58 biarritz stainless steel floorpan replacement

[Fer]

Hello
I am restoring a 58 biarritz that needs the floor to be replaced.
I am considering stainless steel , but I am not sure if it will be considered original , since I am thinking of leaving it unpainted?
Please advice cons and pros of this idea?

[Otto Skorzeny]

Who cares? It's your car. Since you aren't painting it, it's obvious that you aren't interested in showing it for points judging or "originality" so why worry about what other people think?

If you recreated the original contours, etc and then painted it, nobody would know the difference anyway so why does it matter?

[Dave Shepherd]

S/S is really a poor choice to do this with, difficult to contour and very expensive, I've never heard of anyone doing a panel in S/S.  Why would you do it this way, prevent rust issues?

[Quentin Hall Australia]

    Fer, I thought about doing this too on my 59 Biarritz. I did make up a front drivers side floor pan but am yet to instal.   Dave, I wouldn't say it's a poor choice. It's a choice. If you are fabricating the floors from scratch not really much difference. All my swagers and stetchers have handled stainless ok. It's very sharp (don't cut yourself) You may want to get stainless wire for your Mig . Yes it is more expensive but only about $200 on a complete floor. I would paint it and deaden it though. Otherwise it is a big shiny tin drum. 
     That said I do like zincaneal steel. It has a good zinc coating for longevity and it forms and welds well. I just did the trunk in my 53 Eldo in 1.2mm and it worked very well. I had all the original brackets zinc plated prior to spotwelding it together. Once it is coated and body deadened no one will ever pick it.     
      There can be an electrolytic action between stainless and steel if left untreated (Painting should stop that though) . You may have to look into that.
        Q

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

The biggest problem is going to be in the joining of the "Dissimilar" metals.

Bruce.

[RobW]

I could maybe understand if we were talking about a half-dead 4X4 plow truck that you wanted to hold together and have somewhat survive the salt.
But I really don't think your 58 Biarritz is living outside all yearlong or is being driven in rain and salted roads. Just use the same guage sheetmetal. Form it as close as possible. Mig weld it in place and prime it with epoxy or self etching, etc. and paint.