[Wdoland]

My new project car (68 Cougar) had the floor pans cut out by the previous owner. As you can see it looks like there are three layers. I want to order new ones to weld in but not sure what to do with this. Thanks for the help.

 

[dmac]

I'm thinking there is more than the floor pan rotted. It looks as if some of those layers is whats left of the "torque box". If your not familiar, do a search on this site and I'm sure more than one post should explain. I think your going to need a couple of more cutting wheels. Been there, still there, good luck!

 

[rsnjr37]

The bottom and outside piece the pic shows looks like the torque box. Be careful when cutting your toe board out as there are flanges on the back of the front frame clip that the toeboard rests on. Replaced these on two cars , lots of work. Just don,t cut both sides out at the same time so you have a reference, good luck.

 

[Wdoland]

Nooooooooooo! Not the torque boxes!!!! Sorry hard to type with the tears in my eyes.
I don't even know what they look like, or suppose to look like. Every picture I pull up on line shows something different looking. Do they have boxes that go over the old ones? Can I weld them myself, I just ordered a Lincoln mig welder from Sears.
Can I just reinforce them? Can someone come over and "pop" them in for me? I'll buy beer.

 

[Cougrrcj]

Nooooooooooo! Not the torque boxes!!!! Sorry hard to type with the tears in my eyes.
Can I weld them myself, I just ordered a Lincoln mig welder from Sears.
Can someone come over and "pop" them in for me? I'll buy beer.

Yes, you can weld them in yourself if you have a MIG welder. They're the structural part of our unibody, so do you really want to do it half-assed and 'cover them over'. Remove and replace time, sorry!

If you want help, the first thing you need to do is go to the top of this page, and in the upper right corner you'll see a button that says 'My Profile'. Click on that. Now look in the middle of that page and there is a tab that says 'About Me'. Fill it out with your location!!!!Otherwise we don't know where you are!

 

[Wdoland]

Thanks, Milo. Updated my profile.
When can we expect you? I'll have my wife get some chips and dip to go with the beer.....I know, I know, I gotta buck up and give it a shot myself.
Wayne

 

[1969XR7Vert]

Welcome to the ECI club, brother! You'll want to study (in depth) here: http://www.mercurycougar.net/forums/showthread.php?21714-(Picture)-Diary-of-an-ECI-(East-Coast-Idiot)&p=479727#post479727

Regards,

Bob

 

[68XR-7Cat]

Here are pictures of '68 torque boxes:

Hope this helps and good luck. You've already been welcomed into a very exclusive club by the #1 ECI himself!

 

[Don Rush]

I would seriously consider a new project... I just lined another list member up with a 100% rust free southern California body for $500. Just start watching the net in AZ, CA, OR, NM, TX and surrounding areas, lots of people looking to unload solid projects under $2k.

 

[ClawIt]

I redid a 68 Shelby with floors and boxes probably worse then yours. The only reason I did it for the owner because it was a Shelby. I had to weld angle iron from the rear of the door frame to the hump under the dash and from the hump to the front of the door frame to make sure when i took out the old boxes the outside rails didn't move. Plus all that rust will have to be blasted out of the inside of the floor rail before you cover it up.

Take Don's advice, unless its a CJ, G, or GTE find a better body. I'll never go through that again!

 

[67.5xr7]

Yea, what you are showing is or was the lower portion of the firewall, floor pan and the umm, torque boxes. Surprisingly the trans mount and frame rail extensions look to be in fairly good condition,...go figure, must have been protected with oil from a leaky engine. IMO if the floors look this bad, the rear quarters, wells, rear torque boxes and rear frame rails,....are not far behind in,...let's call it DISTRESS!!!! It can be fixed,....just time and money. Oh, the rear quarter panels, are not available in reproduction for '67-'68 and there's a lot of these cars in the "restoration stage" trying to find good quarters.