Replacing Floors - Full or Just Fronts?

[carwash]

So, my floors are a nightmare of course. I wasn't quite sure how bad they were until last night when I pulled the carpet and panels out etc...

So, I need to replace the fronts for sure, but seems crazy to not replace the rear as well. But will the front floor section fix the giant hole in front of the pedals in these pics or is that a separate piece? I have seen places that sell every single piece of bottom sheet metal for the 911, but I only want to replace what i have to, as cut out and weld in can be a pain.

Thoughts or ideas?

Second question, after i gut this interior and do the floor, what do i put back in under my carpet? I hate this mole hair crap... is there something that is better that doesn't hold any kind of moisture but still provides some sound deadening?

[jpnovak]

floors come in Front and rear halves. They also come in L and R halves. They also come in full floor sheets (not as common).

The only way to really know is to pull all the carpet and interior, pedal cluster and such. Then strip the floors with a wire brush and evaluate.

Smaller areas may be easier to cut and weld patches from replacement panels. It looks like you need attention all along the driver's side. Its a long process to fix. The best method is to strip the tub so it can be mounted on a rotisserie. From experience trying to install floors on your back and upside down really sucks.

[Tom '74 911]

To answer the easier question first, the section under the pedal box is typically a separate piece. If you start looking through the "Body" section of the Pelican Parts online catalog or the Restoration Designs catalog, you can get a sense of what pieces are offered and where they fit. As jpnovak mentions, there are a lot of options available.

Sometimes it's worth saving as much of the original metal as possible, sometimes it's easier to replace the whole panel rather than scribe in a bunch of smaller patches. It just depends.

The rust in your photos is quite significant. I would bet that it extends much farther into the car than just the floor...

[vintagecarlover]

Rusty doesn't mean rusted through. As Jamie said wire brush cup on a grinder and check underside in same spot. If u can't poke a screw driver threw it with a good swing clean to shiny metal with grinder and prime or Por 15 and top coat it. If screw driver goes through cut out what's rotted and weld in fresh galvanized metal starting at a
Solid point. That's for u to decide. Weld, grind flat, prime and paint then undercoat.
Is the car a targa? You've gotta find the leak before you fix the floor pan. I'm guessing targa seals or windshield seals. Fix those first!!

[carwash]

I think it's a rear quarter window leak... car won't see much rain ever, and i plan to replace those with vented plex eventually anyway....

i've had the car in the air, but didn't take any pics. Rest of the car doesn't seem to bad... I was going to start with the floors and pedal box area, and then go from there elsewhere if needed. I didn't plan to do a full frame off resto of this car, but it is quickly turning into that.

Who makes a 1 pieces floor with front and rear... guess i should check pelican first.

Thanks for the help and info guys, sorry I'm such an air cooled noob.

[vintagecarlover]

Rear quarter Windows I'd check rear seat pans too plus longitudinal areas. Try and stab thru with screw driver.

Restoration design or buy a floor pan cut on used parts forum or Dismantlers.

[carwash]

i'm going to pull the entire interior before I buy anything so i can buy once, and buy everything I need. I hate to be into it, then realize i need a piece I don't have.

[gamin]

When I had the carpet replaced in the 70 the shop installed some silver metalic sound deadening sheets under the carpet. Couldn't give you a name but it sure isn't mohair and
it seems to work. So something is available. Check with an upholstery shop.

[carwash]

Silver metallic sound deadening sounds like Dynamat, and that stuff is pricey for sure. Has to be something slightly more affordable.

[30westrob]

To answer your second question. Lakewell sells an OEM style sound deadening kit for floor and bulkhead. Rob

[carwash]

Excellent. I am pulling the entire interior tonight, seats and all, to see what I'm up against. Stay tuned...

[carwash]

So, the pinch/flange area on the inside of the car is in very good shape. I am actually contemplating just cutting out the floor up to the edge of the flange, and welding in panels from the top. It's not the "right" way, but i really don't wanna spend a month drilling out spot welds and flipping this car over to do a full floor all the way to the outside flange. I don't want to buy a rotisserie either, which really seems necessary to do the floor the "right" way... So essentially i'm thinking of doing a giant patch panel that covers the entire floor, laid in from the the top. good idea? bad idea?

[jpnovak]

LEave as much clean metal as you can away from the seam. Cut new panel to make a patch. Butt weld it in place. Do not lap weld. That is just asking for more rust down the road. You can get some very nice butt-weld sheet metal clamps from various welding supply or tool vendors. They work great. combined with some copper backing plates you can easily fill the gaps from welding.

Go for it.

[Tom '74 911]

I would agree w/Jamie. Leave as much good metal as possible & butt-weld in patches. Having drilled out spot welds for the entire floor on a few cars... it is a lot of work!

I guess the one caveat would be that it's assumed that the rest of the floor outboard of the interior seam in your photos, as well as the rocker panels are all in great shape. Most of the cars I've worked on that need major parts of the floor replaced, are also in need of significant work in the rockers and outer floor areas... In that case, it might be easier to do the floor in its entirety.

As Jamie mentioned, don't lap weld anything. Butt-weld only or you will create moisture catching cavities that will rust.

Tom

[carwash]

Thanks for the advice guys. Man, lap welding would sure be easier. Lol.