Cut out brace or not?

[1930artdeco]

OK, I am looking at the front floor brace on my 57 Ford wagon here. I am going to try and blast and then chem alter and seal the rust. BUT, there is cancer forming I know but am I good to forward with my plan? Or do I need to replace the brace?


Thanks,


Mike

[oldbugger]

I think you will be fine, looks better than Michigan steel.

[Daves55Sedan]

Sandblast the rust out of the top side of the brace, then vacuum out and wipe down with cleaning solvent. Paint top side with POR or other rust preventative coating. Punch holes in the flanges (that mate with the floor panel) for mig-welding the flanges back to the new floor pan.
I would also paint the bottom of the new floor pan entirely, then fit it temporarily in place to determine final cuts needed to the floor pan. Also mark with felt-tip pin each hole drilled out thru the support flanges.
Remove the floor pan and make final cuts. Punch out or drill out mating holes you marked for the floor support channel flanges.
Final fit: Place the floor pan in the car and using hex-head sheet metal screws, screw the floor pan down to the support channel flanges. Go underneath and spot weld the edge of the channel flanges to the underside of the new floor pan.
Now go up and remove all the sheet metal screws and fill the holes in with the mig-welder. This will weld the channel to the floor if your welding skills are good. If you are new to mig-welding, go back underneath and fill in the holes in the channel flanges with weld. This will definitely attach the floor pan to the flanges.
Finish off by welding the new floor pan edges to the remaining existing floor pans. Clean all affected areas and apply a spray coat of primer to all bare metal surfaces.
It is now ready for overcoat once all other floor panels have been repaired as needed.

[Gene F]

I agree, POR. EMS sells nice ones, but this is fine. Not like you are going to be driving the thing all the time.

[56sedandelivery]

Along these lines my 56 has a floor brace that has been bent in. Not sure weather to just leave it of try and fix it. Sorry for jumping in

[1930artdeco]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Looks like the center brace on my car. The one that goes over the tranny. I am going to just blast away, coat and leave it alone. Thank you all for you help.


Mike

[Daves55Sedan]

Originally Posted by 56sedandelivery

Along these lines my 56 has a floor brace that has been bent in. Not sure weather to just leave it of try and fix it. Sorry for jumping in

Can't tell from that photo what you mean, but all '55/56 Ford front floor braces on both side of transmission hump kinda sag in the middle and slope upward toward the trans hump. That's not any kind of damage. The floor braces are a much heavier (thicker) steel than the 18 gage floor.
People who buy the cheapo replacement floor pans typically have some trouble getting the new panel to sit down onto the floor brace channel flanges due to the curvature (sag) of the existing floor brace.
The way I always did them, I drilled holes for sheet-metal screws and screwed the new floor pan down to the channel flange. Then I welded the floor pan to the flange. Then I removed the screws and filled in the holes with mig-welding.

[56sedandelivery]

Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan

Can't tell from that photo what you mean, but all '55/56 Ford front floor braces on both side of transmission hump kinda sag in the middle and slope upward toward the trans hump. That's not any kind of damage. The floor braces are a much heavier (thicker) steel than the 18 gage floor.
People who buy the cheapo replacement floor pans typically have some trouble getting the new panel to sit down onto the floor brace channel flanges due to the curvature (sag) of the existing floor brace.
The way I always did them, I drilled holes for sheet-metal screws and screwed the new floor pan down to the channel flange. Then I welded the floor pan to the flange. Then I removed the screws and filled in the holes with mig-welding.

Sorry about confusion. The pic is of the floor brace.
on the under side of the floor. As shown it is caved in. Did not seem to do anything to the floor itself. Just wondering to try and it or leave as it. I guess I could drill some holes in it and try and pull it out.