TR4/4A Floor pan replacement

[Zitch]

TR4 Floor pan replacement and Rocker repair

Hello,

I'm starting to replace my driver side floor pan and I'm looking for some advice.

The car - 63 Tr4 Ct16XXX

The Status -
The Drivers (left) side floor has some rust holes and has some previous Fiberglass fixes. The outer Rocker looks as if it has been replaced but is dented now (someone jacked on it) and the inner rocker looks good. The toe rocker has fiberglass too. It's time to replace.

I somewhat understand the process of replacing floorpans, I think.

Cut out the old and weld in the new. Prime, paint and put back the interior.

My question -

Along the transmission Tunnel of the Floor pan where there are captive nuts to hold the plastic trans tunnel how would you cut the old pan? Leave the nuts or try to replace? The rust is not affecting that part of the pan. And it looks as if the new pan does not have the channel of nuts.

What I'm working with ....

Holes and fiberglass

Inner rocker... I see the spot welds that need to come out

Would I need to cut on the Red line to leave the captive nut channel for the Transmission cover?

Looks like my transmission is leaking from the Top, Maybe the selector shaft 'O' rings?

I purchased the Ebay $115 floor pan for the replacement. Lets see how good or bad it is.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/142003935196?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

from Classic parts 4 u

 

[TomMull]

I don't think it's a good idea to cut along the red line; there will be little left to hold the shape. I think there is only that one supplier who does not put on the cage nuts. A better solution would be to spot or plug weld some cage nuts and cages onto your new floor.
Also note that the new floor will not fit into the car with the body on. Not a big deal but it does require a little cutting of the new floor.
Tom

 

[Zitch]

I got the Ebay floor today,


It is pretty heavy gauge(18 or 20) steel with a primer on it. The floor looks to be hand made with a machine for either tr6 or tr4, no holes cut in the rear for the TR4, Guess I'll be doing that. But it was $118 shipped. it does not have the channel for the cover, So We'll see.


The is my first rodeo on putting in a floor I have Hobart Mig 140 I'll keep you posted.

 

[KVH]

What kind of sander is that? I have a floor pan in one of my cars that has some rust I need to sand away. If I end up with holes I'll not be happy.

Also, where are those tack welds on the inner rocker you say you need to remove?

 

[Brinkerhoff]

That being the case with the panel you have, you'd cut the old panel off leaving a 1 inch edge inboard of the gearbox edge then you would overlap the new panel on and plug weld.

 

[Zitch]

That's just a dewalt angle grinder with a 120 grit flap disk on it.

On the 2nd picture you can see the spot welds on the bare steel, the dots.

 

[KVH]

That's just a dewalt angle grinder with a 120 grit flap disk on it.

On the 2nd picture you can see the spot welds on the bare steel, the dots.

The flap disk won't cut into the steel too fast? And those spot weld dots, how will you release those? Also, those four bolts--I'm wondering if they're be frozen in there.

 

[Zitch]

I am new to this process. I work in the IT industry and body work and restorations are a new hobby I'm trying to learn.

However I've read to release the spot welds I would use a drill bit or spot weld bit. Not sure on the bolts yet. They have quite a bit of pink primer on them. Need to look at them from under.

 

[Zitch]

Removing the fiberglass with a Heat Gun has worked well without the dust of the wirewheel.

Behind the Driver seat area

And the front...

And from under...

 

[CJD]

You learn to cringe when you start pealing up glass. It's always a surprise, and never a good one! I rate the experience up there with hitting your thumb square with a hammer.

 

[Zitch]

do I yank the Body?.....hmm.....

 

[KVH]

I'm wondering, if it were me, if I just wouldn't call a pro welder and have him (or "her," must be fair even on Father's Day) do it and absorb the cost. I'm not in your situation because mine are just pin holes or slightly larger, and I've decided Kitty Hair should work. But i've also got a friend who will drive over here, cut my floor out and weld a new one it any day I want. I just don't have the nerve to ask, or the feeling it's necessary. Yours may be necessary if I'm seeing those pictures correctly.

 

[Zitch]

So I sent back the Ebay floor and decided to do the complete floor replacement with one from TRF. It was about twice the cost but...

- Differences

-EBAY floor (paid $118 shipped) (cost me $23 to send back)
- hand made
- Good for patches
- no channel for trans tunnel
- no paint just primed
- no captive nuts for seat or transtunnel
- thickness good
- Rear holes for Tr6 not tr4

- Heritage floor (from TRF paid $239+discount)
- Captive nuts (tunnel and seats rails)
- Channel for trans tunnel cover
- Painted pretty thick
- Machine made
- rear holes for TR6 not tr4
- metal thickness about the same with paint (20 or 18 gauge)

 

[Zitch]

So moving along....

Doing some more assessment of what I have and the condition of rocker and fenders.

So I decided to take off the left side front fender to see what's under there....

Remove the door same bolt...

Then the 3 bottom fender bolts, little bent....

and what was under it...

remove the top fender

two bolts all the way down...

The 3 bolts in the back of the front fender they are bolted through the A pillar remove these.... if not stripped

This one was missing...

And the Fender comes off......

The A pillar on under the fender looks OK better than I expected.

And a bunch of seam sealer in the rocker....

I don't think the outer rockers are even with the Fenders they look a little shallow.

Also the Front grill does not sit flush with the upper valence panel that holds the headlights (quite out of wack)

Not sure how to fix that....

 

[jimstr4]

TRF's floorpans are probably Heritage floorpans. I got mine from Moss Europe, they were more expensive but so well made with all the nuts etc that it saved alot of money. The inner and outer rockers were also very well made. I have to say that TRF are great to deal with, I ring them from New Zealand order the parts and they arrive the next week and the freight is very very reasonable.

 

[charleyf]

It looks like your new panel does not have the raised edge for the transmission tunnel/cover to sit on. That edge is the one that should have the caged or welded nuts on the underside. My experience is that you pay a bit less for such a panel and do a whole lot more to make it fit. So you will need to make up for the raised portion of the floor to make the tunnel fit properly. A bad fit will allow heat and engine smells to get into the cockpit.
Yes, drilling out the spot welds is the way to go. You can use either a special bit for that purpose or just a good nitrated bit as the welds are extra hard and will shortly dull a regular bit.
On a TR3 I only had to loosen the body from the frame to be able to work a new floor panel in place. But that was loosening both sides of the body from the frame. Doable but very difficult. You need a lot of patience.
Charley

 

[Zitch]

I sent back the Ebay floor panel (Grey) and bought a heritage panel (black)from TRF. It has the correct channel

 

[malbaby]

I think you have a larger problem than you may imagine. There is a lot of rusted out areas.
IMHO take the body off and replace all the rusted areas with new metal....or just fibreglass over the holes and forget the rust.

 

[Zitch]

I don't think it's as bad as you may think. The car is dusty... and a little dirty. The top screw holes are solid.

As a whole the inner fender is pretty solid. Little surface rust but not too much through rust. I may pull the body and replace/patch what I find.

The upper valence I hear is not easy to replace and align