Terri, I don't do alignments but I have now welded three sets of pans with no failures. Give me a call if you need help. # is 240-1224

Mike

I have put pans in a couple of bugs using pop rivets.  As long as you use enough of them and a lot of seam sealer, this works . . . but welding is the right way to do it . . . especially if you are concerned about the way it looks from underneath.

I have been playing around with an $89 flux wire welder from Harbor Freight.  I am amazed at how well it works!  Someday I'm going to attempt to weld pan's in my wife's 75 convertible.  Someday.  Probably not someday soon, but someday.   

The pans that were in Joy's convertible were put in with sheet metal screws.  I would have hate to see what a small animal that ran under the car would look like when he came out the other side!  The next set that goes in will be good quality pans and they will be welded in . . . even if I have to pay someone else to do it.

I guess everyone has a technique to put pans in? If you can get to a welder,grinder and an air chisel thats the way to go. I cut the old ones out with an air chisel then grind all the contact points,then lay the pans in drill holes in the new pans every 3inches. Pug weld every foot then every 6 inches then fill in the rest. Space out your welds dont just go up the row it'll warp. Buy the thickest pans you can and do it right the first time. Seam seal it all up and undercoat or powder coat it and be done.
Im not the brightest light but Ive done a few now and it aint to hard. It helps to have seen it done though.
On a side note i sold my welder and live in Texas now so I dont do them anymore either.

I haven't tried sheet metal yet.  All I've used it on so far is some old bed rail angle that I'm using to fabricate new battery boxes for my Harley golf cart.  It did pretty good for an $89 welder being used by someone who has NEVER used any type of wire welder before.  It has two adustments.  A high and low amp switch and a wire speed dial.  I set the amp switch to high and ended up with the wire speed at 4 (1-10 scale) when I finally found a combination that worked.

If I get a chance, I'll try it on some sheet metal this weekend . . . but I've got an 8 hour test / interview at VW Saturday, so it might be weekend after next before I play around with it again. 

Craftsman makes a nice little mig welder but just out of justifiable reach. Sears sells a little off brand mig welder "All Power America" that's on sell right now for $220. Might not be to bad and could be justified. 
still trying to decide whether it's cheaper to have someone weld my pans and seat rails vs buying a welder.  (you have to use your own seat rails with "Thing" floor pans)
Of course if Harbor fright puts the flux core back on sale that might not be to bad either.  Keep watching craigslist, but you think the welders were made of gold.
Ron

   Ron, if you are going to just put in pans I think I would have it done.

Yes please....

Putting in pans can be tricky, you are welding a thin metal on to a very thick, double thickness lip for the most part.  Blowing right through is all too easy, and with it turned down too low, you won't get a good penetration on the weld.  It will look nice and pretty, untill you start loading up the miles, and start hearing loud popping sounds as the welds are starting to seperate.   

If it's just a one-shot deal, you are better off having it done.