Just picked up a 1969 ragtop which needs total restoration.The 1st item I would like to replace is the full floor pan. My question is what is the proper way to support the car to prevent, or limit the amount of body flex when the old floor is cut out? Is supporting the rocker panel area enough or should I brace each side from the front pillar to the rear? Any tips or ideas on how to make this process easier would be appreciated. Thanks

Great site glad to have found it

Welcome to the best Camaro site on the Web. Car should be on all 4 wheels with doors in place. Start welding angle iron or tubing between real wheel wells or seat back and firewall. Once you have the center braced, take the door off and brace them. best way is to weld them together with the 1st set of braces. Then cut out your floors.

I have seen braces bolted on to door hinges,door striker hole and top supports too.

First off...welcome to the site!!!! You will find that the people here are really friendly and helpfull.. so don't be afraid to ask! If you are replacing just the floor, I would brace the door openings from the hinge area to the latch area. I could not post pics here so I emailed you a couple that I took when I did mine!

correct me if I am wrong but if you are only replacing the floor & not messing with the rails, you do not have to brace anything. the floor is not structural

considering the fact that the car is a convertable, I would definatly brace it

Originally posted by paul e:
correct me if I am wrong but if you are only replacing the floor & not messing with the rails, you do not have to brace anything. the floor is not structural On a unibody car the floor is absolutely structural.Where do you think the rear rails are welded to? The floor.
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Thanks for all the ideas on the best way for bracing the body before replacing the floor on my 69 convertible. I now have some great methods to utilize so no or little body flex should occur.

Here's how mine was braced for mounting on the rotisserie and replacing the floor and trunk. The console and fold down rear seat are intalled to check fit:

Convert Bracing (http://home.woh.rr.com/firebird67/Floor%20Installed%20Top.jpg)

John

[[/qb][/QUOTE]On a unibody car the floor is absolutely structural.Where do you think the rear rails are welded to? The floor.
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what I am saying is that the floor is not structural for the rails connect to frame supports & the flooring is only welded to them. the frame is not being supported by the floor. the floor is supported by the frames & welded to the rails. if you were to remove the entire floor & leave theframes/rails in place there would be no movement. but don't take my word for it

When you use the one piece floor it comes with the piece that ties the floor and frame rails, together,some refer to it as the torque box. Once you cut that out your frame rails are not connected to anything and they will move around. I am doing this job right now. I tied the rear frame rails together by welding a piece of 1 inch tubing across them and also have x braces in the door jambs.