Need Source for Replacement Floor Pans - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Ken300D · #1 07-31-2003, 07:30 AM

Cindarella has joined the family for practically no adoption cost.

She seems to have only one major problem, rusty floor pans. The previous owner(s) knew nothing about the drains under the hood hinges, it took work to even find them. To make matters worse the most recent owner parked the car with the nose sharply uphill. So, water overflowed into the passenger compartment and settled in the back driver's side floor pan. I'll try to post some pictures tonight - its a Flintstones car.

I can bend sheet metal and get a reasonably functional repair, but I'd like to find a stamped replacement floor pan ready to weld in.

Does anyone know of a source for replacement W123 floor pans?

Ken300D

rs899 · #2 07-31-2003, 11:37 AM

Ken-

I wouldn't mind an extra 240D stick orphan myself.

You might try K&K Manufacturing

http://www.kkmfg.com/

They list them but I'm not sure of the price

Rick

Rick Miley · #3 07-31-2003, 02:54 PM

Don't overlook the dealer for this. The 2 year old EPC that I have shows W123 floor pans with a retail price of $320 per side. Mercedes has actually lowered a bunch of prices since then, so it could possibly be less.

Ken300D · #4 07-31-2003, 08:59 PM

I called K&K and they were very helpful. They do have sheet metal for the W123 although they have not put their W123 information on-line. Their floor pan replacements are categorized as front and back, left or right. This may work out well for me as I may only need the back left. They are mailing me their W123 pamphlet that includes drawings so I should be able to see whether a full left side or just the back half is required.

Oh, here is Cindarella. Although she's my low-mileage diesel, she's been out past midnight.

Ken300D

Ken300D · #5 07-31-2003, 09:05 PM

And here is poor Cindarella's left rear floor pan. Poor girl. She runs extremely well and shifts great. But she has a bit of localized rust cancer.

Ken300D

Ken300D · #6 08-02-2003, 10:27 PM

The next few questions I have are about welding this stuff.

First, what gauge steel do you think the floor pans might be?

Second question is about welding equipment. I have a simple flux-wire welder (not MIG, no inert gas) that I recently got and have been practicing welding with it. Its pretty easy to use and quite good for general light welding, but I've been welding metal that's a little heaver than this pan steel.

How much better is a MIG welder going to be than the flux-core wire welder? Is it better because you can turn it down lower and it still welds? What's the deal with MIG that might make it better? Is the wire it uses softer without the flux?

And so on. I know we have some welders here so your advice will be appreciated.

Ken300D

Wasuchi · #7 08-02-2003, 10:46 PM

IF you're at all worried about welding it yourself take it to a welder, shouldn't cost very much if you have everything ready to go.

After reading your first post I expected that you could put your feet through the holes..... doesn't look near as bad as my imagination made it!

Ken300D · #8 08-03-2003, 09:50 AM

For the most part I'm trying to gain DIY experience with this restoration. Fortunately the work will be invisible for the most part when completed. So, I don't expect or require perfect welding. I'm just going to give it a try. If it doesn't work so well with the welding, I'm going to go with pop rivets.

It's just a home project on a $450 car.

Ken300D

dmorrison · #9 08-03-2003, 11:23 AM

Your welder is a MIG welder. Your providing the gas for the weld by using flux core instead of gas. The flux core produces a gas when you weld. However setting the unit up for gas, either CO or Argon will produce better welds. You can do the entire job with your flux weld setup. 1. Get a auto dimming helmet it makes the welds 300% better and easier. 2. Practice on some sheet metal. Go to a auto repair shop and ask for a wrecked fender or such and practice on that. Once your happy with the welds you can cut out the old sheet metal and install the new stuff. A butt weld is a little more difficult but if you intend to have the car last this is the best weld. An overlap weld is easier but you may find that difficult when doing the floor pans. Additionally the overlap of the but weld is a place for rust to start again. Use welder primer and Pam spray to stop splatter from sticking to your sheetmetal. Yes Pam cooking spray. Practice and you should be able to do this yourself.

Harbor Freight has a lot of the welding tools you need at very good prices. The auto dimming helmets are usually on sale for $79 at times. actually $59 now
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=46092

Here is an article on how to replace floor pans in an old Chevy.
Your job should be basically the same. He used a TIG welder but many a restorer has done the same job with an inexpensive mig welder.

http://www.hotrod.com/howto/42644/index.html

Dave

MS Fowler · #10 08-04-2003, 05:43 AM

Ditto on the auto dimming helmet. A friend has one and I couldn't believe how much easier it was to see to start the weld. In fact when he started to learn to weld, the instructor told him, " I can teach a monkey to weld using an auto dimming helmet!"

Ken300D · #11 08-04-2003, 09:56 AM

Yes, I knew that the auto helmet would be necessary for me so I got that up front. It starts off just like looking through sunglasses so striking the arc in the right place is pretty easy.

Well, I don't have to get a pretty weld in this area, so if the flux-core wire welder will work I'll go with that. Otherwise I'd have to spend more on the welder than the car cost.

It's a good idea to get some other auto body sheet metal to practice on for awhile.

Thanks,

Ken300D

Ken300D · #12 09-03-2003, 09:54 PM

Here's a picture of the passenger-side floor pan now that I have it exposed. Not sure, but this may have been a case of rusting from the rocker panel in to the passenger compartment. I say that because of the location which is not at the lowest part of the floor pan, and there's a rubber plug missing on the bottom of the rocker panel near the rust area. It might also be water dripping in by the door seals to this area.

This should be repairable with plain sheet metal bent to the proper curve around a pipe, and then welded into place.

Ken300D

Ken300D · #13 09-03-2003, 10:04 PM

Here is the replacement full floor pan (for front and back) for the driver's side. It turns out the full floor pan is what I really should put into the car, and its the only W123 pan K&K Mfg had in stock anyway. They didn't have the half-pans. This one was $125 delivered by UPS.

The pan has a TABCO sticker on it, and I think that is the real manufacturer, with K&K being a reseller. Some research on the Internet indicates the TABCO that does replacement automotive sheet metal is somewhere in Ohio. It would be nice to cut out the reseller and get a cheaper price.

The advice in other posts not to cut out any old sheet metal before you have the replacement pan on hand is good advice. You wouldn't have any idea where to cut otherwise and might cut out too much. I would have expected more material in the replacement pan along the transmission tunnel and the back edge. It doesn't matter at the tunnel, but I will probably have to add a sheet metal section at the back of this replacement pan to adequately replace the rust there.

Ken300D

Peyton300TD · #14 12-14-2003, 04:28 PM

hey ken,

i have both my front seats out as im reupholstering them. i noticed a spot of rust under the passenger seat. i started picking at it and it looks to be like more than a spec. i need to buy a floor pan as well.

how did your replacement work out? any pictures or updates?

eric

#15 12-14-2003, 04:51 PM

Hi Ken.

Altough you have heavy rust,it
doesn't look as bad as mine did.

'83 stationwagen.

It looked like the PO ran over a curb
or something simular and the rear
passenger floor pan was pushed up.
Also the firewall had a fist size hole in it
so when it rained,the water ran to the back
and stayed there.
There was a foot size hole it that and
the seatbelt mount was rotted out badly.
And I had to cut it out just to remove the bolt.

In the front where the footwell meets the
firewall there was rot all along the meeting
area's.
And like in your pictures the side rail where
the vacuum and cables run is rotted but
not to the point where you see the outside.

Monetary restraints prevent me from fixing it
the right way so I used fiberglass as a temporary
fix.
I might keep it as a parts car and then later buy
one in better shape.

Good luck with your project.

Louis.