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My '66 needs new floor pans, so I ordered a set. Went to start cutting out the old ones and hit a snag. Welded to the back of the floor pans are a series of panels, presumably one function is to add rigidity, but one of them also happens to be where the cab mount is. I'm not sure how to go about welding in these new pans without having to completely cut apart and redo that section of the cab unless I chop off about half of the new pan. I'd have to cut this off where it begins to kick up towards the back. Where the hole ends right is where the panels on the back begin.
You don't have to use the whole pan cut it to match what you need if the floor looks good there ,also I use a die grinder and a diamond cutter bit and grind the spot welds and a chisel and separate the pieces takes time but it's free if your doing it
Yes, cut out the bad and cut the new to fit, then tack weld it in every two or three inches so you don't get too much distortion and then go back and tack in between and then you can begin to lay a bead. Make sure you cut it far enough back so you have as little of compromised metal as you can, rusted metal just evaporates when you weld it. Take your time and you'll learn a lot and be a happy camper when you're done. You can also use the pieces that you cut off as patch pieces for other areas.
Cheers
Young man it appears in your photo's that the cab mounts are in need of replacement also. And that is the structure that you are cutting into. If you replace the floor pan with the cab on the frame and you don't intend to replace the cab mounts you will have to locate all the spot welds that are in the floor pan that attach the cab mount to it and drill them out leaving the cab mount intact.
By far the easiest way to replace all those parts is to strip the cab, remove it from the frame and sit it on it's back.
If you are doing a quick patch, method isn't really important, but if you are trying to do it right, then you do want to remove the cab. It is a lot easier to do all of those repairs off the frame. Taking the cab off is a lot easier than it sounds. And you will get a much better look at your needed repairs. You'll also be welding with better light and better angle.
Also keep in mind, you do not want to overlap sheet metal. butt seam everything. As for removing spot welds, you can buy a spot weld bit at any good parts store, or online. It removes the spot weld and gives you a hole to re-weld when you assemble.
Thanks Crop Duster, I hadn't realized that the cab mounts needed replacing until I went back and took a good look at the pictures I posted here. Right about now I'm wishing I had a second set of hands to help me with all this. I assume the easiest way would be to take off the bed panels, front fender panels, strip everything under the dash and then just tip the cab backwards while still on the frame?
Thanks Eric, that's true, I guess I need to decide how much I want to do it right and how I much I just want to get it on the road. It would be a LOT easier to do all of the cab repairs with it on its back..
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