Start of Ol Curt Floor_Rocker work

[ol Curt]

Decided to get going on this project. I have put it off for a year at least blaming it on no welder. Can't use that excuse anymore. I think I can do it, I just worry about getting it all aligned in the end.


Took the seat out tonight....tank tomorrow.






Wow, dad had a lot of holes in there...bet that was drafty!

Are you kidding me? These things had an adjustment for the seat back?

Seat belt fastening hole...passenger

[ATTACH]Hope I can remember where all the springs and clips for the jack and handle go!!

[ol Curt]

Not sure if this mounting spot is correct for the drivers side seat belt?


Hopefully the floor is solid enough I don't have to cut these off and replace them after floor pan sectioning.

This is AFTER I removed all my junk. Found tools I thought I had lost. I thought it was funny when I originally took the fuel tank out and found a mouse nest. I collected a lot of stuff under there in a couple years.

[JoeKan]

That's looking good. You're doing what I'm planning on doing in the Spring time. I just ordered my welder--should be here on Friday. Keep going and thanks for the pictures.

[the lights]

looking good take lots of pics i need to do the same thing.

[Alan's Classic]

Don't sweat it. You'll do great, just take your time. Progress pix required

[protrash64]

Looks like your clutch foot is going to be a lot warmer!!! Also, in case somebody hasnt mentioned it...you can use those galvanized sheets for patches but remove all the coating BEFORE welding....it creates a poisonous gas when heated by the weld.

[MacAttack]

Great detail on the photos - thanks for sharing.

Mac.

[ol Curt]

Should this brace be bent? I didn't really notice it till I started to post pics. If it is supposed to be straight, should I try to straighten, or WHAT?




Front Cab Support(or lack of)



This stuff might be my new best friend for removing bolts


More Floor Exposure


Also, where do I end cutting out old floor pan. I have used a screwdriver to probe and a lot of it is solid.

[ol Curt]

This is the part I'm talking about being bent. I came in and cleaned up, but now it is freaking me out enough to go back out and look at the other side!!

[TimE]

No, it shouldn't be bent. Probably at some point during its work life, a stump or who knows what may have caught it and bent it that way.

I would start out with a BFH and see if I could straighten it but others will probably say that replacement would be best.

[ol Curt]

Yeah, unfortunately, I just came in from seeing the other side is straight. I'm all ears......

I doubt this is a stock item, so I'm guessing I would have to find somebody who would go to the trouble of taking one off. There are no truck bone yards around here.

[TylerHuff]

wow that floor support looks like all of mine. take plenty of pics for me so i have some reference when doing mine

[TimE]

No, unfortunately it's not a stock item. I don't have any extra frames around or I would hook you up.

Lilred probably has one though. I have never purchased from him but he has responded to my pm's with excellent information/pics and seems to be an outstanding guy.

Good luck with it.

[joe231]

i say big hammer for the large adjustments and big crescent wrench for fine tuning.......

[TimE]

Originally Posted by joe231

i say big hammer for the large adjustments and big crescent wrench for fine tuning.......

A man after my own heart!

[ol Curt]

Originally Posted by joe231

i say big hammer for the large adjustments and big crescent wrench for fine tuning.......

Think after getting the weight off it, I should heat it, then bend it, or will that compromise the strength of the metal?

[joe231]

I would just do it cold, it isn't that thick of metal and should be fairly easy to tap back straight. you might even try the big crescent first, might surprise you how easy it is to straighten....

Originally Posted by protrash64

Looks like your clutch foot is going to be a lot warmer!!! Also, in case somebody hasnt mentioned it...you can use those galvanized sheets for patches but remove all the coating BEFORE welding....it creates a poisonous gas when heated by the weld.

Hey Jeff, how do you remove the galvanized coating?

[LILRED66]

ol Curt:

It looks like you are making some good progress. If you decide to go with a replacement, let me know, but I would do as others suggested and straighten it. If it is too stiff, applying some heat will do the trick and will not diminish the integrity enough to make a diffence in its ability to support the cab.

Before cutting out any metal, have your replacement panels on had and use them for a pattern to trace the rough area to be replaced. By doing so, you are not cutting out too much and it is always better to remove too little, rather than too much. After cutting out the areas that can be covered with patch panels, you can determine any areas that will require a custom-fabricated piece. I use the 16-18 gauge sheet metal pieces available at you local "big box" home improvement retailer for my custom-fabricated sheet metal patches. It is clean and ready to be welded. I, personally, stay away from the galvanized sheet metal, due to the reason state above about the toxic fumes created when welding.

Considering the degree of rust damage your cab has to the floor boards, kick panels, rocker panels, cab supports and "A" pillars, I would do some bracing, to ensure alignment.

Good luck and keep us posted of your progress, especially pictures. Great work so far.

[ol Curt]

Going to pick up some 1x1 square tube to brace today. The only thing I hate about the bracing part is it limits your space to work in. I probably need to get the pans ordered before I go further. I'm sure it has been discussed a million times before, but any suggestions on the best quality/fit for those?

Thanks

[ol Curt]

Sounds like I shouldn't go too much further till I have a floor pan in hand. i am thinking of driving up to GMC Pauls on Saturday. They are between me and my son who is in Indianapolis. Have any of you bought from them. I googled their address, but the street it is listed on doesn't show up on the map or satellite of the town of Rockville.

I'm just curious if there is a storefront or if he possibly sells out of his house/garage.

[ol Curt]

Is the cross piece shown inside the red a brace, or was it part of the pan? Somehow, I'm betting the pan piece will end there and I'll have to make something for that.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by ol Curt

Is the cross piece shown inside the red a brace, or was it part of the pan? Somehow, I'm betting the pan piece will end there and I'll have to make something for that.

My pan extended up past that about 2-3". I eliminated the pinch weld that you circled. My driver pan cab mount hole was off about 1/2". The passenger side was better. There are alot of pix in my link in my signature to the photobucket. It it might help. The pix are not in chronological order. Jsut hit the view all then scroll through. Don't cut anything out till you have parts in hand.

[SSWfleetside]

I was just eyeballing my floors and rockers tonight too,
And wondering where the factory put the jack in these years' trucks.
I was looking under the hood though.
Keep us updated with your progress.
-Steve

[joe231]

jack was under the seat on the driver's side...

[ol Curt]

I still have the jack. I hope that portion of the floor is solid enough to keep all those things in place.

Alan,

You mind if I ask where you got the pans?

I have some nice videos I am watching about the process. If I just had that guys plasma cutter!