The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Full Floors or Partial Floors ,which would be better and easier to install

I have a 1953 Chevrolet Panel Truck 3100 . In front of the seat on both sides are completely gone, rotted out. So, my question is would I be better off to replace the Cab Floor Pan Complete (from Classic Parts for $539.95 w/o seat rizor or $549.95 w/seat rizor) this is the entire floor in one piece, or the seperate LH Floor pan for $64.95 and the RH Floor pan for $64.95 ??? Would the one piece be easier to install and fit better than the seperate LH & RH pieces ??? I am also going to need to replace the toe boards on both sides too. Do you guys know who makes the best toe boards also ??? I would just like to have the nice looking and fitting job.Thanks fo any help, Mark.

Quite a price difference. Are the LH and RH pieces made by the same company that makes the full floor.

My instinct says installing the entire floor in one piece will be easier and look better but don't go by what I say. I'm just speculating.

Most of the time the Pieces that are replaced are the rusty areas if the patch piece s bigger than the rusty area then the patch panel is cut leaving as much of the original piece that is not damaged.I recently did the drivers flood on my truck and found even though they look the same there are little differences .I ended up changing more on the floor that I wanted to because the bead lines were off on the patch panel so cutting across the bead was not possible . The inner kick panel has lines that should line up with the lines on the door but they were off slightly as well.the inner to outer piece that I had was junk and had to be cut in several places to fit .the floor patch pieces have the toe area and if your floor is not rusted from the seat riser back the patch pieces should work .there is a fellow on YouTube carters auto restyling that has a lot of videos fixing these trucks and on the one video he points out some good imfo on the parts and fixing the areas that rust on these trucks although I have not seen a video of the floor patch but he also makes some of the parts himself.

It all depends on how far back your rust goes. If it's swiss cheese behind the front of the seat riser, you might be better off with a full floor. I went with L&R floor/toe panels and fabricated some of the floor behind the front of the seat riser from flat metal. I may have been better off with a full floor, but freight costs were a consideration for me.
The L&R floor/toe panels had some fitment issues as Kevinski noted, with bead lines not matching well. Full toe panels may be available, which might work for you.

As with any patch panels, expect to have to massage them to fit.

Check the full floor that it is for a panel as I think they are different once you get to the seat ,maybe someone with a panel can confirm if there is a full floor available.

I have replaed the floor on my 58 panel. It is different.
But mostly the same. You have to cut off the part that the gas tank sits on.
Cab corners. You`ll still need the kick panels.

I have purchased all of the patch panels to complete my cab floor over a period of years. When I started this project the whole floor panel was not yet available, had it been I may very well have gone with it. Not only would it save you time and welding, the cost is about the same once you start buying all of the panels to replace.

There are other things to consider here as well. You really need to brace the cab to hold it shape prior to cutting anything but with an entire floor panel this would be doubly important. Having some sort of rotisserie I would think is a must as well to handle such a large section. I always say "Do your Homework", in this case I would really do some research.

PS.. Guitplayer, I would like to see some before pictures of your toe Boards, mine is rotted out in the same location. My front pilars are not as far gone as yours but I still need to address the Kick Panels and Hinge Pockets. I'm replacing the steps as well.

But for this 59 panel, just the toe panels.

Garage guys truck is a 53 ,I know they make complete floor for a truck but do they for a panel or are the truck floors the same .I think they may be different from the seat back.

I found these pics from last year. Its a process.
I left a portion of the new floor for the wood to rest on.
Level and everything matched and lined up.