need some advice on 55 Ford car trunk replacement

[Hot Rod Reverend]

Background
It wasn't too long ago that I finally got my garage up and operational, and now that I have the room and time to get on my project...here goes!

I have a 1955 Ford Sunliner convertible that I bought because the price was right. (my first car was a 55 Ford Club Sedan, love the mid-fifties fords) And why was the price "right"? The photos help to tell the story. The irony is that before looking at it and before purchase, I had no idea on how good a job a body man had done on replacing the floor pans and struts - very good work, solid, thorough, and hard to tell any difference from original work.

My plan is to eventually take the body off the frame, using angle iron and old metal bed rails for support to keep the body from buckling. But before I can do that, I believe as though I need to replace the trunk floor. The PO had begun the process by drilling out the spot welds, and the floor is just about ready to come out as you can see by the photos. I have an EXCELLENT 95% rust free floor from a donor car that I have salvaged front end sheet metal from for the convertible. All measurements and specs are the same for both trunk floors and tail pans (the donor is a 55 fordor car).

To date, I would consider myself a beginner welder. I do have a mig that I have used on occasion around the garage and on sheet metal patch work, but I have never tackled something like this (isn't that half the fun? )

Questions
Here are my questions to see what recommendations some of you body men would have...

1. How much trunk floor pan should I take out of the donor car? Is it better to replace the whole thing or section it out? You probably cannot tell from the photos, but the way a 55 Ford is made, you can take a whole floor out and in without having to section it.

2. When removing the donor trunk floor, should I drill out all of the old spot welds just as it sits in the body, or should I try to make a clean cut first (since I am trashing that which I do not need or what no one would want from the donor car) and then remove the spot welds after the trunk floor is removed from the car? (in essence, cutting above the spot welds so I am taking out more metal than I need to trim later?)

3. The PO also began working on the tail pan area, and had slated that part of the car for entire removal (which it needs, but again, the donor car is ready to give up the goods!). Should I do the tail pan before or after the trunk floor?

thanks for taking the time to ready my ramblin'....

http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg208/danaxjessup/55%20Ford%20Sunliner%20Project/?action=view&current=100_5507.jpg

http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg208/danaxjessup/55%20Ford%20Sunliner%20Project/?action=view&current=100_5508.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg208/danaxjessup/55%20Ford%20Sunliner%20Project/100_5510.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg208/danaxjessup/55%20Ford%20Sunliner%20Project/100_5512.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg208/danaxjessup/EJ%20and%20Me/100_5171.jpg
(this last one is with my son EJ - he gets in on the projects too!)

Most of the rusting around the edges is because the body panels have been separated, exposing the metal. All this is surface rust, and is very easily removed and prepped for welding/work. You can see in the one photo where the uppermost part of the trunk floor has already been separated by an inch or more. Same goes for the passenger side of the tail panel.

[frank long island]

i think it would be easier if you split the donor floor down the middle to install because the full panel won't fit through the trunk opening also for removal of convert.you can cut out big sections and drill welds halfway through to get to mounting points use self tap screws or klecos to fit panels. also grind both panels on mating surfaces.if your really looking for a nice system you could use panel bonding adhesive to attach the floor this way it will seal the joints where it attach's i did this on my wagon's roof and rockers 2nd drill the welds all the way through on the donor as you can fill the holes with the mig as you replace the floor with plug welds also switch to 023 wire you will have less blow through as for the tail leave that for last install the trunk lid check for fit clamp in place when removing the tail i would rough cut on the larger size trim to fit as spot welds are under taillamps difficult to drill out and follow the same route as the floor filling the holes i use a 1/4 or 5/16 depending on the size of the weld keep plenty in stock as the welds are hard also a 1/8 hole to start will save on bits
finish welds with a flap wheel etch prime seam seal and no more swiss cheese make sure you set you door gaps and brace before unbolting the body it may not be a bad idea to brace before cutting anything out support the rear whe floor is removed .good luck its a lot of work but relaxing don't rush the results will be worth it when you are asked who did that and you say "ME"

[Hot Rod Reverend]

Frank, thanks for the suggestions and comments. Surprisingly, Kevin Tetz of the Paintucation DVD series and Eastwood Co. fame has commented to me as well. I think he is more of a Mustang fella, although he does host the Trucks! show.

What brand of spot weld bit do/did you use?

[frank long island]

you can use regular drill bits or a blair cutter

[Ole Don]

I HATE body work, and hold anyone like you in very high regard. When I have to do body work, I use easy grind wire in the welder. It works faster after the weld.
Good Luck!

[Hot Rod Reverend]

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Got some more work today. All the floor pans have been removed (boy were they solid, but those rockers - shot to pieces!) and the frame looks good. The plan is put a ball receiver on the crossmember. I have a new set of U bolts (for a rear axle/leaf spring setup) to fasten the receiver to the frame. This will never be towed, but I figure the added insurance couldn't hurt. After I look at it again, I may decide to weld the U bolts to the crossmember...dunno. Once the tow dolly is hooked up, I'll put the rear wheel/tires back on and roll her forward to take a good look at that trunk floor. I think I am going to remove more than what I need, and trim it up to fit after I remove the convertible trunk. But, can't do much more in those regards until I can move this thing and get some more room in the garage...