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Hey Pokee,
Let's see pics of the truck you are looking to purchase. You might get some additional thoughts on things to consider.
We replaced our floorboards on our '50. We initially tried some panels from LMC - the fit just wasn't that close. We ended up using sheet metal (I had a lot of help). There also is a member on here that makes a lot of patch panels for the '48-'50 trucks. We used Reamer's patches throughout our cab.
The warning about the bracing is one to follow. We didn't brace our's well enough & then had to use hydraulic rams to get the cab doors back into the right position. The floors add stability/structure to these old cabs. Easier to patch what you have than to replace the entire floor.
Good luck over there. Show us what you are looking at when you get a chance.
The mistake that I made on the floorpan was not buying entire floorpan in a single assembly (Complete Floor Pan Assembly | Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts). It is more expensive but I think that you end up with a better end result. I kept finding surprises under the crud.
If you provide some pictures we might be able to help more.
What is the old saying, you snooze you loose. The truck I was looking at sold while I was trying to figure out how I could get it transported. I do not think I will find another one for $800.
What is the old saying, you snooze you loose. The truck I was looking at sold while I was trying to figure out how I could get it transported. I do not think I will find another one for $800.
I used Uship.com to get my truck here from Chicago. It was cheaper than if I went over and picked it up. Quick and easy. Next time you might want to try them.
Very rarely is an inexpensive truck a good deal/purchase. There is truism in this hobby:
A safe running drivable truck is going to cost 15-20K (depends on how much work you can do yourself which end of that amount you will spend), it doesn't matter if you start with a sound, solid, running one for 10K+ or a total rust bucket/basket case for <1K. The difference is how long/how much work it will take to put it on the road. The former might take 0- 12 months to get on the road with minimal skills and additional outlay. The latter will likely take many years of highly skilled work, a lot of tools and equipment, and dedicated work space to see the road again (if it ever does). The fact that you are asking how to replace a floor tells me you are likely low on skills/experience, and that truck was likely to need a lot of other body work. Body work is the most difficult/expensive part of a build, and the F series especially so since there is a scarcity of ready made repair panels and replacement parts made for it. If you really want to get into this hobby, I highly suggest saving up your money and buy the very best example you can find, not the cheapest.
Very rarely is an inexpensive truck a good deal/purchase. There is truism in this hobby:
A safe running drivable truck is going to cost 15-20K (depends on how much work you can do yourself which end of that amount you will spend), it doesn't matter if you start with a sound, solid, running one for 10K+ or a total rust bucket/basket case for <1K. The difference is how long/how much work it will take to put it on the road. The former might take 0- 12 months to get on the road with minimal skills and additional outlay. The latter will likely take many years of highly skilled work, a lot of tools and equipment, and dedicated work space to see the road again (if it ever does). The fact that you are asking how to replace a floor tells me you are likely low on skills/experience, and that truck was likely to need a lot of other body work. Body work is the most difficult/expensive part of a build, and the F series especially so since there is a scarcity of ready made repair panels and replacement parts made for it. If you really want to get into this hobby, I highly suggest saving up your money and buy the very best example you can find, not the cheapest.
Didn't you buy the very best about 12 years ago? With all the skills you say you have I'm very surprized your panel isn't on the road.
When I asked the question about floor panel replacement articles, this was for my interest in gaining more knowledge about auto body work. No, I'm not a beginner working on vehicles. At 65 years old, I have had a few. I got some good responses from some of you and I appreciate it. By posting questions like this, I believe it will help others who read this forum. I could go out and buy a $30,000 48 F1 that someone has built the way they wanted it and just start driving it around. Personally that would take the fun out of it for me. I would like to build the truck the way I want it and know for sure what has been done to it. I owned a 48 F2 in the early 80's that I rebuilt the engine and brake system and drove it to work everyday for six years before selling it. I have cut out patch panels for a chevy pickup bed and welded them in, they turned out just fine. Now that I'm retired, I was looking for a retirement project to go with my other hobbies of wood working and model railroading. Thank you for listening.
Didn't you buy the very best about 12 years ago? With all the skills you say you have I'm very surprized your panel isn't on the road.
It's not a matter of skills keeping my panel off the road. Since for some reason you found it necessary to call me out publicly, and question my skills, I'll answer you publicly:
First, The truck was bought as a present from my then wife, from a small inheritance she received and at the time I didn't even have a place to store or work on it except in my backyard. She also contributed a portion of the cost to put up a garage workshop, that took nearly a year to find a contractor willing to work at a reasonable rate during the then major local building boom and complete the shell. I finished it all out from there.
Second, at that time My wife and I were spending about 50 -60 hrs a week operating our own very successful retail fine jewelry custom design and manufacturing business/store and racing SCCA autocross at the top national level 30 or more events a season all over the country, as well as scuba diving in Mexico, Jamaica and Thailand several times a year. Since we had bought a new pickup tow vehicle to tow our enclosed race car trailer (which I had also upfitted with custom built overhead tire rack, tool cabinets and counter top, full interior 115 and 12V wiring/lights, air compressor, AC/DC refrigerator, generator, RV AC unit, and much more). The panel truck was not a priority project although I did do a lot of work on it when I could find the time as I have documented in my gallery and many posts.
Fourth The day after Xmas 2009 I was admitted to the hospital with sudden onset heart failure due to stress induced AFib. I stayed there for 2 weeks while they got my heart rate under control and tried to (unsuccessfully) convert my irregular heat rhythm. Since I had already reached retirement age and had been financially planning for retirement We decided that I should retire and close the business. Between my SS and my wife's (12 years my jr) promise to take a job we would be able to continue the important parts of our lifestyle, and I would finally have time to devote to personal interests/projects, including the panel truck. After recovering my strength and getting cleared by my cardiologist I was able to start racing again and started working on the panel in earnest as well as working part time teaching Mig welding and wood working.
Fifth, about a year later I discovered my wife had run us >120K in CC debt she had been hiding from me. I liquidated 60K in assets to pay down a major part of the debt to try to bring it to a manageable level and cancelled all the CCs. A short time later I woke up one AM to a dear John letter saying she had left for someone else. (and she had cleaned out all the remaining money including the previous 3 months of my SS she was supposed to have paid bills with.
I of course had to hire a divorce attorney. He advised me not to do any more work on anything until after the settlement was finalized, so everything came to a halt including my PT work.
I found out she had stolen a lot more of our assets (which I could not prove, the woman is given all the benefits of any doubts) and this is a equal distribution state so she was entitled to 1/2 of everything that was left. Basically she got the elevator and I got the shaft! I am trying to recover from that major unexpected setback.
I now have only my 1300/mo SS payment as my entire income. I've tried to get a job, but in this economy no one is interested in hiring a 70 year old guy with a heart condition and severe osteoarthritis in both knees (the dr wants to do a double replacement but I can't afford it). The knees make it very painful to get up and down from a low stool or the floor, stand/walk for any length of time, or climb stairs, so there has not been any money to put into the truck, nor any major incentive.
I do take offense at your snide questioning my skills though, I think my posts, The help I've given and continue to give to others nearby and recent rust repair workshop speaks volumes about my skills!
Ok - Who poked the bear? (That's what we call it when one of my girls
messes with their mom too early in the morning).
Hang in there Ax. I've got Afib as well - it blows.
You are a solid member on here helping others.
Where were we - oh yeah - talking about floor boards.
Personally patching them is pretty straight forward - replacing them entirely - I'd look for a better starting place.
It's hard to keep the integrity of the cab shape - especially the doors.
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