Cutting out Trunk Floor - Air or Electric tools?

[NJRR]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but it is related. I am converting my 70 RR from an automatic to a 4 speed and have to cut out the hump for the 4 speed. I was thinking sawzall or 4" cut off wheel too. Any suggestions on which would be better for working in that section?

 

[Propwash]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but it is related. I am converting my 70 RR from an automatic to a 4 speed and have to cut out the hump for the 4 speed. I was thinking sawzall or 4" cut off wheel too. Any suggestions on which would be better for working in that section?

Air die grinder with a 1/16 thk cut off wheel or an air saw. Both great at precision cuts. A Plasma cutter would really take the cake and probably take all of a minute or two. If I had to pick between a Sawzall and a 4" disc grinder, I'd go with the disc grinder. I have a large orbital Milwaukee Sawzall, and it really Saws All! LOL. Things a beast! Awesome tool! Problem is there is no finesse. It's about the equivalent of throwing an angry Badger in a cage, kicking the hell out of it and then opening the door. Look out!!! Point being, when it kick's back, gets stuck, pulls & jar's your wrists, there's a good chance you will be denting, bending, twisting the metal you're cutting out, and adjacent metal. They work great for removing already trashed panels you're not worried about, and their surroundings. That being said, I would imagine those cheap Chinamo spin-off reciprocating saws harbor junk sells are probably half the power, half as decent blades, half as rigid and probably kick as much as a Kenmore electric can opener...So you might be fine with one of those as well

Good luck

 

[flypaper]

its not even up for debate..
get a 4 inch wheel for sure.
you will have much better control and precision to make a cut.

you guys and your sawzalls.. lol
yes, they will make very short work of something but
the potential to destroy something is alot greater and
you won't have near the control or precision of a cutoff wheel.
i only use one when i don't care about destroying stuff.
if you get real good with a cutoff wheel,
you can remove complete panels without drilling a single weld!
you just grind down the spot welds until they are weak enough to
pop apart with a chisel and hammer.
i would be completely lost without my cut off wheel.

please note
ALWAYS wear safety glasses when using them.
i have had metal get in my eye while wearing them
it got around the glasses and into my eye.
i wear goggles now so nothing has a chance.
so be very aware of this,you are making fine particles
that will fly everywhere.
its not much fun getting your eyeball frozen
so they can pick the metal out.

 

[theGreenOrange]

Thanks a lot guys. This will help me out when I start to do some small inserts on the body. I didn't realize the trunk floor was just in there with plug welds at first, it was covered with some liquid gasket type material. That should make the trunk floor replacement easier. I will use the plug weld remover (THANKS FLYPAPER!) I think the panels where the floor pan mounts to are sound enough to weld to. The damage was restricted to where the carpet was.

Think a wheel will give me a good cut on a lower quarter patch too?

 

[northerndave]

Yes, just make sure to measure twice, cut once. look for obstructions on back side of cut, wear the right safety equipment and hang onto the damn grinder. 4" elect grinders spin at around 13,000 rpm I think, and when the grinder kicks out of the cut, you can find yourself in a tussle with that mean little bastard. It happens really quick.

 

[snakeyes]

[video]http://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/dmaddoxs-1970-plymouth-roadrunner-restoration-and-information-thread.448956/[/video]

 

[northerndave]

link no work for me.

 

[snakeyes]

dave just tried it works for me ?

 

[northerndave]

Must be something the NSA doesn't want me to see.

lol.

 

[coronet340]

[video]http://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/dmaddoxs-1970-plymouth-roadrunner-restoration-and-information-thread.448956/[/video]

Good article. I didn't see any bracing when he cut the floor or trunk though.