RP134 floor edge repair??

[stroprock]

Morning all, I have recently had to replace three of the four floor edges on my saloon as part of the restoration. I was under the impression these parts are repair sections as it is a common area which rusts on moggies, and that they DO NOT get welded over the floor but butt welded flush with the floor instead, so that is what I have done. Now I see pictures of others cars, which have doubt in my mind. They show the panels welded over the floor to meet the sill(s). I will probably leave what I have done now as butt welding surely can't be a bad thing, but was it not like this from the factory?

The repair panel in question:
[frame][/frame]

Shots of what I have done:
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[kennatt]

Bit puzzled ,isn't that showing a lap welded area,seam on one side and spot welds the other. Or am I looking at it wrongly. .Also nowadays,any repair patch has to be seam welded all the way round for mot,the only time spot welds are accepted is if they are used to refit a full repair panel which was originally spot welded in.But after underseal don't see how the MOT would see yours.Certainly looks strong enough.AH had another look, spots are up onto the inside rail I take it.If so I would run a seam all the way along the joint inside just to be on the safe side or is that allready done can't see clearly.

[taupe]

Hi

Seam welding as you have done is less likely to cause a rust sandwich and replicates the original panel.. but a lot of people simply lap weld the join as its easier and there is less distortion.

Taupe

[stroprock]

Yes Kennat, it is seam welded all round as shown, but spot/plugged to the sill panel, as you correctly guessed.
So was I right in cutting out this, which was originally lap welded over the floor......
[frame][/frame]
...and doing what I have done with the new repair panel?

[Mark Wilson]

The floor edge extension which is now a repair panel was originally part of the floor pressing, with spot welds to the foot of the sill step. So the part you haven't done looks to have been replaced previously. There isn't a right and wrong way of doing this repair, but the purists like the floor pan to stay under the sill step, so butt weld as you have done.

I've replaced all my floors (four separate quarters) but because I replaced the complete sill structures first I trimmed the floor edge extensions and plug welded below the sill step bottom flange, then plug welded the pans to the top of the flange. I've done all this from above with the car the right way up, and I'll next be rolling it to seam weld the join of the pan, flange and floor edge.

If you use the combination sill step and half floor panels you have no choice other than trimming the edge repair panels back to the sill step.

More than one way to skin a cat!

Mark