I found this place, Classic 2 Current Fabrication, while searching the 'Bay for parts for my '37 Buick. They were only one place out of two that listed parts for the car. The second place has panels that look exactly like the originals but their prices are about 5-6 more. I don't know much about the company, all I do know is from emailing people who bought their panels on eBay. The few replies I got stated the panels were nice but weren't exactly like originals and might not past a judged restoration, but they fit with a little trimming and the price was right. The image they post on the 'Bay, and on their web site, for the Buick floor didn't resemble the floor of the Buick. They didn't have the correct ribbing stamped into them. I called the company and talked to the owner and he didn't want to send me actuall pictures of the floor panels.

The above being said, today while surfing for truck parts I found their ad for floor pans for '48-52 Ford trucks. I've never seen them before, I think they may be a new item, I don't know. From the image they have posted they look pretty good and the price seems pretty nice, $90 for a one piece, side to side panel:



Ford Pickup Truck Rust Repair Panels - Ford Rust Repair Panels - 1948-52 Ford Pickup Complete Front Floor Pan

EMS also sells this panel but is slightly different and covers a little more area, the area under the front seat bracket, for $155:



1948 -1952 Ford F-1 Truck Front Floor Pan

I would like to know if anyone here has had experience with Classic 2 Current Fabrication .

 

Bob,

The fact that the owner is hesitant about sending pics of the actual part seems a bit fishy to me. What's he trying to hide?

Bobby

 

Bobby,

That's kind of the feeling I got too. I figure it doesn't really cost much to snap a couple of digital pictures and email them, other than a few minutes. I did a search on the HAMB and the few post seem to like their panels, one guy really hated them. (EDIT: I misread the post, the guy who hated the panels was talking about another vendor with similar name) Even the good reviews said they had to messaged to fit, but I doubt any patch panel doesn't. Also, for the price I think they'd be OK. I don't personally buy patch panel because I make my own but if I needed a floor for one of my trucks I think I'd take a chance on theirs. I looked at them for my Buick and if they didn't have the exact strengthening beads in them I didn't' want them. My floors are going to covered with carpet and the car isn't going to be judged so I'll bend up my own. But for some one who doesn't have the time or skill to bend their own this might be a pretty easy way to go.

Hopefully, some one with experience with this place will chime in. The funny thing is places that sell parts should realize that with the internet with boards like this one, and especially with the HAMB, reputations spread quickly. If they are cooperative or give bad service the word will spread in a matter of literally minutes. One little misstep like not wanting to send pictures can look really bad. If I had a business like this I'd set up a file on my computer with detailed images of my products to have them at the ready to email to anyone asking for them.

 

He probably doesn't stock floor pans for a '37 Buick, just makes them up when ordered, so has nothing to take a pic of. I'd be surprised if they are stamped out like original, probably he has the key dimensions and uses smaller presses and die rollers to make something "similar". To tell the truth that EMS piece for our trucks look like it's poorly stamped, yet they have been the "gold standard" for years.

 

I like the idea of having just one piece to repair the floor, there are a few places that offer separate side pieces, which are fine if you're only replacing one bad side, but usually if one side is bad the other side isn't much better. I wish some would get smart and reproduce the toe board, this area rots out just as bad as the main floor. I've never seen a truck with a bad floor that didn't have a rusted out toe board section.

 

Boy, that EMS panel looks like it was made from an original panel that was cut from an original vehicle, dents and all! That's what is called a faithful reproduction! LOL!

 

I gotta agree with Ross on the quality of that EMS part. If I got that in the mail, I would be highly, highly disappointed. If that's the gold standard, I'd hate to see the economy version.

 

I'm not poking fun at anybody here; just making an observation in general, but...

In the big picture, I find it a bit humorous that people get so finicky over replacement parts that are unseen, such as the cab floor. As long as the piece fits in the right places, I don't think it really matters if the pattern is a little different. Even funnier is that the same people who are so concerned about the little differences will lap weld the patch panel in. IMHO, unless somebody is doing a "true" restoration, an exact replica of the original panel is not that big of a deal. We alter so much on these trucks elsewhere, often in the name of safety, that the hidden sheetmetal's appearance should be the least of our concerns.

For those who don't have the tools or ability to make replacement patch panels, it's always nice to have options, even if some of the options are really bad.

Dave

 

I agree about the panel lines etc but that EMS panel looks like it went a few rounds with the shipper and lost. If I received it like that I would have filed a shipping damage claim.