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Wed Aug 07, 2013 6:57 am

My channels look relatively solid but I am nervous as heck to turn the floor pan bolts out for fear they don't come out or turn in the hole or break or whatever.

Putting in 1/4 front pans.

Any tips or tricks I should know? As I understand it they screw into a thicker plate innside the channel. Is there a way to get some liquid wrench to them. Not taking body off.

Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:05 am

there is no real good way to get penetrating oil on them .

just go slow , some times it helps to tighten slightly before backing them out it breaks loose the corrosion on top , if you can get 1-2 threads showing then spray them with penetrating oil and run them back in tight and then repeat ( patients ) .

Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:15 am

Good idea, I considered heating them with a torch too?

Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:36 am

MK5GOLFGTI wrote: Good idea, I considered heating them with a torch too?

I would not heat them unless its a last resort .

I have taken several body's off and most ( not all ) of the time they come out ..

Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:40 am

OK, thanks for the tips.

Hypothetically speaking if they don't or turn in the holes, do I have some options still to get these 1/4 pans in without removing body?

Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:54 am

No, you have to just twist the heads off them to get the pan separated from the body.

Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:59 am

if the body nuts do come out or spin , they sale weld in replacement nuts ..

so no worries ..

Wed Aug 07, 2013 8:06 am

Trying to picture how you would do that. Would you cut a slightly bigger circular hole and weld in from the bottom?

Thu Aug 08, 2013 6:47 am

They all came out! Question though, it appears there is a thin layer of rubber or gasket that now scrapes off between floor pan and bottom of heater channel, is that seam sealer or gasket.

I am aware of gasket between body and pan but not sure about this material between floor pans and heater channel?

Thu Aug 08, 2013 10:26 am

Some squarebacks just have tar smeared in there and no gasket from the Factory!

Thu Aug 08, 2013 2:20 pm

Even if it was a gasket, it turned to goo a long time ago. Just clean it all up once you get it apart, and replace with a good rubber body-to-pan gasket. You don't know how fortunate you were to have all the pan bolts come out without snapping off!

Thu Aug 08, 2013 5:57 pm

I was pretty happy they came out, though not all as I am doing 1/4 pans so four on each side.

Now I am debating where to splice into pan along back edge. I have rust around seat mount and a couple pin holes but solid. I can't tell yet, does the front mount just weld to floor pan, it feels more solid but hard to tell.

It's a 1977 so side seat mounts on are on side and tunnel.

Debating whether to use full 1/4 pan and overlap under seat mount or cut off before the seat mount area. In a few years I will do full body off, just not in cards right now.

Any thoughts? My wife thinks I am nuts as I have been welding, cutting and cleaning all sorts of scrap metal in preparation :lol:

Fri Aug 09, 2013 3:07 pm

When I replaced my floors, I also did 4 quarter pans because I had the body on, and because they were the thickest pan replacement parts made. Very beefy. I butt-welded the front and rear quarter pan together right under the front seat tower. Then I re-welded the seat tower on top of that seam. Made that area very strong with no flex. My rear quarter pans came with the side seat mounts already mounted to the pans. Once I got the pans in and moved to a bigger place, I took the body off to finish the car, but I know all my body to pan bolt holes will line up when I put it back together. I was welding on my car for 2 1/2 years. Wives will be wives!

Fri Aug 09, 2013 5:04 pm

That sounds like a good strong repair. My rear 1/4 floors are fine and staying. Looking at what I have, I think I cam going to take front 1/4 pan replacements and overlay on top of front triangle looking seat mount area rather than butt weld. That area is solid and once seam sealed I think will blend well. I am have nice solid tunnel and front lip by napoleon hat. While not necessarily "text book" I suspect that once done, seam sealed and painted it will out last me.

Funny buy I ready 8,789 threads and until you get and in and see your cars individual sheet metal situation hard to know what will work best.