Mark,

It was certainly a fun job, having never attempted anything like this myself before and not having the benefit of a group like this. Just getting the floor plan home in a minivan was an adventure. The parts guy at MB thought I was nuts to take on a job like this.

To start with I had no garage and just a stone driveway. I bought several sheets of exterior 1/2" plywood and laid a floor down over the stone driveway. I put 2 layers down, overlapping them and screwing them together. Put the car on the nice floor and put it up on 4 jack stands supporting the subframes.

I removed all the interior include accel. pedal, removed (or loosen) undercarriage component that were attached to the left floor pan (park brake, fuel/brake lines, etc). Unbolted left rear subframe mount. Remove lower body trim.

I took many measurements and made several alignment marks to ensure I got the new floor pan in exactly the same location. Unfortunately, I was off by less than a 1/4" which created some problems for me. So be sure everything is very well documented before you start cutting.

Using a spot weld drill bit (from Eastwood Co), I drilled out all the spot welds. Several panels meet at the rear of the floor pan, to where I could not drill out the welds. Here I had to cut the pan loose. Remove the old pan, cutting it in section amde it easier.

I cleaned up the old surfaces grinding smooth the spot weld from the remaining edge of the lap joints. Using a wire wheel on my hand grinder, a heat gun and scraper, I clean all the undercoating (inside and out). Applied weld-through primer to all surfaces to be welded.

Using the old pan as a guide, carefully removed rewelded bracket from the old pan to the new in same locations.

I can't remember if I removed the rocker panel at this time or installed the new pan and then removed and replaced the rocker. I want to say I removed it before installing the new pan. Removing the rocker require some surgical work with an air chisel.

I basically clamped and tack welded me way around. As I recall the right side floor pan over lapped the left. So I welded the holes where I drilled out the spot welds to the new pan. Before I started welding I made sure the door was aligned and everthing look square. The problem I had was the area of the rear subframe mount. The pan was less then 1/4" to high, I discovered that when I reattached the mount. I tried shimming it, but it's something I still got to fix somehow.

When I finished the welding painted all that bare metal with Rust Encapulator (from Eastwood) and I sealed all the seams. Then spray several coats of black primer.

As I recall it took me a 2-3 months (weekend and nights).

Tools requires:
Mig welder, hand grinder, air chisel, various size clamps and visegrips, wire brushes, scrapers, heatgun, 1/2 drill w/spotweld bit.

That about what I remember (it was about 3 yrs ago). I had to finishup quickly because the contractor I hired, wanted to break ground on my new garage. After working outside on this project I was definently convinced I NEEDED A GARAGE. I was getting to old to be laying on stone driveways reparing my cars.

If anyone has a other questions, I'll try to answer them for you. I did take a few pictures that I have to sort through and try to put something up on my website..

Chet