"Oilcanning" Floor

[bridgeguy]

I think I know the answer but want the gurus around here to let me know that I'm either right or wrong.

Dealing with a '74 K5 and, while stripping all the rusty paint off the driver's floor using one of those nifty composite type wheels, found that the driver's floorpan (for lack of a better term and it's the one I was taught) is "oilcanning" rather noticeably.

From what I know/suspect, that would indicate that the thickness of the sheet metal has been compromised or that there has been some stretching going on in that area. Either way, I'm thinking I have to replace the floor pan.

Before I undertake that, I was hoping to get some input from some people around here as that will be more entertainment I was hoping to avoid but I'm ready with an '85 donor to chop it up into lil pieces if necessary.

Any thoughts?

 

[ryoken]

the floors are different pre 78/post 78... they where thin from the factory, moreso in the later yrs... the post 80 ones are notorious for cracking at the seat mounts... at least 1/2 the ones i've seen have it...

 

[blazer74]

How much rust on floors, cab supports, rocker boxes?
If rust is bad their will be movement when driving.

 

[bridgeguy]

There actually isn't that much rust, which is what surprises me about the driver's side floor acting like this. There is almost NO rust in the driver's side rocker box that I can find and the floor has some pockmarking, but so far nothing had been full-depth through the metal.

The passenger's side has a little more rust in that the door sill does have some rusting through (I'm going to try and get a photo posted but have to set up a photobucket account as that seems to be one of the more popular ways to get photos up) but compared to some of the pictures I've been seeing on here, I have NOTHING that significant.

I got the frame out 2 nights ago and even with the improved access, I'm not seeing anything significant.

I'm wondering if I will be able to somehow reinforce the driver's side floor without having to completely remove it as ryoken had a solid point: seems that all the replacement parts and later years (I have a donor '85) have a lot lighter gauge metal and I would rather reinforce what is there.

All in all, the further into this I get (and I don't really think I can get much further, the frame is out and the tub is completely gutted) the happier I am in terms of remedial repairs being necessary.

I had to really think about pulling the frame but finally opted to do it. The intent is not restoration, but rather preservation and I think I have a nice Kalifornia K-5 to start with and hopefully can clean everything well enough that it will seal up and be good for another 30 years (without it taking me months to get it done.) I'm planning on having the frame ready to go back under in a month or so as the lift stuff has to go on, go through the diffs completely, etc.) The only thing up in the air is the question of 14 bolt but I'm trying to convince myself that I HAVE to do it now with a disc conversion, etc.

But that driver's floor has me vexed....

 

[blazer74]

How were the rubber mounts, check for crackes all around floor and support area, Also where the seat bolts in. If you decide to replace the floor wait till the cab is back on the frame and hard top on if you have it to keep everything lined up.
My 74 was a rust bucket and like a wet noodle if the hard top was off. Took a while to get it solid and straight again.

 

[Big Ray]

tack some 90" angles on the underside of the floor...restores some stiffness & strength...


fwiw, that's what we do to helicopters...