HOW TO: One piece floor pan install

[jlaird]

This is going to be a thread I update periodically, so try to be patient with me

So...I bought this BEAUTY of a cab up here in the northeast where it like finding a needle in a haystack. Every bit of this cab is mint except the cab supports, and the usual rockers, cab corners, etc. Same ol song and dance. I thought this was a great opportunity to purchase Tri-pros new one piece floor. I ordered the floor, both sets of A and B pillar patches, kickpanel patches, rockers, and cab corners.

The cab is a 68 C-30.


Here are some closeups of the carnage:




I know what your thinking, " that floor looks pretty nice!" Yes, it was, but all the cab supports are gone, so instead of screwing with replacing all those, I got this:





OHHH, isn't she purdy!

So the first step I took was to brace this bad boy up. The more the better I believe. So I put two braces from the rear wall to the firewall, and then tied those together. Then I ran some across the door openings, and tied those together. Lastly, I ran two vertical braces to tie the upper and lower together. Hopefully this will do the trick. Other people I have seen do the floor swap only put the first two braces in from rear wall to firewall and they did not report any issues with movement, so I think I am all set.





After the cab was braced, the first thing I did was remove the rockers. This is the first time I've done any sheet metal work, so I was expecting this was going to be a....well you know. Anyway, the rockers came out real easy! I was pleasantly surprised. The first thing I did was clean off the area to find the spot welds, then I center punched them.

[jlaird]

I got this spot weld remover from harbor freight and was expecting it to be junk, but it actually worked really well.





It popped right off with a little chisel work:



Here it is removed:



After I got both rockers off, I drilled out the spot weld on the firewall lip.



Sometimes it may be hard to find the spot welds. I found that if you take a angle die grinder and lightly hit the area, the spot weld will show up for ya. Also, a little soap and water helps too.



After I got the spot welds drilled out on the firewall, I went in the cab and cleaned out all the factory seam sealer and started to separate the floor and the firewall. I made a slice with an angle grinder about an inch away from the seam. Then removed the remaining piece between the cut and the seam.



Again, this came out really easy. I hope Im not jinxing myself

[jlaird]

Ok, time to do the rear seam. I drilled out the spot welds on the rear of the cab.



So this is as far as I got this weekend. Until next weekend...

[Rokcrln]

No I don't think so, get you lazy butt back out their and give us more!

Looks great so far. I take it the new floor has all the mounts and bracing built in to it? I have thought about doing this same thing on my 70 2WD Blazer but I think by the time it is all done their will not be much factory floor left. But once the DropMember is installed and I see what is going to need to come out for the 5.3 and 4L60E I will keep the idea out their.
I found if you use some form of cutting fluid with those spot weld drillers they will last quite awhile.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

No I don't think so, get you lazy butt back out their and give us more!

Yeah, what the crap, you quitter!

Looks GREAT! For some reason I like threads like this more than the "trucks all done, here it is" threads.

[68 short step]

looking really good......

[jaros44sr]

Nice work, that A post doesn't look to bad, compaired to some of them. Good bracing, the more the better. Thanks for showing that spot weld remover, I thought they cut a big hole thru both pieces of metal, now I gotta get one. Plus Rok's idea of the cutting fluid

Frame looks great, any more pics of it when your post up your progress would be cool

I think that's a steal for 360, compaired to all the work you will save...Subscibed

[jlaird]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Frame looks great, any more pics of it when your post up your progress would be cool

Check my build thread in sig, pics galore in there.

Josh

[woodridge]

Yeah, that's right, just leave us hanging.

[revn67]

i will definitely be checking back with this...i live in the northeast and i have 2 cabs, and one will need a new floor so i was thinking of using the triplus floor panel...looking good so far though!

[jb4short]

Did Chris buy your other cab?

[jlaird]

Originally Posted by Tri-ProAutomotive

Did Chris buy your other cab?

Yes he did. Actually, I GAVE it to him for free! Good guy...

Hey Jon, when will those two pieces on backorder arrive?

Josh

[jb4short]

Originally Posted by jlaird

Yes he did. Actually, I GAVE it to him for free! Good guy...

Hey Jon, when will those two pieces on backorder arrive?

Josh

I'll check- I know one was the 25th.

Did Chris mention what he planned on doing with it? If you see him tell him to come down and do some more bodywork...LOL

[jlaird]

Got a chance to do some more work today. The first thing I did was get the cab on its back. Then I decided to add more bracing. Fore anybody doing this, i would recommend additional bracing as close to the floor as possible. After I got the floor out, the cab is a bit flimsy, but honestly, I think this is going to happen no matter how much bracing you put in. In this pic, you can also see the slice I put in the floor near the rear wall.



Here is the additional bracing I put in the cab from the firewall to the center supports:



I also made use of the threaded holes in these cab supports:



The only thing left to do was remove the spot welds where the outrigger meets the firewall supports:





And shes OUT!



Anybody need a patch?



Thats it for today. Hopefully I will be able to work on it tomorrow.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by jlaird

Anybody need a patch?

Actually, I do!

As long as shipping isn't to $$$ I'd like to get the low hump. I think I need the whole thing, the PO of my truck cut about 3 different holes for shifters in the floor, and the majority of them go all the way to the left of the hump and one is at the top

Let me know, I'm in no hurry, probably won't even get around to it for a couple years, but it would be nice to have it

[rustaddict]

Im liking this one peice floor install and I cant wait to see the finished product. I didnt know a one peice floor was available until just recently. Are the inner rockers part of the assembly? Does it come with the seat mounting holes already in it or do you have to drill your own?

[jb4short]

Originally Posted by rustaddict

Im liking this one peice floor install and I cant wait to see the finished product. I didnt know a one peice floor was available until just recently. Are the inner rockers part of the assembly? Does it come with the seat mounting holes already in it or do you have to drill your own?

The "inner rocker" is actually the "Outer floor" and that area is part of the floor assembly. The seat holes are there along with the nuts welded to the underside.

[72BlckButy]

That thing is coming right along, keep up the good work.

Great idea for a thread too.

[joe231]

that is cool!
looks like an entire floor is the way to go!
any one know if there any plans for a '63-'66 floor?

[jaros44sr]

Nice work, keep it going...I'll try to check out your build thread when I get a minute, kinda busy right now, but thanks for the link

[ERASER5]

Watching closely. I have 2 trucks with bad floors.

[RCbowtie69]

looking good, keep up the hard work, like to see it done, tri pro has a site were they put a floor pan in, not to many picture's of the installation. Keep the pictures coming.

[ERASER5]

TTT. I don't want lose track of this one.

[jlaird]

The floor will be in this weekend. Unfortunately, i am having some problems with the fit of the floor flange at the firewall, particularly at the tranny hump. Theres about a 1/2 gap at the hump. Its too large to hammer. I'm going to have to cut it out and make a new piece. It sucks to have to cut that new floor, but its got to be done. I was thinking about the other people that documented the floor install on this board that didn't have this problem, but there might be a reason for that. msgross has a high hump so he didn't have to match the hump up with the firewall. The other, Tri-Pro, used their new firewall replacement, so again, didn't match up a stock firewall hump to the floor.

Here is the gap:

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by jlaird

The floor will be in this weekend. Unfortunately, i am having some problems with the fit of the floor flange at the firewall, particularly at the tranny hump. Theres about a 1/2 gap at the hump. Its too large to hammer. I'm going to have to cut it out and make a new piece. It sucks to have to cut that new floor, but its got to be done. I was thinking about the other people that documented the floor install on this board that didn't have this problem, but there might be a reason for that. msgross has a high hump so he didn't have to match the hump up with the firewall. The other, Tri-Pro, used their new firewall replacement, so again, didn't match up a stock firewall hump to the floor.

Here is the gap:

IIRC,I also had a 1/2" - 3/4" gap, I jacked the hump down in the center, using the bracing as a jack point, with pcs. of 2x4's, and using large C clamps to move it where I wanted it. Start in the center and work the metal into the area you want it. I wouldn't cut it yet, until you have exhausted all other options. I did have a problem in the area you are referring to, but I was able to move it into a workable solution

Here's some pics