...is what I was considering when I pulled the floor pan and toe kick. I cut the top off the torque box and WOW!!!! what a mess. Once I got everything cut out though (torque box, 10 1/2" length of frame rail side and bottom) clean up was fairly easy. I am splicing the frame rail and I bought a new torque box to put in, so it should clean up real nice. Here are some "in process pics to see what I was dealing with.

http://photobucket.com/gordons_mustang_restoration

I assume I am not the only one to deal with this type of damage. I think I will be dealing with the same thing on the drivers' side. Any pointers or tips from those who have? This is my first mustang project, and I think I bit into a doozie!
Gordon

 

I feel your pain.

Isn't something supposed to be there? Oh yes, the torque box.

 

thats an ugly sight to see there but itl be nice when your done

also try to brace the car if it a convertible (which yours isnt, but anyone reading this)

 

I think I got tetanus from looking at that pic...

 

zmetalmilitia,
Is that a pic of your fastback? That thing is a beauty, and had me strongly considering black on black paint (until I remembered this is also my first experience with bodywork.....) but alas, I am going to add to the pool of red mustangs out there.
Props on a great looking car!
Gordon

 

Joe,
Thanks for the reminder. I have a floor jack under the front frame rail. When I put the plasma cutter to the frame rail, I figured I better prop it up. It is amazing how much room you have to work with when you start cutting things off
Gordon

 

Yeah, and thanks by the way, the nasty pic is the rust bucket before the car awoke from near death, about 18 months ago. I attempted body work until I realized I should wuss out and take it to a pro, especially since I decided on black.

 

a jack under the front rail will make things worse
you want to avoid making the rocker panel sag downwards in the middle, meaning you can have jacks at front and back of the rocker panel but no further foward than that or that puts pressure right where the torque boxes are were also you can put a brace in the door from striker plate to top door hinge hole, make or buy this brace, its very simple to make
but since its a coupe i would worry to much, the roof supports much of the weight,
in a convertible the absence of such a roof makes for a folding car with jacks fore of the rocker panels

 

good luck... im in almost the same boat as you. My floorboards, torque box and floor-to-cowl panels are shot. Unfortunately for me I can't weld so its at a hot rod shop as we speak getting an entirely new floor pan welded in along with some new frame rail extensions that run under the floor pans and new torque boxes. Its probably going to run me around $2000 when I get it back.

 

Hey 68coupe,your not the only one. My '65 convertible is in the same shape plus the inner/outer rockers are gone. I'm planning on a aftermarket front end so I pretty much went apeshi@ with my sawzall and walla...no front end at all right now. should be very interesting to get it all back together.