Body sheet metal vs floor pan

[Trevor B]

Just picked up a Dart Sport to build into a bracket car - it's super straight, except the floor pans, which are totally rusted out, and the trunk pan, which I'd prefer to patch up. I still have most of the car this one is replacing, my poor (crashed by an idiot) 73 Duster. Meaning I have a ton of sheet metal at my disposal. Can I use any of its body to cut out patch panels? The old hood is bent up and useless as a hood but would provide a lot of clean metal.

Are the body panels a different gauge than the floor pans or trunk pan?

 

[Lee Robinson]

Just picked up a Dart Sport to build into a bracket car - it's super straight, except the floor pans, which are totally rusted out, and the trunk pan, which I'd prefer to patch up. I still have most of the car this one is replacing, my poor (crashed by an idiot) 73 Duster. Meaning I have a ton of sheet metal at my disposal. Can I use any of its body to cut out patch panels? The old hood is bent up and useless as a hood but would provide a lot of clean metal.

Are the body panels a different gauge than the floor pans or trunk pan?

Those cars are basically structurally identical. Use a patch from the same area as where you are repairing. About the only difference would be where the
bumpers attach and maybe upper tie bars and hood latches. 76-73 conventional bumper brackets. 74-76 the big bumper shocks. There are different gauges
of steel, that's why you should use like metal for repairs.