• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

Floor Pans and Seat Rails 1981

C

Carl81

New member
I have enough rust now to be dangerous so I have to replace the floor pans. I understand the new pans are not designed to use the power seat so I now need to get new manual seat rails.

My plan was to do most of the work myself and rivet the new pans in, but I don't know if they can be welded correctly if I do that work. Would it be that much better to have a shop do all the cutting and centering the new floor pans before the weld? Who in Polk County would do that for me?

Also I can't find any seat rails, new or used. Are there any Chevy substitutes like maybe a Camaro?

Thanks in advance.

Carl
 
To answer my own question, my smarter friends have talked me out of taking cutting tools to my Corvette. They suggested I let the pros do it and save my fingers for playing guitar. They have a point and its well taken.

The body shop will now be doing all the work. I got the pans in today so maybe I can get them started Monday. Once the pans are in and I can more on with the complete interior re-do. I still have to rework my rusted seat tracks. One of the four bolt down points is like paper. Can't have that.
 
Yeah man.... Unless you are a glutton for punishment, that sort of work is best left to the pros. As for your fingers, heck, I'm always barking my knuckles or punching holes in my flesh when I do even the most minor things on vehicles.
 
I haven't seen any other posts about replacing those floor plans. The new floor pans I got came from Mid-America by way of eBay and seem very good and heavy duty right out of the box. ($430 for the pair with freight.) Right now I have no idea of the price of installation, but I hope this body shop in Haines City will show me a little mercy. I will post before and after pictures when the work is done.

I still need to find a set of manual seat rails for the driver's side. I'm trying to find a GM substitute for the extremely hard to find Corvette part. More on that too.

Thanks.

Carl
 
Not yet, I bought a good set of drivers side on eBay, but I am thinking of trying to rebuild my passenger sides myself. I am running out of time and don't really have time to have them rebuilt professionally.

The right side ones are so rusty and thin, I have to do a really good job to make them safe. In my old car, safety is something you can't ignore whether its floor pans, seat belts, or seat rails. If any of those fail, it won't be pretty.

C
 
Floor Plan Final Prices

I just wanted to let everyone know how much it cost me to get the floor pans replaced in my '81. The new pans were from Mid-American by way of eBay and they were $430 for the pair. Rossi's Body Shop in Haines City, FL charged me only $600 to R&R the floor pans, which I thought was a real deal as the labor programs suggest 17 hours for the work.

My thought on this is that for $1015, please don't take any chances with your rusted floor pans. Do them right and you should be set for the next 25 years or so.

Thanks.
 
I wanted to post some pictures of before and after, but I am not sure the best way to do that. Any suggestions?

Tomorrow, after I shoot some pictures, I am going to lay on a couple of coats of satin black Rustilium on the new pans. I then can test fit my "new" manual drivers side seat tracks. I am going to try and repair the rusted out right side tracks. If I don't feel they are strong enough to be safe, then I have seen more on eBay to replace them with.

Time for the new interior is near and at hand.

Thanks.
 
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