Another Question from a Newbie just starting. (Sorry for so many questions).

Does anybody have or taken any pics of the framing (the 'box' or 'U-body framing', or 'torque boxes', if that's what they're called) under the floor pans before they replaced their floor pans?

I have to do some serious repair to the framing members before installing new floor pans. It appears the some (at the least) of the frame 'box' members (if that's what you call them) under the floor are seriously rusted, rusted through, just rusted away completely.

If no one has any pics, I found a "Body Assy. Manual" available, but I don't know if it's gonna tell me what I need to know; where the frame members are, how far they extend, etc. The description of the manual says "...original Ford trim parts instruction drawings..."

Does anybody know what the "Body Assy. Manual" really shows (more that trim?)

I was hoping, hoping somebody might have some photos, information, or something could point me to a source that would help?

Today I removed the seats, pulled up the carpet, and was more than shocked. The entire floor is basically gonefrom 1/2-way up the toesboards all the way back to the rear of the passenger compartment; one of the previous owners just screwed sheetmetal across the entire floor area and gooped a lot of what looks like roofing tar under, over and around everything. When I say the 'entire floor' I mean the drive tunnel as well...

Stuck big time...

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Regards,
Charlie
'63, with a lotta work need!

 

hhhmmmmmmm, sounds like you might need a donor for that one!

you might be able to find something from macs, dearborn classics, northwest classic falcon, or a few of the others.

have you considored finding another body? sounds like that might be the easiest thing to do.

 

If the Body Assembly Manual has any details or info of the understructure, besides just "...original Ford trim parts instruction drawings..." (which is the only description for the manual that I can find), I should be alright.

The car is pretty solid and rust free, except for the floors, and I see there are replacement floor pans available. I just wanna be sure I have the structual torsion frame underneath 'correct' before I put in the replacement floor pans.

If anybody has one of those Body Assembly Manuals, lemme know if it has any info similar to what I'm looking for and I'll order one ASAP -

If there's no objection, maybe I'll post this anew with a title 'Body Assembly Manual General Contents' and see if that helps get anymore responses.

--------------------
Regards,
Charlie
'63, with a lotta work need!

 

I am refurbishing a 62 econoline van, and it had a bad case of cancer eating the floor out from under the drivers seat, fender wellos and floor.

I took a die grinder with a new cutting wheel and cut the whole floor assembly out from half way down the sides of the engine box to the bottom of the gas pedal. The "U" channel frame member is spot welded to the floor from the bottom and does not extend past the gas pedal.

I found significant rust on these members, so I just cut them out and fabricated new ones alonf with new floor support members and new floor panels cut from sixteeg gauge steel sheet. It is better than the fgactory setup and will be undercoated when finished.

If you have the equipment to do the same to your ride, then you will not need expensive replacement floor pans or manuals. I have never done this before, but the job is turning out just fine. Maybe you can do the same.

 

Charlie I think I can help. I have some Falcon manuals that show the body assembly. My Ranchero has had the floor replaced by the PO from the front of the seat to the rear shock crossmember. It was fabricated out of heavy gauge sheet metal. If your rocker panels (bottom of door openings) are still intact it can be saved. If you need some pics I can take some of my sons Falcon that has no rust so you can get an idea of what is supposed to be there.

 

That would help alot.
I ordered and have received replacement floor pans for both sides, and think I understand how they go in.

What is missing in those pans (because they are for 'sedans' is the section that curves up to the very back of the passenger compartment.

By looking at the Body Assembly Manual, I think I have a good idea of what the torque boxes should be, and they look to be all there. What confused me was all the angle iron a previous owner had bolted in to support his attempt at patching the floor.

 

The rocker panels are made up of several overlapping layers to make it act as a frame rail. the original floor pan stamping extends to the seem under the doorsill plate. the replacement pans come up to the edge of the rocker panel and you usually don't have anything to attatch it to. The floor rots out along the rocker panel edges. Welding a piece of angle iron to the inside of the rocker panel gives you a ledge to lay the floor pan on and attatch to. I'll post some pics of my Ranchero and Falcon to show what I'm talking about if you need. Rich.

 

I thought I had a '63, but have now concluded it's a '60 that had an accident on the left front, hence a '60 serial number on the door, and a '63 grill and a '63 left front fender that has a '63 serial number.

In this '60, the floor pan wraps up about 1/2 - 1" over those several layers of rocker panels, and are spot welded to them. The replacements also have about a 1/2" 90 degree bend on the outside, so my guess is I only need to cut those spot welds to get the new floor pans in.

The only two problems I see is the floorpan to tunnel and the shortness of the replacements pans behind the seats, where in curves to and contines to the back of the cab.

My welding skills are not what they should be, (especially with butt welds to 19 ga sheet metal) so my thought was to go to a sheetmetal shop and get them to make two panels for me that have a small bend at one end to slightly overlap the two pieces (I don't have a way to make a bend anyway).

What I was hoping for was a pic of the area behind the seats.

I'll also have to figure out where the seats mount, and the seat belts. This thing came with bucket seats, and I think originally the '60 was only offered with a bench seat.

Regards,
Charlie

 

The 60,61s had a different front fender than the 62,63s everything else is the same. I think they all had the same floor. I know the rancheros I've looked at look the same as my sons 2dr as far as the floor goes. The ranchero just attatches the rear cab wall to the floor were it curves up at the front of the rear seat. What kind of seat are you going to use. I would recomend going with a 3 point shoulder type seat belt.

 

I guess then I still don't know definitively what year this is. I was gonna use the bucket seats that were already there; I'd like a bench seat, but there no way I'm gonna find one here in Asheville.

You're right, the 3 point seat belt would be best; I'll have to see where on the cab to mount the top.

First is to get seats in, and I'll have to play around with trying to determine how far from the rear cab wall they are bolted.

Charlie

 

The bench seat is the same as the falcon 2dr. I have one thats been redone in brown vinyl/leather then spray dyed black. It's heavy feels like 100#. I put a middle row bench out of an Aerostar in my unibody. Had to change the base but it fits niceley. I'm using the seats out of a 98 Chrysler LHS for my sons falcon very nice leather 6 way power and they bolt in with only some minor modifications.

 

Thanks.
It sound like a number of different (and easier to find) bench seats will work.

Charlie

 

I have the '63 body assembly manual and it shows several drawings of the floor area. Not real close-up, but detailed enough to get a general idea of how things go together. I also have a 63 ranchero, and my brother has a 63-four door sedan. We also had a 60 or 61 parts station wagon years ago and as far as I know, the floors are the same for all of them. The plate that is screwed down in the front of the ranchero bed, actually just flattens out the floor where the rear seats would be in a 4-door station wagon. I was curious and had to remove it just to see what was under it. The only difference is behind that panel, either a flat floor for rancheros, station wagons,a dn sedan deliveries, or the trunk floor for all other models. The ranchero and stationwagons are very similar in construction.

As for finding the year, the VIN number is stamped into the inner fender or firewall on the drivers side inside the engine compartment. It might be covered by a few layers of paint and might need wire-brushed to see well, but it is there. It was stamped from the factory to make sure the vin would stay with the car if the door was removed or damaged. I can't quite remember exactly, but I think the number is on the side of the inner fender right around the shock mounting location on the drivers side. I found the number on all three of my and my borther's falcons. It will give you a definate year for the main car and should match the original title.

 

I have the '63 body assembly manual and it shows several drawings of the floor area. Not real close-up, but detailed enough to get a general idea of how things go together. I also have a 63 ranchero, and my brother has a 63-four door sedan. We also had a 60 or 61 parts station wagon years ago and as far as I know, the floors are the same for all of them. The plate that is screwed down in the front of the ranchero bed, actually just flattens out the floor where the rear seats would be in a 4-door station wagon. I was curious and had to remove it just to see what was under it. The only difference is behind that panel, either a flat floor for rancheros, station wagons,a dn sedan deliveries, or the trunk floor for all other models. The ranchero and stationwagons are very similar in construction.

As for finding the year, the VIN number is stamped into the inner fender or firewall on the drivers side inside the engine compartment. It might be covered by a few layers of paint and might need wire-brushed to see well, but it is there. It was stamped from the factory to make sure the vin would stay with the car if the door was removed or damaged. I can't quite remember exactly, but I think the number is on the side of the inner fender right around the shock mounting location on the drivers side. I found the number on all three of my and my borther's falcons. It will give you a definate year for the main car and should match the original title. The number is NOT on the part of the fender that is removable, it is on the part of the inner fender structure that forms the engine compartment. Even if you remove all front sheetmetal and the doors, the number will still be on the part of the car that is all welded together to form the frame and unibody structure of the car.