[rub]

Thank you Eric

Rob

[eric65]

Hay see you worked in Power Plants.... You ever in the Ohio Valley at Miami Fort PS I worked there bout 10years Did a little time at Zimmer ... Were you a BoilerMaker??

Thanks
Eric

[3 Chiefs]

I was just reading a post of yours on Team Chevelle. You were asking about the Eastwood butt clamps you bought. I cant post there because I am not a member. I think that site is $20.00 a year. I wanted to tell you that I use these and Eric is right about filing a gap at these spots because when I used them they were really hard to remove after the weld. Even after I hammer and dollied the weld. I felt like I was going to bend the panel when I removed them because they were so tight. So filing a gap is a great idea.
Here is what Eric posted for you.

Alittle tip when using those clamps is to mark there location on the metal. Then take a file and remove the metal from the marked spot so clamp sits flush with the metal.. Basically you are making a notch for those clamps to sit in. That way when you go to butt the panels up you are left with NO gap. The only gap you are left with is the small little notch you made for the clamp, alot easier to weld then a gap of .040 down the entire seem!!

Leaving a .040 gap is a great way to warp the crap out of your metal as it allows the welded metal to draw more metal with as it cools and shrinks. A butt weld with NO gap will lessen your warpage factor.

Just thought you could use this info. By the way I got mine at Harbor Freight.



Paul

[Greg Reid]

That's interesting as a lot of people tell you that you should leave a small gap to give the heated metal space to expand. In fact, I was just reading that in an issue of Car Crafts "Paint and Body"
What say ye Rob?

[rub]

Eric, I worked Vermont Yankee, Indian Point, Mcguire, and most of it at Point Beach.

Rob

[rub]

Thanks Paul, good information. You can post on the chevelle forum with out paying the $20, come over and help us out.

Rob

[rub]

Greg, you might of heard of these guys, they do a lot of posting, and probably the most experienced in this that I'm familiar with.

sevt chevelle, no gap, otherwise the metal sucks in and you get more warpage.

baddbob71, no gap, less shrinkage and warpage.

martinsr, tight fit, clean metal on both sides.

I guess as long as there close to tight, so you can still align them, but keeping a tight fit might be another story, I will keep them fairly close, but it will take me a while to weld them.

Sometimes I will get a bucket of water and a bath towel, wring it out so its just dripping a little, let the spot welds cool a little, then go over the panel with the towel in about a two foot area, cool all the metal down.

I never let things get to warm, I guess patience is the key to warped panels.

Anyway, I'm not real sure on any of this, but interesting question.

Rob

[rub]

Eric, I missed one part of your question, I worked in radiation protection.

Rob

[Greg Reid]

Don't get me wrong Rob...I'm not debating your point about the close fit. Your results will speak for themselves. It's just interesting how you can get widely divergent opinions on this stuff.
For instance, to help prevent blow through on thin metal or to fill holes, one source will say increase the stickout...Another will tell you definitely do not increase the stickout but hold the torch close and 'burp'. I find that a combination works best for me.
As for butt welding, I'm as amatuerish as you can get but I'm finding that, like you, I like the fit to be pretty "jam-up and jelly tight" as I'm not too fond of the amount of time and wire it takes to fill in gaps and holes.
I don't worry about warpage too much because I really spread the work around and take my time. I also use the damp rag and even an air nozzle to cool down too.

[rub]

I'm with you on this Greg, a lot of things enter the picture.

Even thin versus new metal, I guess a guy a guy just takes it one step at a time. I'm going after the other side this afternoon, if I get anything done, I'll have some show and tell on here.

Rob

[gtogreg48]

Rub, not to get off the subject of floor pans, but your a man after my own heart. I'm a GTO guy through and through but I'll take a 65 2+2 after a GTO but before anything else. I had a 67 GTO in the late 60's and worked with a guy who had a 65 2+2 421 tripower White with big black buckets and 4 spd. Man, we had some awsome drag races. I'd bury him out of the hole but he would usually catch me by the end of the race. Really tore up the streets on the south side of Chicago. Sorry, I digress but those are fond memories. Greg

[rub]

Greg, talk about 67 gto's, i was talking to a guy on here a while back.

I'll copy it






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks 400.

My friend bought a new 67 gto in 67, he ordered it, but didn't really pay attention to the gears in the rear end.

It was a 400 ram air 360 horse 4 speed with 433 gears, and it was quick, 107 topped out with valve float, fourth gear came quick, and she really pulled hard.

Loved that car, always wanted one.

Rob

[rub]

I have an update with pictures on the floor pan inst. I want to make sure I don't miss anything, it starts on page 6, anyway the bride says to go to whats new.

[rub]

Another update, page 7.

Rob

[corn goat]

rub did you split the flanges of the rocker panels to get the old floor pan out and did you slide the new floor pan back in between the flanges befor e screwing down ?How about your rear seam at the rear seat pan to floor pan connection?could you post a few more pictures for a fellow nuke worker?thanks your work looks great.

[corn goat]

rub did you split the flanges of the rocker panels to get the old floor pan out and did you slide the new floor pan back in between the flanges befor e screwing down ?How about your rear seam at the rear seat pan to floor pan connection?could you post a few more pictures for a fellow nuke worker?thanks your work looks great.

[rub]

I will draw up something, then take pictures and put the pictures on here, maybe tonight, give me a couple of hours, hard to explain with out a picture.

Rob

[rub]

Here you go, you guys know how to find it.

Rob

[corn goat]

rub your narrative of your project is fabulous !did you split or remove the upper rocker panel where it is lapped over layed where the backseat structure where the rear windowcranks /assembly are attached to the floor panel?

[rub]

Goat, I only went as far as where I showed the bottom of the floor that had the cut along the side of the support, its still intact all the way back.

If you want to get in there, and open it up, start with any spot welds in that area, actually a dremel tool or a carbide burr will get those spotwelds out.

Systematically grind out one spot weld at a time and then peel off the top layer of metal then go to the next one, a dremel tool is less obtrusive, you can see what you're doing better.

They have little reinforced cut off wheels, I think about $6 for five of them.

Don't just start cutting through the metal.

I did about a foot back of each rocker panel, straight across from where you're feet would be, if you're setting in the front seat.

I took a dremel cut off wheel, cut into the ends, a little less then 1/32 of an inch, then ground the spot welds out, then went for the next piece of metal after that.

Then I took the old pieces of metal and took poster board, ( paper) and made me some templates, then I took the first piece of metal, drilled some 3/8s holes in it, butt welded, ground the weld flat, then layerey the next piece of metal.

I guess the secret is, go slow until you figure out how the metal is layered in there. Some of the metal in rockers and supports are different thicknesses, I have something about that on my site.

I don't think I'm explaining this right.

Can you get a picture?

http://www.1969supersport.com/smthoughts.html

This will give you some different thickness of metal.

Rob