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Cutting a floor from a donor car?

Printed From: The Ford Torino Page
Category: Model Specific Forum
Forum Name: 1972-1976 Ford and Mercury
Forum Description: Technical discussion for 1972-1976 Ford and Mercury
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=16836
Printed Date: 28-March-2024 at 9:41AM
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Cutting a floor from a donor car?
Posted By: russosborne
Subject: Cutting a floor from a donor car?
Date Posted: 04-February-2018 at 4:57AM
I have a chance to get a floor locally (John, I am buying your floor regardlessWink, this is more of a back up and to fill in what your floor doesn't have. I figure I have a better chance of success if I have two floors to destroy.  LOL  And this second floor may not be as solid as yours).

Wondering what the best way to proceed is? I've never done this.

It's at the seller's house, so it needs to be fairly quick.
Whole floor, firewall as much as I want, to the back storage wall (again, as much as I want), rocker to rocker.
Tools available are sawzall and angle grinder. And I have to verify with the seller that electric is within reach. I am not real good with a sawzall. It would not be my preferred choice here.

I'm being told on another forum that this can take most of a day. Is it really that time consuming? The interior is already stripped except for the now bare dash and steering column and maybe the pedals , and the car is being scrapped so I don't have to be delicate. This will be the last thing done before the seller scraps it, so everything he wants to sell will be gone.
Engine/trans are out, so I can cut the firewall from the engine compartment if needed. I am not taking the whole firewall, just the bottom foot and a half or so. I do need to look at my Ranchero to double check.

I would take the whole body if I had any way to keep it here, but even short term I don't. Storing the floors until I am ready will be a challenge as it is. But that is good as it will make me get off my ass and get going on the Ranchero.

My main concern is cutting along the rockers. He has told me I could even take the rockers. My thinking would be if I did that I could just separate the floor from them later here by cutting the spot welds. But how hard would it be to cut the rockers (again, would not be reusing them) and would that be worth the effort?
Seems to me unless I am missing something that the rest of the cuts are pretty straight forward, just need to make sure to cut more than I think I will need.

My hope is to do this  in one piece. Is that really possible and/or a good idea? I will have to rent something to haul it home this way. Unless I quarter it I think I will have to rent regardless. Hoping to avoid more cutting than absolutely necessary since I am not a welder, will be learning OJT on this. And  with my luck I will cut it in the wrong place for what I need later. But my goal is to do this the best way I can so I am open to suggestions.

Any/all advice welcome. Even if it is telling me I am an idiot.

Thanks,
Russ



Replies:
Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 04-February-2018 at 6:04AM
russ  the pan i have i cut along the inside edge on the top of the rockers so you have plenty to trim back or remove the actual pan from the rocker edge Wink i also cut along the middle (horizontally) of the firewall above the body mount bracket. there are multiple layers coming together in the toe board area Confused but the main part you'll need that is missing from my pan is the drivers side from the seat brace to the firewall Wink
remember the rocker is "U" shaped and sits over the frame....


-------------
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION


Posted By: russosborne
Date Posted: 04-February-2018 at 6:30AM
Maybe I should just concentrate on getting what I need and not worrying about trying to get the whole floor. I will be paying the same either way so my natural instinct is to get it all, but it doesn't seem realistic at this point given everything. There is at least one small hole in it, plus a big dent where someone hit something. Still haven't seen the entire floor from up top, it is covered with tree debris and he was moving it around so I could look. Bottom looked ok from what I could see. Yeah, I will be better off just getting the parts to patch I think.


Looking at the picture you sent, I am thinking that I should cut this other one at the rear cross brace and back to include the storage area. And then the obvious of the driver's front from the seat brace forward as far up the firewall as I can  reasonably get to. Maybe cut it at the rear of the front section of seat brace to give me a little wiggle room. That would mean cutting the seat brace, but he doesn't seem to care. I wish I could get the whole mounting brace off this car, but doubt it is worth the effort.

I do need the rear storage area. Even if your's has the floor, I need the rear wall portion, at least a good 6 inches up. I will take as much as I can though.
Then I wouldn't have to worry about renting a truck or anything, and storage at home won't be a real issue.

I really wish I could get the whole body. I know he would sell it cheap. But I just do not have a place for it at all.

Any thoughts on if an angle grinder with a cutting disk (ok, several) will be adequate?

Also, I was thinking of trying to put your's back together as a whole floor. Should I just be looking at cutting the individual sides from it keeping my trans tunnel? That would probably be stronger in the long run I think. My tunnel seems to be solid from what I have seen so far. Then I could cut out most of my pans, put the replacements in and lined up, and then cut both together for a perfect fit. Lots more welding, but probably the best way for me to go. ??? I am wanting to leave my seat brace installed, that would be a big help in making everything fit correctly I believe. I will just need to patch my seat brace in a couple of places.

Right now between the new job, the stupid day shift hours (I do NOT do well when I have to get up at 4:30AMDead ) and life in general I am thinking my brain has gone on vacation. Embarrassed


Thanks,
Russ


Posted By: Big Bird
Date Posted: 04-February-2018 at 6:38AM
Yes to the angle grinder, with the realization there will be some spots you cant reach with it. Bring the sawzall too. It probably wont fit out of the Ranchero in one piece, so plan where you are willing to cut it up. think about how to re-weld it and let that dictate where the cuts fall.
With the angle grinder, goggles are a must (Not just safety glasses).
A spark in the eye is a trip to the emergency room you just don't need.


-------------
"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind."
Randy
1979 T-Bird
2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD
How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds?


Posted By: russosborne
Date Posted: 04-February-2018 at 6:46AM
Yep. Planning on goggles and a face shield. And gloves.

Looks like I am going to just take what parts I need  to finish what John is selling me. That will be a ton simpler.

Thanks,
Russ


Posted By: russosborne
Date Posted: 04-February-2018 at 11:20AM
This isn't going to be simple.Cry
I am going to have to take measurements from my car and some reference pictures. I just went and looked at mine. John's floor is flat. The Ranchero is bumped up about 3-4 inches for the storage part. And no rear cross brace like his has.
Confused There are times I don't feel up to any of this, and this is becoming one of them.

Thanks,
Russ


Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 04-February-2018 at 6:23PM
russ, the seat brace on my pan is great i just cut it down the middle of the tunnel
 i'd remove the rocker sections left on my pan then remove your pan leaving the rockers of your car intact then you should be able to put my pan sections in place lining them up with where your brace was Wink then just block up the center tunnel with blocks and maybe a jack for fine tuning it into place then tack weld it, check that everythings right , then weld it up !
 crap i wish i knew you need the rear wall part... the one on the 72 ranch i hauled in saturday had a good rear wall i sold the bed floor to a guy in PA...


-------------
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION


Posted By: mkshelton
Date Posted: 05-February-2018 at 2:46AM
Remember to bring some hearing protection too. Trust me. Cutting metal is loud and it drones on and on.I have noticed that when I have good ear plugs, or better still audio ear phones, the job goes by much easier.

-------------
"Sometimes I wonder if I'm actually UNinventing the wheel"


Posted By: russosborne
Date Posted: 05-February-2018 at 3:08PM
thanks, I probably wouldn't have remembered until I started cutting.
Russ



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