My rust-free convertible turns out to have some holes in the rear floor. Also some damage in the seat well where it underlaps. Are floor panels the same between coupes and convertibles? Also if anyone bought a passenger floor pan and only used the forward section I'd be interested in buying the aft section (seat well area)
1970 is different than 1971
Challenger is different than Barracuda
but
convertible IS the same as hardtop/coupe
Something to think about....... the rear footwells were made of a much stronger steel than the rest of the floor pans and the reproductions are made of a soft metal.
Being a convertible it may be better to keep your originals if they only have a couple bad spots and the welded seams are solid........ a good metal guy should be able to weld in patches and make them look like they haven't been repaired.
Quote from: mk on September 24, 2022, 12:19:27 PM
Something to think about....... the rear footwells were made of a much stronger steel than the rest of the floor pans and the reproductions are made of a soft metal.
Being a convertible it may be better to keep your originals if they only have a couple bad spots and the welded seams are solid........ a good metal guy should be able to weld in patches and make them look like they haven't been repaired.
Interesting, I have never heard that before, what would the purpose be of stronger floors only in the rear ?
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Interesting, I have never heard that before, what would the purpose be of stronger floors only in the rear ?
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It's true....... ask your metal guy.
Cut a strip out of an old rear footwell and a front floor pan and try to bend them........ same thickness but the rear footwell metal is waaaay tougher to bend.
I wouldn't want anything with less strength in a convertible.
Same gauge steel, but tougher to bend.....I'll have to give that a try :twothumbsup:
Ive not heard that before either. Like the rear metal is harder than the front? I still want to replace the panel bu to know some of the repop panels out there feel like they're still in an annealed state and never went thru heat treating LOL
Quote from: miketyler on September 24, 2022, 06:36:23 PM
Ive not heard that before either. Like the rear metal is harder than the front? I still want to replace the panel bu to know some of the repop panels out there feel like they're still in an annealed state and never went thru heat treating LOL
Yes the repop panels are quite soft.
If you replace your rear footwell check it out for yourself and keep us posted.
I have found the original rear footwells are waaaay stronger metal.
Will do. Leaning towards panel change as water has sat in the recesses and think there are other thin spots. I have plans to do a Hellcat conversion and dont want to patch anything unless I'm sure the rest is good to go.
Quote from: miketyler on September 24, 2022, 10:10:16 PM
Will do. Leaning towards panel change as water has sat in the recesses and think there are other thin spots. I have plans to do a Hellcat conversion and dont want to patch anything unless I'm sure the rest is good to go.
Are you going to add any under body stiffeners? I decided not to do that on my vert because I wanted it to look mostly original but I could see where they would be of great benefit.
Yes, I absolutely plan to just not sure what kit I'm going with. A little curious how some of those guys slide in 2x4 steel channel into the rocker. I thought verts had additional structure in the rockers already.
Ordered the rear pan from APD today. Will advise on metal quality when it arrives. Does anyone sell just the seat pan? The forward portion of the pan is fine but the mid section where the floor sits has a few spots that would be hard to patch. Anyone know? Hoping to avoid buying complete floor and only using back 1/3 of it.
I don't think anyone makes partial panels like that. If you're set on patching, you'll have to buy a full pan and cut it up.
QuoteMy rust-free convertible turns out to have some holes in the rear floor. Also some damage in the seat well where it underlaps. Are floor panels the same between coupes and convertibles?
Look at your picture closely. You'll notice that the floor pan has 2 sets of seat bottom brackets attached to it. That is because the floor pans were delivered to the factory with the seat bottom brackets already installed. They were installed in the correct location for a standard hardtop seat. The convertible seat bottom required those brackets to be in a different location. Instead of removing the hardtop brackets, they were just left in place and new brackets were welded in for the convertible seat. That tells you that the hardtop and convertible use the same floor pans.
Quote from: Filthy Filbert on September 29, 2022, 05:45:38 AM
I don't think anyone makes partial panels like that. If you're set on patching, you'll have to buy a full pan and cut it up.
AMD makes just the rear pans, I have a pair.
All e-body convertibles needs subframe connectors IMO.
Got the rear floor pan today from AMD. Nice part, pretty heavy and made of .045" thick steel. It seems like a pretty good part. Obvious things are the forward hole was stamped incorrectly and is raised. The other is the metal that's gathered at the rear outboard corner. All told still a very usable part to me.
The perimeter should draw down and form pretty well as you run self tappers through it. Make sure the weld nut for the seat belt isn't hitting the inner rocker and preventing it from sitting right. Both sides needed grinding on my car.
Yes, wont be a problem. the metal has to go somewhere and results in that. I've seen guys make pie cuts in them, flatten and weld them so they have full contact with no voids.
In other news I got an email form AMD stating the raised hole in the rear floor is correct for the application! I can't believe this! I've seen none on a Mopar that turn up. Was hoping they'd make it right. It's just one more thing on the list I have to fix now. Have you guys seen such obvious goofs?
If you're replacing the seat belt bracket too, double check the threads. AMD dropped the ball on the ones I got.
Quote from: Jay Bee on October 03, 2022, 07:02:54 AM
If you're replacing the seat belt bracket too, double check the threads. AMD dropped the ball on the ones I got.
Funny, I bought seat belt bolts from Classic Industries that had course threads...could have solved your issue, 'cause I had no use for them... :console:
Quote from: miketyler on October 03, 2022, 06:41:31 AM
In other news I got an email form AMD stating the raised hole in the rear floor is correct for the application! I can't believe this! I've seen none on a Mopar that turn up. Was hoping they'd make it right. It's just one more thing on the list I have to fix now. Have you guys seen such obvious goofs?
Funny since those rubber plug holes are meant to be a drain, with the raised section around the hole, it ain't goin drain very well :alan2cents:
You'd think they'd want to make their product better. Can't believe this response from them;
"Thank you for reaching out to us about your recent purchase.
The hole flanged up is correct, we get them from them manufacture like that.
You might need to adjust to fit your application, but all the ones we have on the shelve are going to be the same."
So they're right and we're all wrong. Will have to consider other suppliers in the future
Send them a picture of your original floor and ask them to explain why they came from the factory opposite to theirs.
Maybe you're the first to notice it ? :dunno: I do think they should do some research though based on your findings :bigthumb:
I believe generally repro metal is considered YO class 3 which means adjustment required.
Quote from: anlauto on October 03, 2022, 01:41:38 PM
Maybe you're the first to notice it ?
Yea Alan, I didn't notice it when the shop replaced both my rear floor pans.
Quote from: miketyler on October 03, 2022, 12:01:28 PM
You'd think they'd want to make their product better. Can't believe this response from them;
"Thank you for reaching out to us about your recent purchase.
The hole flanged up is correct, we get them from them manufacture like that.
You might need to adjust to fit your application, but all the ones we have on the shelve are going to be the same."
So they're right and we're all wrong. Will have to consider other suppliers in the future
I believe they were changed to that hole flanged up in later 71 or 72 and up.
Quote from: mk on October 04, 2022, 04:07:32 AM
I believe they were changed to that hole flanged up in later 71 or 72 and up.
WOW, I just checked pictures of a 1973 Cuda I own, and it does appear that the hole is raised up instead of down :dunno:
Quote from: anlauto on October 04, 2022, 08:03:12 AM
Quote from: mk on October 04, 2022, 04:07:32 AM
I believe they were changed to that hole flanged up in later 71 or 72 and up.
WOW, I just checked pictures of a 1973 Cuda I own, and it does appear that the hole is raised up instead of down :dunno:
And as I mentioned a few days ago if you ever get to check the strength of the original metal by trying to bend a piece it will surprise you.
Today I checked the 70 AAR I'm restoring, and it was down, opposite of the AMD panel :looney:
Quote from: anlauto on October 04, 2022, 03:06:21 PM
Today I checked the 70 AAR I'm restoring, and it was down, opposite of the AMD panel :looney:
Yes for 1970 they should be down........ my 1970 cars are all down as well as the NOS 1970 rear footwells I have.
Interesting that it's flanged up on later models. I did send them the pic of my rusted floor as proof. It makes sense building the part to suit the majority of models that are out there. Still a simple * note could be added as "for 70 application some mods may be required". But hell, maybe that just goes without saying for any aftermarket metal.
I'm moving on, going to look at pics more carefully though. AMD is a big player in the sheet metal market. I do see a few that have the correct stampings out there:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/133967432273
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/o4IAAOSwgSFhvSBj/s-l500.jpg)
Quote from: mk on October 04, 2022, 04:07:32 AM
Quote from: miketyler on October 03, 2022, 12:01:28 PM
You'd think they'd want to make their product better. Can't believe this response from them;
"Thank you for reaching out to us about your recent purchase.
The hole flanged up is correct, we get them from them manufacture like that.
You might need to adjust to fit your application, but all the ones we have on the shelve are going to be the same."
So they're right and we're all wrong. Will have to consider other suppliers in the future
I believe they were changed to that hole flanged up in later 71 or 72 and up.
My AMDs are flange up also, says 71-74 on them.
Just checked AMD's website, they do have 70 only parts, then 71-74 parts have a different part number, so it looks like you ordered the wrong ones, or received the wrong ones...
No, I ordered the correct one. I suppose they may have marked it incorrectly. I'd sure like to know if anyone got a 70 from them that was correct and stamped down.
Well I'm sure it wouldn't be the first time something got packaged wrong...If you're building a resto-mod and not some OE Resto trailer queen, why are you worried about the "little details ?
Not that hard to fix. Take it to your kid's sandbox along with your ball pein hammer.
Quote from: soundcontrol on September 29, 2022, 12:52:10 PM
Quote from: Filthy Filbert on September 29, 2022, 05:45:38 AM
I don't think anyone makes partial panels like that. If you're set on patching, you'll have to buy a full pan and cut it up.
AMD makes just the rear pans, I have a pair.
All e-body convertibles needs subframe connectors IMO.
Thank you. I am aware. My understanding of the original post was that he wanted to patch his rear seat foot wells, not replace the entire panel with the AMD stuff, thus the comment of "nobody makes a patch, buy a whole one and cut it up"
IF I can remember to, I'll look at mine when I get home tonight. I looked through my pictures and don't have any of that area of the floor.
I just got my car back from The Installation Center in Georgia and they used all AMD panels, so my car has AMD rear foot wells on it now.
Quote from: anlauto on October 09, 2022, 07:37:25 AM
Well I'm sure it wouldn't be the first time something got packaged wrong...If you're building a resto-mod and not some OE Resto trailer queen, why are you worried about the "little details ?
It's just another job in the LONG list of things I have to do on this car. Some people enjoy the added work but I have too much of it right now. If they did send the wrong part I'd prefer they send another as I have plenty else to do in the meantime.
QuoteThank you. I am aware. My understanding of the original post was that he wanted to patch his rear seat foot wells, not replace the entire panel with the AMD stuff, thus the comment of "nobody makes a patch, buy a whole one and cut it up"
Yes, that's correct but after the screwdriver test decided best to replace it. I intend to patch the forward floor unless I find more rot. Sorry for the confusion
Here's a pic of my pans that are AMD replacement pieces.
One hole is 'up' and one hole is 'down'. The lower hole is the one that's down
Thanks! So it looks like I'm not the only one. I'll see if I can get a Greenlee and punch it out, flip it and weld it back in. This will be a very expensive car when done so looks are everything.
I did email my sales guy one last time and asked that he take it up with their supplier. All the ones they have for 70 are formed the same way. They are a respected name in repo metal and I'd think they'd want to correct a problem like this. His reply was "We have sold plenty of them and we have not received a complaint on them. I have checked the 71 models and they have the same Hole Flange up."
I'm confused, you're building a resto-mod so why are you hung up on correctness of OE details ? I understand the "strength" aspect, but with a Hellcarate motor, who's going to care about the floor plugs ?
I thought it's also just for general public information. :dunno:
Quote from: anlauto on October 13, 2022, 07:12:12 AM
I'm confused, you're building a resto-mod so why are you hung up on correctness of OE details ? I understand the "strength" aspect, but with a Hellcarate motor, who's going to care about the floor plugs ?
I just want it to look right. Little things bug the hell out of me.
Quote from: miketyler on October 14, 2022, 08:40:08 AM
Quote from: anlauto on October 13, 2022, 07:12:12 AM
I'm confused, you're building a resto-mod so why are you hung up on correctness of OE details ? I understand the "strength" aspect, but with a Hellcarate motor, who's going to care about the floor plugs ?
I just want it to look right. Little things bug the hell out of me.
I think either will look just fine under carpet and hidden from view. But to each his own.