Re: [Chevelle-List] Floor & trunk braces

[Dan McIntosh]

Title: Message

Steve, Last winter I patched a couple spots on my floor, I used a    4 1/2" grinder fitted with a cut off wheel. I drilled a series of holes from under the vehicle about 1/2" away from the body braces, cut up to these holes from the top, and then connected the dots. What this accomplished was getting the old pan out without nicking the braces. You will have a section of floor left attached to the braces, which is spot welded at the factory. If you then grab the remaining floor and wiggle it up and down, you will start to see the spot welds appear. Remove the cut off wheel from the grinder and replace with the grinding wheel. Grind them there spot welds till they're gone. You still need to cut along the sill and the trans tunnel, but if you're careful, you should be OK. Hope this isn't as confusing as it sounded while I was writing it. Take it easy. Dan McIntosh 65 Malibu ----- Original Message ----- From: Chevelle 69 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, September 02, 2002 1:16 PM Subject: [Chevelle-List] Floor & trunk braces Gents,             Have any of you replaced floor and/or trunk braces? I am about to put in new pans in the floor and I wonder how I cut the old floor out without hitting the braces. Are the braces welded in? I don't have the body off the frame yet, but am very close to doing so. I am not yet sure if I need to replace those braces, but it's a possibility. Still, would be cheaper to recondition these if they are in good shape.   Am I right in guessing that the nut plates for the seat belts and seats are mounted in those braces?   I have a mig welder and plan on doing some welding as part of this project, so that won't stop me if needed.                                                                            Steve