TR2/3/3A Welding in the floor questikns

R

Rubicon

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• Feb 19, 2017

• #1

So days off are coming up again, and since I finished off replacing the sill on the driver side and all is well I'm moving onto the floor. I've got it sitting in the car, almost in the correct location. Now as I get ready to weld it in, I'm coming up with some question for you experts mostly around the trans tunnel/drive shaft tunnel.
I'm gonna be doing a mig weld/spot weld. So the floor get mig to the inner sill ( the floor sit on the indentation on the sill) , and the lip it sits on of the firewall correct. And from there back to the tunnel, does it get migged to the lip it's sitting on, or the side of the tunnel, or both?

Thanks in advance

 

AHS

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• Feb 19, 2017

• #2

PM me with an email address and I'll send some pictures of how I did my floors. I'm not saying it's right, but it worked great. My #1 tip for welding the floor is first make SURE that the car is square - body sitting on the frame, holes lined up in the mounts, the doors shut well, and everything measures square.
Andy

 

charleyf

Luke Skywalker

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• Feb 19, 2017

• #3

Originally the floors were welded to the sills at the top as well as spot welds about midway on the sides of the upright part of the floor onto the sill. If you are mig welding one approach is to drill a hole in the upright part of the floor where it contacts the sill and then fill in that hole with your weld. This a is a common technique to use your mig welder in place of spot welding.
Again originally the floor to tunnel was spot welded from the bottom of the floor to the shelf or flange of the tunnel plus some welds to the top of the floor on the side of the tunnel. I used the same drill a hole technique here to weld the floor to the tunnel flange and again added some welds to the top of the raised part of the floor against the side of the tunnel.
Drilling the holes for these "spot welds" should be done with the floor out of the car.
Charley

 

T

TR4eh

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• Feb 20, 2017

• #4

charleyf said:

Originally the floors were welded to the sills at the top as well as spot welds about midway on the sides of the upright part of the floor onto the sill. If you are mig welding one approach is to drill a hole in the upright part of the floor where it contacts the sill and then fill in that hole with your weld. This a is a common technique to use your mig welder in place of spot welding.
Again originally the floor to tunnel was spot welded from the bottom of the floor to the shelf or flange of the tunnel plus some welds to the top of the floor on the side of the tunnel. I used the same drill a hole technique here to weld the floor to the tunnel flange and again added some welds to the top of the raised part of the floor against the side of the tunnel.
Drilling the holes for these "spot welds" should be done with the floor out of the car.
Charley

Click to expand...

+1 for the plug welding. But you'll get weary of drilling the holes. A tool like this helps tremendously: https://www.harborfreight.com/air-punch-flange-tool-1110.html

No interest/judgment/experience with that particular tool.

Cliff

 

charleyf

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• Feb 20, 2017

• #5

One additional item that I did not previously mention. The weld at the top of the sill and floor in the door opening also picks up the rocker panel . So you are welding all three pieces together at the top.
Charley

 

K

kstanley44

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• Feb 20, 2017

• #6

I just finished floors in my TR3b using the procedure described by Charley. Except for my poor welding skills it seemed to work fine. However I have not finished the welding from the bottom of the floor to the shelf/flange on the trans tunnel. Rather than work on my back I will wait till I can tilt the tub on its side. The floor at the rear footwell slides under of the flange so you can plug weld from above. The needed holes were those left from drilling out the spot welds. I have used the HF punch tool mentioned by cliff. Works fine, at least for 18 ga steel, and gives a decent size hole for plug welding.
Kerry

 

martx-5

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• Feb 21, 2017

• #7

TR4eh said:

+1 for the plug welding. But you'll get weary of drilling the holes. A tool like this helps tremendously: https://www.harborfreight.com/air-punch-flange-tool-1110.html

No interest/judgment/experience with that particular tool.

Cliff

Click to expand...

I have that particular tool, and it works quite well for punching holes and making lap joints if you're so inclined. That said, I found that the holes punched just seemed too small for me to get good plug welds. Might have been (most likely was) my technique, but I did better with larger holes then the punch made. I just enlarged the punched holes slightly with a drill bit, which was still quicker and easier than just drilling all the holes. YMMV.

 

charleyf

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• Feb 21, 2017

• #8

I agree with Art about the holes made with the punch tool being undersized for my welding skills as well.
Kerry ,
when I welded the floor to the tunnel, I put my holes in the floor and welded from above/ inside the car.
i suspect that you are already committed to the method you are using. I preferred the welds to be inside the body rather than on the underside. Plus I could then weld down instead of laying under the body and going overhead. Those welds almost never come out on the pretty side.
Charley

 

OP

R

Rubicon

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #9

Thanks for all the info guys, I got sent out of town on a road trip for work, so I'll be starting to get the floor into place today/tomorrow. Some of where to weld is very self explanatory but with the amount of rust/previous repairs and what I've cut out of the car there is not old spot welds to reweld to.
I'll be doing all the welding from the floor down instead of from under the car as it's easier.

 

T

TR4eh

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #10

One additional thought - if you find the punched holes too small and decide to drill, I would suggest getting a spot weld bit (designed for cutting out spot welds). The brad point keeps the bit from wandering. I bought several double ended bits when I was doing my TR4A and now I think I should have gotten more as an investment. I remember paying $6-7 each, can't find them at that price now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Spot-Weld-...ded-made-in-USA-pilot-point-8mm-/380633928212

And, use a cutting lubricant. I'm partial to Stick-Kut for sheet metal drilling.

Good luck,

Cliff

 

K

kstanley44

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #11

Charley, agreed welding from above in car is preferred. And yes, my plug welds do not come out looking like a factory spot weld!! When I drilled out the spot welds along the trans tunnel I ended up with holes in the tunnel flange, so rather than drill additional holes in floor I figured I would just use these from below. Assuming I get the tub on its side, I'm not going to do it on my back. Maybe I need a 4-post lift!!
Kerry

 

charleyf

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #12

Kerry,
Or another idea is to fill the holes that you made in the tunnel lip. Then you are starting fresh with the holes in the floor and weld from the top. Have you found the copper "spoons" that you can use behind the open hole to help with filling open holes with weld material?
Charley

 

D

DavidApp

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #13

Hello Kerry

This the frame I support my tub on when I have it on its side. I can roll it around to get to both sides.

David

 

K

kstanley44

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #14

Charley,
Thanks for the "spoon" info. I had never heard of or seen them before. The knowledge gained from this forum really will make me dangerous!! I will try that technique. Thanks,

David,
Thanks for the picture. Do you protect the side of tub somehow when tipped on it side. Do not run over the sleeping doggy, seen in picture.

Take care, Kerry

 

D

DavidApp

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #15

Hello Kerry

So far I have not had to protect the sides as I have not sand blasted and painted the tub. The wings are off obviously. When I get to that stage I will have something soft for it to rest on.

That is Sammie laying in the sun. She is my constant companion while I am out in the shop. I have to put a piece of carpet down for her to lay on in the sun. I get reminded when the shadow moves to her spot.

David

 

CJD

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #16

Funny...our dog is black, and he expects his spot in the shade!

Edit:

Also, I would have chimed in earlier on this...but figured if you didn't get the "picture" from my TR2 thread, then I couldn't add much more...

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?102796-Beginning-the-TR2-Bodywork/page9

 

D

DavidApp

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #17

When I get the tub off again and on its side I need to fix the POs work on the floor to tunnel welds. The Tunnel needs some repair work first.

David

 

CJD

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• Feb 22, 2017

• #18

Looks like most of the damage is from bad welding!?!

 

charleyf

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• Feb 23, 2017

• #19

Ouch! The P.O. Must have figured, If you can not see it , it is okay.

I have used two Harbor Freight engine stands with a wood frame between them to mount the body. It was minimally acceptable. I was able to rotate the body and it was reasonably stable .
Charley

 

D

DavidApp

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• Feb 23, 2017

• #20

At some point I think the PO brought his boat building buddies in to help. I have had to remove a lot of fiberglass mat work that was hiding holes in the fire wall and kick panels

There is rust along the floor to rear shelf lip to address as well as the tunnel problems.

I am more confident in my sheet metalwork now than I was when the tub was last on its side.

David