Why lap?

[xcelr8]

Originally Posted by Franks68coupe

I have done both on my car. I did right and left side floors (didn't do one piece), and lapped the tunnel. I feel like it's stronger. I don't thin out the metal grinding as much, and technically have two welds holding it together. It is covered by carpet, and if anybody crawled underneath and really looked they could see the seam. I just don't really care. It's a driver, and it was my first real welding job when i was learning. If I was that worried about it... I would have done a one piece.

I do butt welding for cosmetic welding... like when I did some patches on my tail light panel. Doesn't need to be that strong... just free of rust and pretty.

Ditto. I'm in the same boat as you. No one I care about is going to be under the car scrutinizing it. With the seam welded properly, seam sealer applied correctly, and under coating sprayed in the right amount I don't see why someone would poo poo the repair. I guess guys like Fstbk think the way us lap weld guys do things is totally wrong/the cheap hillbilly way. Apparently our cars are botched together pos's. This is why I don't go to car shows anymore. Last thing I need is a guy poking around under my car and criticizing the way my floors are welded in. Jeesh....

[Fullbasement]

Well, the original poster asked why people lap weld? Is it 1. stronger, 2. skills or just 3. easier.

1) No
2) Yea, people do worry that butt welding takes more skill
3) Yep, that's the big one

People lap weld because it's easier. Lappers are slackers.

I'm here for you Fstbk!

If I'm looking at buying a car and see lapped floor pans, I figure they cut corners elsewhere also.

[JohnnyK]

I butt welded my floor pans. In retrospect, I wasted a lot of time that i didn't need to.

And the hilarious thing is, I could go over your cars (fstbk and fullbasement) and find tons of things I consider half-assed!

[Fullbasement]

Should have gone with a fiberglass repair and saved even more time.

[anotherhassel]

Fstbk what makes you such an expert on welding or these cars? Do my welding certs and my 4 yr apprenticeship in sheet metal not qualify me? These cars were the Dodge Neon of their ,time cheap secretary cars. Mind you much cooler looking than a Neon but still the same cheap transportation. You compared these cars to a HIGH END British car. Mustang were and arent high end cars. So no my car isnt on the same level there were probably 300,000 cars just like mine. Doing lap welds doesnt mean shoddy work because if it does I know alot of good metal workers that do shoddy work. It just isnt as pretty as a butt weld. If i was restoring my car with the factory red oxide and nothing else then yes butt weld, but most cars were undercoated including yours it sounds like. As far as over heating the metal have you ever taken a torch to metal and heated it? It anneals the metal. It becomes softer and more malleable. Bottom line is your ways isnt right or wrong neither is mine. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

[22GT]

Originally Posted by GypsyR

I don't think this really applies to the one piece pan, just the patches.

Exactly. The 1-piece uses the same hems as the factory piece, and can be spot or rose welded in exactly the same places.

Originally Posted by GypsyR

If I had to do it over I'd use the one piece pan and spot it in like the factory did.

Me too. The 1-piece is actually less work than a pair of the old full-length pans, and the results are like new.

[LynnBob 65 Mustang]

Originally Posted by Fstbk

Wow. So many of you think that your car is not on par with a British car from the 60's? WTF is wrong with you people?

If you plan on using your car at the drag strip or demo derby then I guess it does not matter, but I seriously dont want to hear anyone bitch about someone calling there car "Just a coupe" at a show anymore since you dont feel like your car is worthy of doing things the right way.

Doing things right is not a matter of opinion here guys. If you cant do it, fine..but dont try to justify shoddy work because you cant do it or wont do it.

Fstbk, first and foremost I respect your opinion and I'm showing no disrespect here as you have some great knowledge that I have used some of it in the years I've done my coupe and I thank you for that.

But to be brutally honest the bottom line in all this is it is just every ones opinion as to what is right and what is wrong on this subject of repairs and you are trying present your opinion, yes your opinion, as the one and only fact when it clearly is not.

Rust fixed with pop rivets and covered by Bondo and fiberglass, yes, hack job.

I totally agree with you on that kind of fix and I would extremely pissed if I found that in our car.

A properly done and concealed lap weld patch rust repair not so much.

That is my opinion.
Lynn