Hi,
both floorpans of my '72 S3 are rusted through at the front. Further, the car has been jacked up using the floorpans such that they are dented in the back. This means I will have to replace both sides of the floor, and replacing the full length may be the best solution. I have replaced the floors on other cars, so in prinicple, I know how to do it.
However, I would like to learn any specifics from those of you who already have done this job. What I understand is that the floorpans of the S1 and S2 are constructed different and that the S3 is somewhat specific. Can you give any advice or share your experience? I'm most interested in where exactly the old pan should be cut out. Pictures would be great. Are there any threads in the forum archives (yes, I did use the forum search, but to no avil) or articles elsewhere on the internet you know about and give me a link?
Best regards, Manfred
Replacing floorpans on an S3
#2
Hi Manfred,
I?ll try to help as much as I can. Firstly, I did not replace the entire floor pans of my Series 3, but did replace the forward section (which, like your own was rusted through) and made some repairs at the rear.
Another point is that whilst the S3 cars do have a different floor pan to the FHC and OTS S1 and S2 cars, they are basically the same as the 2+2 variants of S1 and S2. I?m not sure if they are identical, probably not, but all S3 cars share the long wheel base of the earlier 2+2 cars, so information you can find regarding replacement of any 2+2 floor will be relevant.
I made my own repair sections, but both full floors and repair sections are available. The forward section was fairly simple, although my ?dimples? were hand beaten and this does show, however they are solid, pretty accurate in shape and I am not intending to show the car. At the rear, the jacking and suspension points were intact and I was fortunate enough only to have to replace metal around the jack point.
The floors are fairly flat, then angled up at about 45?, before a final short vertical flange, again at about 45?. The outer sills are welded to the outside of the floor pan on the first angled face, whilst the inner sills are welded to the inner face of the short vertical face. Therefore the floor is effectively sandwiched between the inner/outer sill, which means you really need to remove either the inner or outer sill for access. Holes in the floor may well indicate a need to repair the sill structure and I suggest the outer sills are best removed, providing the best access to both welded flanges. I did not remove the pans from the inner edge, but they appear to sit on top of the inner chassis rails, others will conform or refute this I am sure.
The best way would of course be to use a jig, for confidence, however, I didn?t have a full jig and the body was mounted on a rotisserie. To repair the floor section I fist cut only the lower portion of the sill away for access. This left as much strength as possible in the shell while conducting the work. My car is a 2+2 but the thickness of the windscreen pillars wouldn?t offer much rigidity, so I welded a bar across the door aperture prior to starting the work. I also left the door fitted throughout the process so I could open and close it to prove the aperture had not changed shape. On finishing the repairs, I cut the bar out and ground back the weld. I still had to remove the door to complete some of the welds in the vicinity of the front lower corner of the door.
Were I to remove the floor pans fully, I would also weld a bar across the car, possibly one at the front and another at the rear, this may be overkill but ensures nothing will move. You may be able to use existing holes, but I doubt this.
You could get away without disturbing the sill structure at all, provided you have confidence in it?s integrity, and cut below the joint of sill to floor, then trim the repair panel accordingly and butt weld the edges. This process requires confidence and skill in welding, particularly to create an invisible repair and is frowned on by some who regard a butt weld in this area to be structurally unsound. It is however the approach that some professionals take when trying to preserve as much original metal as possible in a historically significant car. You may be able to joggle the repair panel to create a stronger lap joint, with the excess metal inside the car and hidden by trim. This would be stronger, but non-original and detectable.
I would suggest having a look at the repair panels available, from repair sections to complete floor and this will give you an idea of the work involved. Ideally, do this with the panel alongside the car so you can compare and see where metal has to be removed.
Finally, some photos to show the work I carried out, these will show the structure around the sill/floor interface, but not the inner flange, which I did not disturb.
I hope this helps a little.
Regards,
Simon
I?ll try to help as much as I can. Firstly, I did not replace the entire floor pans of my Series 3, but did replace the forward section (which, like your own was rusted through) and made some repairs at the rear.
Another point is that whilst the S3 cars do have a different floor pan to the FHC and OTS S1 and S2 cars, they are basically the same as the 2+2 variants of S1 and S2. I?m not sure if they are identical, probably not, but all S3 cars share the long wheel base of the earlier 2+2 cars, so information you can find regarding replacement of any 2+2 floor will be relevant.
I made my own repair sections, but both full floors and repair sections are available. The forward section was fairly simple, although my ?dimples? were hand beaten and this does show, however they are solid, pretty accurate in shape and I am not intending to show the car. At the rear, the jacking and suspension points were intact and I was fortunate enough only to have to replace metal around the jack point.
The floors are fairly flat, then angled up at about 45?, before a final short vertical flange, again at about 45?. The outer sills are welded to the outside of the floor pan on the first angled face, whilst the inner sills are welded to the inner face of the short vertical face. Therefore the floor is effectively sandwiched between the inner/outer sill, which means you really need to remove either the inner or outer sill for access. Holes in the floor may well indicate a need to repair the sill structure and I suggest the outer sills are best removed, providing the best access to both welded flanges. I did not remove the pans from the inner edge, but they appear to sit on top of the inner chassis rails, others will conform or refute this I am sure.
The best way would of course be to use a jig, for confidence, however, I didn?t have a full jig and the body was mounted on a rotisserie. To repair the floor section I fist cut only the lower portion of the sill away for access. This left as much strength as possible in the shell while conducting the work. My car is a 2+2 but the thickness of the windscreen pillars wouldn?t offer much rigidity, so I welded a bar across the door aperture prior to starting the work. I also left the door fitted throughout the process so I could open and close it to prove the aperture had not changed shape. On finishing the repairs, I cut the bar out and ground back the weld. I still had to remove the door to complete some of the welds in the vicinity of the front lower corner of the door.
Were I to remove the floor pans fully, I would also weld a bar across the car, possibly one at the front and another at the rear, this may be overkill but ensures nothing will move. You may be able to use existing holes, but I doubt this.
You could get away without disturbing the sill structure at all, provided you have confidence in it?s integrity, and cut below the joint of sill to floor, then trim the repair panel accordingly and butt weld the edges. This process requires confidence and skill in welding, particularly to create an invisible repair and is frowned on by some who regard a butt weld in this area to be structurally unsound. It is however the approach that some professionals take when trying to preserve as much original metal as possible in a historically significant car. You may be able to joggle the repair panel to create a stronger lap joint, with the excess metal inside the car and hidden by trim. This would be stronger, but non-original and detectable.
I would suggest having a look at the repair panels available, from repair sections to complete floor and this will give you an idea of the work involved. Ideally, do this with the panel alongside the car so you can compare and see where metal has to be removed.
Finally, some photos to show the work I carried out, these will show the structure around the sill/floor interface, but not the inner flange, which I did not disturb.
I hope this helps a little.
Regards,
Simon
Regards,
Simon
Series III FHC
Simon
Series III FHC
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#3
Hallo Manfred,
take a look to the pictures from this site. I think they can be usefull too.
http://www.etypejaguar.ozcarnut.com/htm ... loors.html
Mfg
Michel
take a look to the pictures from this site. I think they can be usefull too.
http://www.etypejaguar.ozcarnut.com/htm ... loors.html
Mfg
Michel
Le chemin sera long!...
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