76' right side full floor pan replacement
#1
Instructor
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Member Since: Aug 2007
Location: New Bern NC
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76' right side full floor pan replacement
I have a 1976 coupe that needs a right side full floor pan. I have found both USA and imports available. I'm looking for some help in which one is better, and about how many hours it will take to replace. Also, any pointers in the removal and installation. If someone has done this I will appreciate your input!
#3
Le Mans Master
i would find out the gauge of the metal .the hours that you will have in it will depend on the tools that you have and your skill level.you can check some of the saturday car shows on line ,they have showed how to replace floor pans on cars.or try you tube.
#4
Pro
I had this problem about 10 years ago, before they started repopping them. I still think the best solution is finding original - it's the only way to get factory fit, guage, etc.
There was an all-Corvette salvage place in southern Ca. I think the town was Placentia.It's a long way from NJ, but was worth it. The pans were like new. They UPS'd to me as two halves, and was cut out in such a way as I could drill out the original spot welds and put them back. I had a friend did the welding at the time, but would easily tackle it now. Try a Google search and see what you come up with.
Good luck!
There was an all-Corvette salvage place in southern Ca. I think the town was Placentia.It's a long way from NJ, but was worth it. The pans were like new. They UPS'd to me as two halves, and was cut out in such a way as I could drill out the original spot welds and put them back. I had a friend did the welding at the time, but would easily tackle it now. Try a Google search and see what you come up with.
Good luck!
#5
Burning Brakes
I replaced both sides in my '76. I bought a set off ebay that were cheaper than those offered by most Corvette vendors. Thickness was good. Driver side fit OK, but passenger side took a BFH and a port-o-power to match up with the contour of the trans tunnel. Also it seemed that the metal sheet was not centered when it was stamped. The lip of the pan was not parallel to the the "floor" of the pan.
Also, pans did not have match where the rocker channel meets the firewall.
Drivers side with old floor pan removed. You'll notice there is a "step" where the rocker channel meets the firewall.
Driver side with new pan. The front lip is straight and doesn't fit into the "step". This left a trangular gap that I just filled with seam sealer. Not ideal. If more of my pans had been salvagable, I could have just trimmed the new pan to fit below that area.
Also, pans did not have match where the rocker channel meets the firewall.
Drivers side with old floor pan removed. You'll notice there is a "step" where the rocker channel meets the firewall.
Driver side with new pan. The front lip is straight and doesn't fit into the "step". This left a trangular gap that I just filled with seam sealer. Not ideal. If more of my pans had been salvagable, I could have just trimmed the new pan to fit below that area.
#6
Melting Slicks
On my 76, I had some holes in my floor pans, one of them pretty big, I just cleaned up the rust, painted the metal and fiberglassed on the inside over the whole pan. Worked great and I think pre 76 was all fiberglass floor pans anyway. Unless your metal is in really bad shape and mostly gone, I thought this was pretty decent fix. Hope this might help.