Floor Pan Installation Kit

OVERVIEW

When it comes to the structural integrity of your air-cooled Volkswagen, there is no room for compromise, especially regarding the connection between your body and the chassis. The EMPI Floor Pan Installation Kit is an essential component for any serious restoration or repair project, providing the exact hardware required to securely fasten a new or existing floor pan half to the main body of your vehicle. Over decades of service, original factory hardware often succumbs to the harsh elements, resulting in rusted, brittle, or snapped bolts that can jeopardize the safety and rigidity of your VW. By choosing this high-quality EMPI kit from Appletree Automotive, you are ensuring that your Beetle, Ghia, or Dune Buggy is built on a foundation of strength, utilizing fresh, corrosion-resistant fasteners designed to meet or exceed original equipment standards.

This comprehensive hardware kit is specifically engineered to handle one side of the vehicle, containing all the specialized bolts and the crucial oversized pan washers needed for a professional-grade installation. The unique washers included in this kit are vital for distributing the clamping force across the sheet metal of the floor pan, preventing the bolts from pulling through or distorting the pan under stress. Whether you are replacing rusted-out floor sections in a classic 1960s Beetle or assembling a custom off-road sand rail from the ground up, this kit eliminates the guesswork and the frustration of hunting through hardware store bins for the correct metric sizes and grades. Please remember that to complete a full vehicle restoration, you will need to purchase two of these kitsone for the driver''s side and one for the passenger sideto ensure a uniform and secure fitment across the entire chassis.

FITMENT

• Volkswagen Beetle (Standard): 1950 through 1977
• Volkswagen Super Beetle: 1971 through 1979
• Volkswagen Karmann Ghia: 1956 through 1974
• Volkswagen Thing (Type 181): 1973 through 1974
• VW-Based Dune Buggies: All years using a Type 1 shortened or full-length chassis
• Custom Sand Rails: All applications utilizing standard VW floor pan mounting points

SPECS

• Manufacturer: EMPI
• Part Number: 111-898-061
• Application: Floor Pan to Body Mounting Hardware
• Kit Coverage: Completes ONE (1) floor pan half (Order 2 for a full car)
• Hardware Finish: Clear Zinc Plating for superior rust and corrosion resistance
• Bolt Grade: High-tensile automotive grade steel for maximum durability
• Included Components: Full set of mounting bolts and specialized large-diameter floor pan washers
• Weight: Approximately 1.3 lbs per kit
• Thread Pitch: Metric standard for air-cooled VW chassis applications

PRO TIPS

1. The Golden Rule of Anti-Seize

Before you begin threading these new bolts into your chassis, always apply a small amount of high-quality anti-seize lubricant to the threads. Air-cooled VWs are notorious for "frozen" bolts due to their proximity to the ground and exposure to moisture. By using anti-seize now, you are protecting the threads from galvanic corrosion and ensuring that if you ever need to remove the body for future maintenance or paint work, the bolts will back out smoothly without snapping off in the threaded heater channels. It is a small step that saves hours of drilling and tapping down the road.

2. Master the "Loose Fit" Alignment Technique

When installing a new floor pan or dropping a body back onto the chassis, never tighten the bolts one by one as you go. Instead, start every single bolt in the kit by hand, threading them in just a few turns. This allows the body and the pan to "float" slightly, giving you the necessary wiggle room to align all the holes perfectly. Once every bolt is successfully started and you have verified the body is squared on the chassis, proceed to tighten them in a crisscross pattern starting from the center and working your way out to the front and rear. This prevents the sheet metal from binding or warping during the tightening process.

3. Inspect Your Pan Seal Simultaneously

Since you have the hardware out and the pan loosened, this is the absolute best time to inspect or replace your rubber floor pan-to-body seal. A fresh EMPI installation kit works best when paired with a supple, high-quality seal. If your old seal is cracked, flattened, or missing, the new bolts may not be able to provide a proper weather-tight or noise-dampening connection. Tightening these new bolts against a fresh seal ensures that your cabin stays dry and that you eliminate the "squeaking" noises often associated with a loose or poorly sealed VW body-to-chassis connection.