How to Replace Mustang Floor Boards

When restoring an older Ford Mustang, one of the common areas that needs to be addressed is the floor boards. Because of their proximity to the ground and salted roads, the floor boards can take a lot of abuse. Replacing them involves some welding and fabrication, but it can be done at home if you have the right tools. Plan on taking a few hours to do this job, as it is time-consuming.

Instructions

1

Place the replacement floor board panel onto the floor of the vehicle, over the rusted area. These replacement panels are designed to completely replace the original panel, and should have the original stampings in the metal so it lines up correctly. The panel should fit snugly on top of the stock floor, and should almost stack on top of the factory metal bumps. Trace the perimeter of the panel using the permanent marker, then pull out the panel from the vehicle.

2

Cut the floor approximately 2 inches inside of the mark you just made using the pneumatic angle grinder with cut-off wheel. Once you've cut out the square in the floor, it should still be connected to crossmembers in the floor by spot welds. These are little, circular welds in the floor that the factory uses to weld the panels together. Insert the spot weld cutter into the drill and drill out the spot welds until you can remove the rusted section of floor.

3

Punch holes every 2 inches around the perimeter of the replacement floor board using the pneumatic hole punch. Then place the floor board onto the floor and line it up with the permanent marker lines you made in Step 1.

4

Weld the replacement floor board into the floor by welding through the holes you just punched to the stock floor board using the MIG welder, welding helmet and gloves. This is a plug weld, and will keep the floor strong and secure. Do this to every hold on the replacement floor board, moving around the panel frequently so as not to warp the sheet metal.

5

Apply the seam sealer to the perimeter of the replacement floor board using the seam sealer and the 1-inch paint brush. This will ensure that there will be no water leaks around the replacement panel.