Drivers side floor pan question. Need help.

[xcelr8]

Finally at the stage where I can cut the floor out and prep for replacement. However, there are two areas I'm not sure how to work around. Some disclaimers: the new pan is sitting on top of the oe pan in these pics. I also plan on leaving 2" of overlap in the tunnel area under the new pan.

The first is circled in red. It's a small bump out on the tunnel that the pan is not sitting flush against. Would you just cut a small V under that bump in the new pan, just enough to clear it?

The other is the seat belt hole area. I've see others cut that out completely, some lay the new pan over the existing mounting area and spot weld it, etc. The new pan lays really nice over the existing seat belt mount and had planned on just spot welding the new pan over top of that area. Would that work?

Any help would be great! Noob here and doing this all myself so I don't want to do it twice (like the toe board went. bastard toe board!!).

[wareagle]

The hole circled in the first pic is where one of the seal belt mounts, if I am not mistaken... Think you would be find too notch the new panel to go around it.

[xcelr8]

The large square is where the belt mounts to the floor. The V bump isn't threaded and is way too small for the belt bolt.

[wareagle]

Originally Posted by xcelr8

The large square is where the belt mounts to the floor. The V bump isn't threaded and is way too small for the belt bolt.

You are correct. My mistake.

[Greg'66 5.0]

The small hole in the bump is where the fuel or brake line retaining clips mount - I don't remember which, but it's for one of the two.

I installed new seat belt bolt plates when I replaced my floor pans. I think they are under $10 each for new ones. I drilled 4 holes for plug welds in the new nut plate, drilled a hole in the floor pan for the seat belt bolt, and then threaded the bolt into the nut plate to ensure that the plate was in the right place. Once it was in the right place, I plug welded the 4 holes.

You have a few options for the bump out, depending on how picky you are about the looks. If you don't care since it's hidden under the carpet, you could just trim the metal and make it work. If you are going for a more seamless look, you can shape the metal with some body hammers and beat it into the right shape.

[xcelr8]

Gotcha. So you cut the oe seat belt "square" out instead of overlapping it then. Any pix of when you did that?

[Greg'66 5.0]

I cutout the OE portion. I have about a 1/2" overlap for the most part along the entire seam. The finished product looks better than what the picture shows - these are rough pictures before I did any finish work. The bottom is smooth now and the rusty toe board has also been replaced.






After finishing (Eastwood Ceramic Chassis Black on underside & Lizard Skin on the interior - this is after one coat of Lizard Skin Sound Control coating):

[xcelr8]

Just what I needed! Thanks so much.