order of floor pan install

[pound41]

Hello: I have looked at all the builds that are out there. A lot of great work.
I began installing the floor pans on my 70 blazer 6 years ago. Long story of having kids etc. anyway I have the A and B pillars fitted. kick panel and inner rocker are ready
I have looked at so many different threads my head is spinning. Don't want to make a mistake.
What is the order in which I start tacking and then welding
Thanks

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by pound41

Hello: I have looked at all the builds that are out there. A lot of great work.
I began installing the floor pans on my 70 blazer 6 years ago. Long story of having kids etc. anyway I have the A and B pillars fitted. kick panel and inner rocker are ready
I have looked at so many different threads my head is spinning. Don't want to make a mistake.
What is the order in which I start tacking and then welding
Thanks

Got pics! It will be easier to follow along. Kick panel is eastist fitted before the a post, floor panel first, then work yourway out.

b post is another story, that junction area has about 5 patches involved, clearly my most challenging area

Make sure you get the a post patch clocked correctly, if not, it will interfere with the outside rocker. Tack everything, check your door gaps, then weld some and check your gaps again. Heat tends to move the metal a bit....good luck, and keep us posted with lots of pics

[pound41]

Jaros:
Thanks for the words. I actually started tearing this blazer apart the same time you started on yours. Got so busy just now getting back to it. My oldest son will be 16 next year and it will be his first ride. I have most everything fitted. Its a weird blazer rust wise. I have owned several 70-72s. had normal rocker kick panel rust. Had bad rust where the front of the seat would set on the hump. And bad holes and deep pitting
on the flat part behind the seat. The B pillar/lower quarter almost perfect. That is why I cut out most of the pan. Figured one large piece would be better. Other side is not as bad but needs work. I will get some pics

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by pound41

Jaros:
Thanks for the words. I actually started tearing this blazer apart the same time you started on yours. Got so busy just now getting back to it. My oldest son will be 16 next year and it will be his first ride. I have most everything fitted. Its a weird blazer rust wise. I have owned several 70-72s. had normal rocker kick panel rust. Had bad rust where the front of the seat would set on the hump. And bad holes and deep pitting
on the flat part behind the seat. The B pillar/lower quarter almost perfect. That is why I cut out most of the pan. Figured one large piece would be better. Other side is not as bad but needs work. I will get some pics

That seems to be the worst area for rust, no patch panels! I really think i should have went with the full floor, less welding and fitting. I put one in tri-pros trucks for them and it was a piece of cake, compared to the patch panels

Is your son into trucks? Family before projects, seems to fit my build

[pound41]

Yes I have a blazer floor pan that is probably 85-good. Front edge was cut off. Bought it from a guy in PA for my 71 blazer. I almost thought of getting a pickup front pan and using the blazer pan to line up and cut the back of the truck pan and bend the lip that welds to the knee wall. I dont have a garage to work in and got afraid. The 70 blazer will be good welding experience. I will try the complete front pan on my 71. If it works I will start putting complete front pans in blazer. My oldest son has always like cars. He is a very good 3 sport athlete so he spends a lot of time on that. My father who owned a gas station passed away a few years back. He left me mulitple cars on top of what I already have. All needing work. He has a 76 stepside 454/400 he special ordered. My son and I have been working on that and I have let him drive it around my Mom's property. When I was 15 My dad told me I could have just about any car I wanted. He had a friend who had a 72 blazer and I loved it. So it came down to a 71 blazer and a dodge ramcharger with a 440 in it. I choose the blazer. we painted it put a lift under it and 33X12.50s on it
I had 2 of the largest house speakers made inside a 150watt equalizer and a soft top. Needless to say everyone started getting jeeps and broncos. My son has heard my friends talk about those days in the blazer. So he wants it.
Most of the kids at his high school drive better cars than me. So it will be interesting to see what happens when the 70 blazer drives in.

[red71cheyenne]

Just a for what its worth, before you cut anything out, measure your door openings and write it down somewhere you won't forget. That way when you put the firewall back where it goes, your door gaps are close to right. I did not do this and am going to have to cut everything loose from the firewall and floor boards to get it lined back up. As it sits right now, I can't get the cowl panel on due to the differences in the right and left sides. It also affects the hood closing gaps.

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by red71cheyenne

Just a for what its worth, before you cut anything out, measure your door openings and write it down somewhere you won't forget. That way when you put the firewall back where it goes, your door gaps are close to right. I did not do this and am going to have to cut everything loose from the firewall and floor boards to get it lined back up. As it sits right now, I can't get the cowl panel on due to the differences in the right and left sides. It also affects the hood closing gaps.

Red, that sucks, let us know how it turns out

X2,i agree! I didnt have my fenders and hood, grille on, but got lucky and it seems things are lining up. Also, i did mine with the top off and no bracing, but i only did one side at a time. Mine was so rusted out, it didnt matter...torsion boxes werent even there! So, i just started at ground zero, and made sure the doors opened and closed

Good story Pound. Do you have any of your fathers tools

[red71cheyenne]

Ya, I tore mine down to parade rest before looking on the board here for any tips. Hindsight you know. Glad yours went back together well and lines up well.

Pound, it sounds like yours is already torn apart, so you may be in the same boat as I am. Just get some measurements from someone here and remember those when it comes time for reassembly.

[pound41]

Red: The gaps of my 70 werent good to begin with
everything line up and closed. They were too big.
PO did a hack job putting rockers on. Even took the time to make nice fiberglass patches for the floor. What will save me is my 71 blazer I've had since 81. I am the second owner. Its a rust bucket too. But the body line/gaps are perfect. The doors close great. Top is holding it all together. I will get my measurements from it.

[72gmcshorty]

if you search under my name, i asked the same question in another thread and did get answers with pics. Search for "patch panel order" or some combination of those words

[turp mcspray]

Regardless of the order you choose, don't weld anything, untill ALL of your parts have been fitted together. (with screws etc.) Then if your doors, or anything else doesn't fit, you can make adjustments. The less experience you have, the more important this is. There is a FAR GREATER chance that things won't fit perfect, than that they will!