1970 fj40 rust

[Kghcar96]

I have this fj40 that the whole floor from front to back is just rusted out, everything besides the part that covers the tranny. So would
It be easier and cheaper to buy metal and do it myself of buy whole new floors, but then someone suggested that I could just fix the front part of the floors and create a cab and make the back have a flat bed, or should I just leave it stock because I like how it looks all in all.

 

[cjgoode]

Pictures would help to see how bad it is. Much much cheaper to do it your self. Good solid body replacement parts for these are very expensive. I have heard of people taking the rear floor from a pickup truck out of a junk yard for the rear floor replacement to get the ribs. My 1962 has flat steel for the front floor from a PO, I welded it some extra support under it with angle iron, rear has a big flat piece of steel diamond plate. It had flat steel over the middle section, I pulled that up to find the original steel in good shape other then needing a few patches. The rear floor was also in good shape when they put the diamond plate down, but they did not weld it down kind of glued it down and did not seal the edges so it rusted out from that. So just make sure you remove old metal and do not just cover it up with new metal.

 

[pb4ugo]

One thing to remember is ribbing creates strength & reduces flex in large sheet metal panels. Flat sheet metal tends to make popping sound when it flexes.

 

[Pistorman]

One thing to remember is ribbing creates strength & reduces flex in large sheet metal panels. Flat sheet metal tends to make popping sound when it flexes.

X100 on the ribbing, its not there for aesthetical purposes...

By the way, I have a leftover brand new CCOT passenger side floor pan. I'll sell it to you at a discount

 

[cjgoode]

Yes the ribbing is not for looks, but l added angle iron under it so it is as solid if not more then any ribbed floor. I actually used cut up bed frames from the trash, a great source of free angle iron. Obviously this would not be a restoration, and it will effect the value a little.

 

[Kghcar96]

here is some pictures

 

[Kghcar96]

more pics

 

[cjgoode]

yeah. thats a missing floor. Might be simpler looking for a donor tub and combine the best parts of both, or repair the other one. If you are good at fabricating stuff making a new floor is not that hard, I have seen others here do it. You need the floor support, body mounts etc, a lot more then what comes with the floor pans.

 

[Kghcar96]

so how much in all would that cost me. and i was wondering how hard is it to take the whole body off the frame. and for the new floor i was looking at your pictures and i noticed you just used a flat piece of diamond plates steel would that be strong enough to how my floor together, and i know i will probably will have to to some body work on my tubs and the rears corners.

 

[Kghcar96]

more pics

 

[cjgoode]

Mine had the diamond plate already in it when I got it, I pulled it up and cut out the original floor under it since it was not salvageable and decided to weld the diamond plate back town with extra support braces I added under it. It actually would be simple to do large flat steel for the floor, middle section and front floor pan. Search for posts here, others have done it. Would be easier if you have another cruiser to look at and study. It is easy to take the body off, or a better body. You will want to cross brace that a lot before lifting it, it might buckle and become real damaged if you tried to lift it the way it is..