Floor Patch Panels or Replacement Pieces?

[bulletpruf]

The floor pans in my '72 are rusted through. I want to install something that will work for now; it's more of a candidate for a complete tub swap at some point, but I'm not there yet.

Anyway, I'm thinking the floor pans are what I want to do instead of piecing together the rest of the bits. If I need more coverage in places, I can just cut pieces off an old hood that I have to make those.

Here's the bits I'm talking about - https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Floor-Pan-Patch-Panel-Set/Bronco_Floor_Pans

 

[thegreatjustino]

Depends on how you want this to come out.

Obviously the cleanest and closest to original install is going to be drilling out the spot welds for each individual piece and replacing those pieces with like kind.

However, you can use the patches you linked to to do a halfway decent job if you get night tight joints and do clean butt welds. Butt welding the patches and cleanly grinding them can make the patches look pretty darn close to OEM.

If you really don't care about looks, do what most people do and create a lap joint. Looks terrible, obviously patched, and anyone can tell they're not original.

All depends on what you're looking for from the final weld in.

 

[Scotty]

I have patch panels similar to those in your link. I ordered them from Tom's and can't specifically state that they are the same, but they look identical. They are labeled as made by "TriPlus" (Taiwan) and are 18 gauge.

I've been fitting the driver's side piece and trimmed the floor-portion by about an inch on its left (outer) side where it will mount under the inward-facing flange of the inner rocker. I filled in the clutch linkage hole on the lower firewall portion (automatic trans). The lower firewall has a downward-facing 90-degree bend for a flange attachment to the kick panel and an approximately 38-degree bend for about 1 & 3/4" overlap of the transmission tunnel. The issue I'm currently facing is that the lower firewall is still about 1/2" too wide, so one of the bends has to go. This was not a surprise given ford's "precision" in the day and the resulting variability we need in replacement panels. The transmission tunnel has a outward-facing flange to which the original lower firewall attached, so the 38-degree bend and tunnel overlap is not necessary; I will trim it off just to the left of the bend.

This is ongoing and I'm taking it very slow. I need to clean up fill welds from where I drilled out the factory spot welds and (try to) hammer & dolly a small warp near where the fuel tank selector valve attaches. I am (mostly) following recommendations here and using self-tapping sheetmetal screws to hold everything in place until it's all true. Then I will remove the screws and weld-in the holes, one at a time and later grind the welds smooth.

My plan is for lizard skin covered with raptor liner on the underside and insulation & carpet on the inside, so if it isn't perfect I expect it won't be noticeable.

 

[tirewater]

If I were you I'd think about buying the whole 5 piece set:

https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Floor_Pans_5pc_Set/Bronco_Floor_Pans

Seems like it would be easier than dealing with trying to piecemeal something together.

 

[tk1218]

I’ve used those pans before. For best results do the following

1. Cut/drill out floor leaving about 1 inch of the floor by the tunnel
2. Remove the tabs from the pans
3. Plug weld to the tunnel floor piece that was not cut out