73 Bronco

[wepuckett]

Got a little further today got one crosmember under the pasanger seat uncovered the rest of the way and got the crossmember under the passangers feet uncovered it looks pretty good.

Can I salvage the seat platform by cutting pieces for the front lip that connects down to the passanger floor pan and drivers floor pan or do I just need to cut it out as well. Or do you need more pics and if so of what.

That will probably be about all I get to do today since my work area is in the basement garage and the grinding echoes through the house. So basically dune when she gets home and only get to work on it with this type of stuff on her off days like today when she goes to the park to run.

[broncosbybart]

New floor pans will have a lip attached to them that will extend partway up the vertical portion of the seat platform metal. I would keep yours as is and not mess with the seat platform, other than to cut a bit more of the bad metal off of the vertical portion.

[wepuckett]

New floor pans will have a lip attached to them that will extend partway up the vertical portion of the seat platform metal. I would keep yours as is and not mess with the seat platform, other than to cut a bit more of the bad metal off of the vertical portion.

If I need to cut higher then the lip to get all the rust out what would you recomend?

[broncosbybart]

The lip on the new pans is pretty tall. I'd cut flush with the highest rust spot. That appears to be about another 1/2" unless I'm not seeing everything.

[wepuckett]

Ok got the rest of the tunnel and floor pans removed just need clean up around the edges which I am sure is the hardest part. But a new wrinkle presented its self when I got to the drivers side.

First there is no front clip on this body so the dash is only being supported by door pillars and rocker panels. So how would you suggest I support the front.

Second the crosmember across the body mounts under the dash has a crease in it on the drivers side right above the body mount hole. Shouled I replace it, thinking I should and again how would I support the front dash, firewall while I replace that cross member.

Third the front plate on the seat platforms are rusty and my floor pans don't have lips up to connect there so I have decided to measure 1/2 down from top and cut each side flush and get some straight sheet metal and cut out a new piece while bending a flap on the bottom to weld the floor pans too. Only question I have is should I weld this new front flap in behind that half inch flap or in front or not do the half in flap and put a send bend on the piece I cut out and go over top of the floor pans with a half inch lip?

[wepuckett]

Gonna be picking up the gauges I need for the welder tomorrow and getting gas for it now that I found a place to do so. Also will pick up some gloves and wire if I need too so I can practice, practice practice practice.

[wepuckett]

Ok here is the point I am at and the questions I have.

First can crossmembers be repaired as I have 2 that either need repaired or replaced, kinda hopping I can repair them since it is such a big job to pull them out and replace them.

The first one is the 2nd set of body mounts cross member under the feet of the driver and passanger it has a crease only on the drivers side right around the body mount but the edges are not creased.[ATTACH=CONFIG]8004[/ATTACH]

The Second is the crossmember under the front part of the seat platform and under the passangers floor pan, it has some rust and part of the middle of it close to the passanger rocker panel is rusted out.[ATTACH=CONFIG]8003[/ATTACH]

The next thing I need some advice on is how to support the dash area of the front as it doesn't have the front clip on to support its self with the front body mounts.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]8005[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]8006[/ATTACH]

The next question I have is should I replace any cross members I need to replace and stop and have the body blasted or should I remove all the bad sheet metal then have the body blasted?

thanks for the help and advice
William

[broncosbybart]

The crossmembers can be repaired or replaced. You could use donor metal on them if it is good, but with it this far apart, you might want to go with new.

The body should have been braced prior to disassembly. At this point, I'd get some measurements off of a good body and try to get it square/straight and then tack braces onto it as needed to keep it from moving so that you can put it back together properly. You'll want to spend a lot of time on this as you can't easily fix fitment issues once it is all back together. If you aren't going to run a top or doors this isn't very critical. Otherwise it is very important.

I'd remove all the bad metal before blasting. No point in cleaning up bad areas that will just be removed anyway.

[wepuckett]

The crossmembers can be repaired or replaced. You could use donor metal on them if it is good, but with it this far apart, you might want to go with new.

The body should have been braced prior to disassembly. At this point, I'd get some measurements off of a good body and try to get it square/straight and then tack braces onto it as needed to keep it from moving so that you can put it back together properly. You'll want to spend a lot of time on this as you can't easily fix fitment issues once it is all back together. If you aren't going to run a top or doors this isn't very critical. Otherwise it is very important.

I'd remove all the bad metal before blasting. No point in cleaning up bad areas that will just be removed anyway.

Ok the only part that is not braced is the dash or firewall areal it came loose and dropped while I was cutting metal from the front crossmember out. So should I worry about bracing it still or just leave it till I am about done?

How hard is it to repair the crossmember under the front part of the floor pan as previously you told me I would be fine just trimming and not removing the entire floor pan, unless I should just go ahead and do that now?

As for the bed is there some pictures or diagrams of how to braces that good before I remove the bed floor pan?

[Crawdad]

William,
Can you get us pics of you other tubs? It will be very difficult to get it square again. See if this might help.
Matt