Here's a question for all you body shop guys. Would it be unreasonable for me to think that I could find a professional body man to come to my house and replace the trunk pan in my 69 pace car? I have decided not to do this myself because I don't trust my welding ability. Other than a portable mig welder and some cutting tools, what would be needed to do this job? Is this something that a body man could do on the side at a place other than an actual body shop? Do body men typically look for side work? I do have a 60 gallon air compressor sitting a couple feet from the car so powering air tools would not be a problem. Back in about November, I decided to rebuild my rear suspension then one thing led to another and the next thing I knew I had the entire underneath side stripped so I could clean and detail everything before reassembling it. After I removed the gas tank I discovered that the trunk pan really needs to be replaced. I wish now that I would have taken the car to a body shop before disassembling it but it's too late. Now would be a perfect time for a body man to install a new pan because the gas tank, rear end, leaf springs, and exhaust system are off the car. There is absolutely nothing in the way. I would really love to find someone who would be able to come out and do the work rather than me putting the car back together and taking it to a body shop. It would be nice to completely finish detailing the underneath side with a new pan installed instead of trying to finish it later after the car is back together. I have talked to a few guys but can't seem to find someone very close to where I live. Anybody near the Indy area available for hire? Any recommendations on finding someone?

Larry, You might have some luck by attending some local car shows and swap meets but unless you can get some first hand referrences on anyone you find it will be a pot luck deal. You might also ask your local paint supply house if they could recommend someone.

Larry, If you don't trust your welding, do the rest of the work and have it welded. There is plenty of cutting and fitting to be done before the welding. Get the pan fitted in there and just tack in here and there. Pratice on some scrap sheetmetal and I'll bet you can weld the whole deal. Grind the welds a little, maybe a smear of bondo, prime & trunk splatter. It gets a mat to hide the top and a gas tank to hide it from the bottom so your work is not out in the open.
Anyhow, if you get it fitted a welder can finish it up very easily.
Good Luck,
Roger

I went through a debacle over the summer last year with a mobile welder I found in the yellow pages. He was supposed to patch up a few rust spots in my trunk and wheel well area with sheetmetal. He said it would be a one day job. To make along story short...he showed up hours late...took many 'lunch breaks' one day went on 2 months as he didnt show up many times, took "draw$(thats my fault)" and then held some parts that he volunteered to sandblast for me hostage until I payed him a price that ballooned to twice what we agreed on. When all was said and done I had only one spot in my trunk patched with 10 gage sheetmetal(trunk is more like 16 or 18 gage) and a whole lot of cut outs everywhere that were not patched. He had also brazed the hell out of the trunk to close up small holes which distorted the metal. I ended up threatening him that I would call the Poilice and file a report that he actually 'stole' the parts out of my garage if he did not return the parts because he was not going to see another penny form me. I gave him a 7 PM deadline. Could you believe that he showed up 6:59 PM on the dot with all my parts(unsandblasted and muddy)? First time for him! graemlins/beers.gif

I ended up buying a mig and doing the thing on my own...I replaced the trunk completely. So in my opinion learn to do it yourself, take it to a shop or deal with someone reputable and responsible to do the work.

Chck this link this guy helped me aal lot with my work via the internet and he has many pics to go by. Good luck, ChrisCHECK OUT THIS WEB PAGE!!! (http://home.satx.rr.com/mbrow2/photos/P455/floorpans/)

I just got done cutting my trunk floor out, right in the center of the radius. I trimmed the new pan just at the top of the radius and sat it in! I have a little work to do it fit it to the "speed bump" at the top, behind the back seat, and its weld a-way! not a task to tackle