post, as long as you don't cut above the hinge mount your probably ok. keep in mind these door post are kind of like a hard taco shell, and they flex a little, you might have to squeeze your piece your replacing together in order to get it to fit right, but just tack it in place to the original door post and use screws into the kick panel until you know everything fits right! good luck!
 
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Jamie Chriss

Jamie Chriss

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2015
Messages
576
Thanks for your advice! I have all new metal: door pilar. kick panel, cowel support, inner fender, fender and radiator/core support. I would like to cut in new metal where I can. I am adding more support metal, I am going to weld in two pieces of metal from bottom of dash to the top of the tranny tunnel. I know some of the supports will need to be reworked. I have a bushel of sheet metal screws to pre-test before welding anything.
 

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kip60

Full Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Messages
238
Not to hijack the thread, but I'm getting ready to dig into my passenger side like this and haven't seen any floor to dash measurements. Have seen the pictures with a,b,c etc. but nothing on passenger side. My driver side on the 70 is 15". The passenger side right now is 15 1/4". Looks like rockers may have been replaced at least once. Are they supposed to be the same ?
 

rydog1130

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,019
Not to hijack the thread, but I'm getting ready to dig into my passenger side like this and haven't seen any floor to dash measurements. Have seen the pictures with a,b,c etc. but nothing on passenger side. My driver side on the 70 is 15". The passenger side right now is 15 1/4". Looks like rockers may have been replaced at least once. Are they supposed to be the same ?

It varies and don't be surprised if your off 1/4" ford had pretty loose tolerances when putting them together. Your measurements may be different but if I recall I removed my dash and measured from the bottom of the cowel to the floor and I believe it was 21.5" it would make sense if you measurement is less because the dash sits closer to the floor
 

JAFO

Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
1,556
Loc.
Beaverdam
Someone sent me these measurements back in 2008 when I was trying to get the door posts in. I used these and mine turned out good.

Dash_Tub_measurements.JPG
 
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Jamie Chriss

Jamie Chriss

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2015
Messages
576
I am starting to put some of the panels back, there is some pitting in areas that won't be seen again once I weld this baby back together. I was planning on hitting the areas with my media blaster and spraying it with epoxy primer, should I instead brush on PORS?
 

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DirtDonk

Contributor
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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
I think either would be fine. In those inner areas I'm sure POR-15 is a perfectly good option. Just don't slop any on the back-side of the door striker post or it'll never be easy to adjust again!;D

Paul
 

rydog1130

Bronco Guru
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Jun 19, 2014
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4,019
I would POR 15 it, follow all the steps, degrease, acid wash, rinse, let dry and paint it! it's out of direct light should last
 
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Jamie Chriss

Jamie Chriss

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Feb 28, 2015
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576
I have be on this beast the last week, what I have discovered is it has very little serious rust problem. I think the Bondo addict caused the most harm, I have stripped all the original paint, Bondo and new paint off the back of the truck. There is allot of pitting on the bed, but the rest of the metal is in good shape.

Question 1: the bed is pitted, how hard is it to remove the bed and replace it with new metal? Keep in mind I am replacing all the exterior sheet metal, I am putting in the entire floor platform kit, so this will be the only area other than the doors that are not either new or in good shape. I admit I have issues removing welds without destroying the support metal next to it. I have all the tools I just suck at it. I was thinking about laying a few coats of POR 15 on the rails, sanding, epoxy primer, primer build coat and paint

Question 2: The new metal, rear quarter, fenders etc that has been factory primed, how should I treat it before putting it back on? I used POR 15 on the inner fender walls and all the crannies, should I prep and POR 15 the back of new metal.

Question 3:paint prep, If I am going with a dark blue should I use a dark epoxy primmer? I think PPG has a dark grey
 

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rydog1130

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Jun 19, 2014
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Your floor pan doesn't look horrible you could 2 things. One, finish stripping everything off, lay a coat down of epoxy primer, and then raptor line it or bed line it. It will look fine and should hold up. 2nd option if you want it to look real nice get a spot weld cutter from harbor freight and remove all the spot welds. You can use a saw zall to cut the portions out close to the square panels near the wheels wells, but don't cut the actual square panels as they have a flange that connects to the lip/flange of the replacement panel, once that's done take out the old bed. Next use an angle grinder to smooth out everything before fitting the replacement panel. The new bed replacement panels look good and fit great, you may have to do some minor tweeking. This shouldn't be to hard to fix and it will be more structurally sound. I would run some braces across your bed just to keep it from moving (it probably wont due to the floor channel supports underneath but better safe than sorry)

Your new quarter I would prime with weld thru primer, fit it, once it fits, tack it in place, epoxy prime it, then either paint it your final color or just lightly scuff the epoxy primer and hit it with raptor or linex for protection from stones and road debris

a lot of guys hate bedliner as its used to hide shoddy work so if you go that route take lots of pictures which you can show in case you decide to sell down the road. Good luck
 
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Jamie Chriss

Jamie Chriss

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Making some progress. One step forward two back, I decided to cut out the rear side extensions and cut through the inner fender, spent an entire day fixing my mess. I am still having problems welding, I keep blowing trough the small pin hole patch jobs..

Next it to epoxy the rear and then start removng the floors.
 

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rydog1130

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that looks good man, before you weld those tailgate post and tailight housings do a test fit with your tailgate. Also, go to harbor freight and get a copper welding spoon, hold it behind the thin spots when welding, it'll help to fill those holes without burning through
 
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Jamie Chriss

Jamie Chriss

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Feb 28, 2015
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After weeks of removing bondo, fill welsing, grinding, welding etc I decided to remove the bed pan, just too much light shinning through. Big waste of time, but I did get some valuable welding time in..
 

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rydog1130

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It's not a waste of time, it may feel like it but you're actually learning something. keep up the good work!
 
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Jamie Chriss

Jamie Chriss

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Feb 28, 2015
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Digging in! I need help planning the platform change out. i am finishing the metal supports under the dash. I have purchased all new kicks and new metal door doner posts, I am either cutting in new metal or if I get some motivation I may change both pilars, hard to find a place to stop.
 

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rydog1130

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post up some pics of your kick panels, getting your doors to fit right after putting in new posts can be really tough, depending on how bad your kick panels might be it may be easier to patch them
 
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Jamie Chriss

Jamie Chriss

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Feb 28, 2015
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576
Another day and another part off the old Bronco. After cutting the lower door pillar off there was just too much rust on the kick and pillar to not replace it all. The truck was in a collision in the past, the kick and inner fender were all twisted up.
 

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bronkenn

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Apr 27, 2017
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Southeast Ohio
Them door post can be quite a challenge. At least you still have the rear post still in. That gives you a good reference point for fitting the door. I like to do one piece at a time so I have those reference points to work with. It does get frustrating sometimes, but a little at a time and it gets done. Ken
 
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