The Oregon Trunk Pan Project

[BBillyC]

Well here we go again. When I purchased the car I was told the trunk pan had been done in Oregon. So like an idiot I took the sellers word for it and bought the car (its nice don't get me wrong). Anyway when I get the bird I restore literally the whole car. I noticed that the trunk was odd and didn't have the little forming channels in it but it was sprayed with rust guard. Today I began to work on it as I was prepping for the rear end and thought I would look into the trunk and check out how it was supposed to be a new trunk pan. To mys surprise there was a piece of tin glued down to the original trunk pan portion and I thought that if that is the case the trunk pan wasn't done and it was probably really rotting out if there was space for water to get in. No shit sherlock. Now this is a project and I am not sure how I will approach it yet but I am going to photo every bit of the way for your enjoyment. So here are todays pics. I've added seven pictures and the last one you can see the gas tank. :hack: :hack: :hack:

 

[BBillyC]

More pics

 

[BBillyC]

Last pic

 

[ACME A12]

It really sucks that people misrepresent stuff like this just to make a few coins... :soap:

Well, at least everything is readily available...and you found it now before you subjected the old gal to some Hemi Torque...and moving forward you'll know that it was fixed properly...

I'm doing my very best "glass half full" bit here...

:jester:
ACME

 

[BBillyC]

I appreciate that. :grouphug: Since I am going to mini-tub it, now is the time. Problem is getting a whole trunk pan in there. I'll have to cut a full pan into 3 sections..unless they sell it that way....one big middle section and two smaller outboard pans going into the quarter panel. I don't want to mess with the quarters as they are very good.

 

[BBillyC]

Here is how bad the rust is throughout the trunk with a little bigger download ...must have been parked with lake Oregon or the Pacific Ocean sitting in the trunk. What a butch job.

 

[69hemibeep]

The trunk pans come in two pieces or AMD has a one piece. The trouble with a one piece is you have to take the whole rear wheel houses quarters and tail where the filler neck goes loose to install it. Look at the trunk extensions to the quarters and outer wheel house lip to the quarters' along with the back side of the tail which is a three layer sandwich. If these are a mess you might be looking at a one piece. Take a hammer and tap your frame rails and see how sound they are.

 

[BBillyC]

Great photos thanks. I see that The Paddock has two piece units which is probably what I'll order. As the rust comes up and over toward the trunk extensions it diminishes to almost nothing but if I have to in order to make it as good as possible I will do that as well. Thanks for your help. Bill :cheers:

 

[V269]

Bob is right. I went to replace the trunk pans in my car and when I cut them out the frame under them was rotten to the core. Also the rear cross member was rotten. Soooo, I replaced the complete rear frame rail's on both side's, gas tank brace, gas tank, spring and shackle perch's, trunk section and the extension's ( 4 piece's ), the outer wheel house's, rear cross member and extension piece's, and both quarter's. I basicly cut the whole back end off the car. While I was at it I installed hemi suspension. And this all started by replacing the trunk pan's. So the moral of this story is : check everything else while your at it. It is easier now than to try and repair it later. It's not that hard to do, just take lot's of pic's and jump right in there with your trusty zippy cut. Good luck. You can do this. :yesnod:

 

[V269]

PS, I forgot to mention that you can buy long trunk pan's that go up over the shock cross member or short pan's that go just up behind the spare tire bracket. Depending on how bad they are.

 

[george68hemirr]

YOU BOUGHT THIS CAR ON EBAY.....GIVE HIM A BAD REVIEW...THAT HE SCREWED YOU

 

[Basketcase]

hate to see that Billy, but you're not the first persone this type of thing has happened too. Like others have said, at least now you'll know it'll be done right.

 

[moparchris]

AMD sells a great quality one piece trunk pan that is thick and accurate. It fit the Mod Top perfectly with zero manipulation! I did have to remove the tailpanel, which is the piece under the taillights that forms the trunk jamb. Other than that it went in real easy. Good luck!

 

[Roadcuda]

That does suck top hear Billy. I also hate guys that bill a car as one thing when they know it to be something else. And it makes me wonder what else he hid from you on the car. As the guys have said, now's the time to replace what you have too in there and do that mini tub you want to do. Good luck.

 

[BBillyC]

Been hacking away at it most of the afternoon. Trouble getting the spot welds because their is a 1/8" coating of fiberglass on everything in the trunk area. Real bitch getting at the seam sealer as well. So far the frame and braces look solid but their is a bit of rust at the forward section of each trunk pan extension where the trunk-pan and extensions meet with the outer wheel well....fixable though. I might just put new extensions on as well. Ordering the parts tomorrow so by the time they arrive I should have it completely prepped. Planning on setting it up on jack stands and stabilizers and drop the axle and prep for the mini-tub. I have a new diff for the 489 as well which needs to go in. I hope this doesn't take me too long as I want to drive it soon and enjoy some of the summer cruises and shows. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

 

[69hemibeep]

Been hacking away at it most of the afternoon. Trouble getting the spot welds because their is a 1/8" coating of fiberglass on everything in the trunk area. Real bitch getting at the seam sealer as well. So far the frame and braces look solid but their is a bit of rust at the forward section of each trunk pan extension where the trunk-pan and extensions meet with the outer wheel well....fixable though. I might just put new extensions on as well. Ordering the parts tomorrow so by the time they arrive I should have it completely prepped. Planning on setting it up on jack stands and stabilizers and drop the axle and prep for the mini-tub. I have a new diff for the 489 as well which needs to go in. I hope this doesn't take me too long as I want to drive it soon and enjoy some of the summer cruises and shows. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

With any luck the bottom side is solid, it better be with a big mill under the hood :cheers:

 

[BBillyC]

Got most of the trunk floor off, WHAT A BITCH. The fiberglass overlay was impossible to work with. Went through 4 spot weld cutters (cheapies...no wonder). Dropped the gas tank and have to pick up some heavy jack stands so I can drop the rear end out as well. Good news is that the frame is really solid. The extensions suck up near the wheel wells but their reparable....for 150 bucks each I'd rather fix them. They are more expensive than the whole floor pan. The only thing found in the rear rails was a five old hornet nests..yikes...good thing they were dead. Tomorrow I am going to lay up the inner wheel house's to begin cutting them. Ordered the two halve sections of trunk pan and hopefully will be here by the end of the week.

 

[Roadcuda]

Got most of the trunk floor off, WHAT A BITCH. The fiberglass overlay was impossible to work with. Went through 4 spot weld cutters (cheapies...no wonder). Dropped the gas tank and have to pick up some heavy jack stands so I can drop the rear end out as well. Good news is that the frame is really solid. The extensions suck up near the wheel wells but their reparable....for 150 bucks each I'd rather fix them. They are more expensive than the whole floor pan. The only thing found in the rear rails was a five old hornet nests..yikes...good thing they were dead. Tomorrow I am going to lay up the inner wheel house's to begin cutting them. Ordered the two halve sections of trunk pan and hopefully will be here by the end of the week.

That's turned into quite a project Billy. At least the rust isn't too bad. Hope you're taking pics. I'm sure we'd all love to see the progress! Good Luck!

 

[roadrunnerh]

Your doing it the right way! If I recall, only the tail panel between the tailights needs to be removed to install a one piece trunk floor. Also, While your at it, consider replacing the trunk extensions.

 

[Collin]

When I did mine not too long ago I used Auto Body Specialties in Middletown, CT. Great company. I bought a 2 piece trunk, fit together great and also bought both trunk returns. Everything went in with minimal trimming and I just cut holes to spot weld the new floor down and butt welded the top seam where the jack is located. I cant offer a whole lot of knowledge about mini-tubbing but I can only tell you how mine went from recent experience!! Good luck!