Floors for convertibles

[1965special]

I am looking for replacement floor for my convertible.  I'd prefer to find a nice original floor, but haven't been able to find one.  There are new floors advertised that indicate they are for hardtop or convertible.  The rear seating area in convertible is different.  Has anyone run into this before and, if so, how did you get past this problem?  Steve

[Loren At 65GS]

The floor pan is the same. What differs with a convertible is above the floor.
I would look at a new aftermarket panel.

  Loren

[1965special]

Thanks Loren.  That is good to know.  I believe the piece that goes up above the seat is ok.  There is a short (maybe 2 - 2") vertical piece that is on the floor around the side walls next to the back seat area.  Do these 'troughs' come with replacement panels?  Steve

[Loren At 65GS]

Steve,
That is a piece you would need to salvage from the original. It's been a long time since I've had a convertible, so some of the details I'm a bit foggy on.
Maybe someone out there can chime in. I know Pat replaced the floor in his GS.

  Loren

[Robk]

Steve 
I used new replacements on my very rusty convertible and they really have been great.  If you look at the "projects" section on my car  "Restoring my rusty 65 convertible........" on page 3 of my project posts you will see a photo depicting the underside of my car during restoration.  You can see how the new floors went in with the old.   Good luck  Rob

[1965special]

Thanks for the info guys.  The restoration section has a lot of great info.  I am just starting to buy parts for my car.  I won't start the restoration till at least the summer as I am finishing a '70 corvette.

Rob - from one of the pictures, it looks like you replaced the floor back to the brace that extends across the frame about even with the leading edge of the bottom of backseat.  Is that correct?  Mine has some rust further back and there is a hole underneath the middle of backseat behind driver.  Do the replacement floors go all the way back to the corner where it turns upward towards the trunk?  The underside looks nice.  Did you re-use your original braces?  Would you recommend going with reproduction braces or trying to find some nice used ones?  Steve

[Robk]

Steve
yes.  Those are the original braces.  Also you are correct that I did not have rust in the section between the back seat floor and trunk.  That's about the only place that was not rusted.  I did not put these floors in myself (I have only recently started welding lessons) but i was there when much of it was done.  For my needs I didn't run into issues on the differences between converts and hardtops. There are actually two separate photos of the underside in my post that gives you a pretty good look at the the underside of the car.

I bought a set from OPG (old parts group) and then i saw some eBay.  There were cheap sets and expensive sets on eBay.  i bought a cheaper set from opg and then a more expensive set from ebay.  They (the expensive eBay ones)  were better in my opinion.    OPG is good about returning things.    The set from eBay was better than the OPG set.  (seemed a bit heavier with better edges) and I sent the opg set back.  They sell single large floors (front and back) and sections.

[1965special]

Thanks Rob.  I did notice that there seemed to be at least a couple different sources for these pans out there.  One of them had the stamping patterns in the floor that match mine.  At least one other did not.  I am hoping the full pan will cover the hole I have in back.  Do you know which brand you ended up with?

What type of welding are you doing - gas, MIG, TIG?  I was thinking of taking lessons myself to keep the cost of this restoration down!  Steve