Words: Jeff Tann

Photography: Jeff Tann

FLOORED!

Installing a Floorboard in a
Modified Pro Street Chassis

WHEN YOU LOOK AT OLDER-CAR ADS IN THE NEWSPAPER FOR THAT NEXT PROJECT, ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS LISTED FOR
THESE CARS IS THAT THEY REQUIRE FLOORBOARD REPAIR. TODAYS CARS HAVE INTERIOR CARPET, BUT IN THE PAST, THE FLOORBOARD COVERINGS WERE MADE OF RUBBER. ON RAINY DAYS, PEOPLE WOULD GET INTO THEIR CARS WITH WET FEET AND THE MOISTURE WOULD END UP
UNDER THE RUBBER MATS, WHERE IT WOULD STAY. THAT MOISTURE EVENTUALLY RUSTED FLOORBOARDS SO THAT, TODAY, ITS NOT UNUSUAL TO
SEE GREAT-LOOKING EARLY CARS THAT HAVE NO SERIOUS DAMAGE EXCEPT FOR FLOORBOARDS THAT REQUIRE COMPLETE REPLACEMENT.

Depending on the make

and model of car, there are a
number of companies that
produce replacement floorboard panels. Bitchin Products
and Direct Sheetmetal make
floorboards for older Ford and
Chevy products and offer
some universal kits. Year One
and Goodmark provide floorboards for later-model muscle
cars, and Chevs of the 40s
offers many options, including
those for older trucks.
Depending on the car you
start with, these replacement
panels are generally perfect for
original cars and are straightforward replacements for rotted or partially rusted floors.
The car here, however, had

been modified with larger rear

wheel tubs and a narrowed
rear frame, which meant that
replacement panels needed to
be fabricated. Dream Cars in
Simi Valley, California, fabricated floorboards to fit the
wheel tubs and then finished
off with the passenger-compartment floor and trunk
floor.
This installation required
several special tools to make
the panels, including a metal
break, a metal shear, a plasma
cutter and a MIG welder.
Other tools required include a
5-inch sander, a 3-inch angle
sander, a nut-insert tool and a
variety of ordinary hand tools.
Check out what was done
SUPER ROD

1. From the rear, you can see the

narrowed framerails, the gas tank and
the large wheel tubs. This section of the
car will need a trunk floor.

Product Profile
here and see if you can apply it
to your personal project, no
matter how different it is or
how badly in need of repair.

SR
January 2008

Dream Cars
Dept. SPR
4265 Apricot Rd., Unit A
Simi Valley, CA 93063
805/306-9265

89

FLOORED

3a

3b

10

14

15

16

17a

17b

11

12

2. From the interior, you can see the wheel tubs and the suspension components. Only a small portion of the rear seat riser remains in
the car. 3a-b. The height and width of the rear section were measured for a panel that will separate the front of the interior compartment from the rear. This panel will be made out of 16-gauge sheetmetal. 4. The measurements were transferred to a large sheet of
steel. Here, the marks are made with a black felt-tip pen. 5. Using a steel yardstick as a guide, the sheetmetal was cut with a plasma
cutter. When the panel was cut, it was dressed perfectly smooth with a 3-inch angle sander. 6. The end of the panel will require a small
bend, and it was measured and marked with a black felt-tip pen. 7. After the panel was marked, it was placed in a metal break and the
small lip was formed. 8. After some minor trimming, the metal panel was installed. When the panel had a perfect fit, it was tack-welded in place. 9. Measuring from the lip at the back of the panel that was just installed, the size of the next sheetmetal section was determined. 10. The measurement was transferred to the metal with several additional inches that will be used for a kick-up to clear the
suspension components. 11. The sheetmetal was placed into a metal shear and cut to size. 12. The metal section will have a kick-up in
the panel. Here, the measurements are made before bending.

90

13

SUPER ROD

January 2008

13. The first bend was made using the metal break. This raised portion will be 2 inches
and was necessary to clear the suspension components. 14. After the first bend was
made, another small bend was necessary. Here, the second 1/2-inch lip was made
using the metal break. 15. The original floor was covered with surface rust, so it was
sanded to bare, clean metal using a 5-inch hand sander. 16. The metal section was
placed into the car, and it was a tight fit. It was tapped into place with a hammer to
make sure it was located properly. Here, you can see why the metal required a small
1/2-inch bend. 17a-b. After the metal section was in place, it was tack-welded to the
wheel tub and to the existing front floor section.

SUPER ROD

January 2008

FLOORED

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

27

25

31

32

33

34

35

26

28

29

18. Here is the inside of the car after the metal panels were installed. The panels look nice and will add more strength to the wheel
tubs. 19. The rear panel sections will have to be made in the trunk, so a measurement was made between the wheel tubs. 20. The
measurement was transferred to a small section of sheetmetal. This section will be welded into the car. To strengthen the panel, it will
be bent on both ends. 21. The 1/2-inch metal bends were made at each end of the sheetmetal panel to add strength to it. 22. The metal
panel was placed into the trunk and was located between the wheel tubs. It will butt against the panel that separates the passenger
compartment and trunk. 23. After the panel was installed properly, it was tack-welded in place. 24. Here is the first trunk panel after it
was secured to the rear bulkhead panel and the wheel tubs. The next trunk panel will be removable to access the gas tank and the suspension components. 25. Measurements were made for the next panel section; this one will be wider than the wheel tubs. 26. The
measurement that was just made was transferred to a sheet of metal. 27. Using the measurement that was made, the metal sheet was
cut to size with a metal shear. 28. The metal panel will need a small bend to flow smoothly into the panel that was previously installed.
Here, the measurement is made to locate the necessary bend. 29. Following the measurement that was just made, the sheetmetal
panel was installed in the metal break and a slight bend was made.
92

30

SUPER ROD

January 2008

30. The panel was installed in the car and centered between the wheel tubs. The panel
will have to be notched on both sides to clear the wheel tubs. 31. Following the measurement that was made, a line was drawn on the panel before it was cut. 32. A metal
ruler was used as a guide as the panel is being cut with a plasma cutter. 33. After some
minor trimming, the metal panel was installed in the trunk and it fit nicely. Several
holes were drilled through the two metal panels to locate where the screws will have to
be used. 34. After the small holes were located, they were opened up with a larger drill
so that nut inserts can be installed. 35. The nut inserts are installed with the nut-insert
tool. The nut inserts will be installed in the front panel as well as the side panels to
secure the floor panel.

SUPER ROD

January 2008

FLOORED

36

37

38

39

40

41

48

49

42

43

44

50

45

46

47

36. The floor panel will be secured to the other panels with a variety of small metal screws, as seen here. 37. A small panel will have
to be made over the gas-tank hose connection. A small section of metal was cut to fit and then marked on both sides where a pair of
holes would have to be drilled. 38. The metal panel was removed from the car and two holes were drilled using a drill press. 39. Using
the metal panel as a guide, two holes were drilled into the floorboard in preparation for installing a pair of nut inserts. 40. The two
holes were drilled to size and the two nut inserts were installed with the special tool. 41. The cover was installed to the floorboard with
two small screws. 42. Here is the rear floorboard after all of the panels were installed. The forward portion of the floor is removable to
access the suspension and the gas tank. 43. The battery box was positioned on the passenger side of the car, and then the outline was
traced into the floor. 44. Following the lines drawn on the floor, the area was cut out with a plasma cutter. The battery box will drop into
the hole and will be covered with a flat metal cover. 45. The battery cover was placed over the battery box and the hole positions were
traced onto the floorboard with a black felt-tip pen. 46. The holes were drilled into the floorboard with a small drill bit and then opened
up with a step drill in preparation for the nut inserts. 47. The nut inserts were installed in the floorboard. They will be used to secure
the battery cover and battery box.
94

SUPER ROD

January 2008

48. The battery box was placed into the hole.

Notice how the holes in the battery box line up
with the nut inserts in the floor. 49. The battery cover was placed over the battery box and
both were secured with four bolts. The bolts
are secured with a 7/16-inch open-end
wrench. 50. Here is the battery box and cover
after it was secured to the trunk floor.

visit superrod.com

visit streetrodbuilder.com

visit chevyrumble.com

visit roddersdigest.com

visit fordbuilder.com

visit americanrodder.com

visit hcimagazine.com

visit truckbuildermagazine.com

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

The material in this document is protected

under the copyright laws of the United
States and international treaties and is the

visit dieselbuilder.com

property of BUCKAROO COMMUNICATIONS,

LLC, unless otherwise indicated. All rights
reserved. Editorial content, photos and
graphics may not be reproduced, stored in a
retrievable system, or transmitted in any

visit 4x4buildermagazine.com

form or by any means--electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise-without the express written permission of
BUCKAROO COMMUNICATIONS, LLC.

visit familyandperformanceboating.com