Floor support with a tunnel
- Thread starter Zandoz
- Start date
john dioli
Member
heres Dons car may ask him ,maybe he has a flat floor and shaft above it but not sure heres his link to his build
Fiberglass bodies and wood...? - Rat Rods Rule - Rat Rods, Hot Rods, Bikes, Photos, Builds, Tech, Talk & Advice since 2007!
you may need to get a user name to see the pictures
Fiberglass bodies and wood...? - Rat Rods Rule - Rat Rods, Hot Rods, Bikes, Photos, Builds, Tech, Talk & Advice since 2007!
you may need to get a user name to see the pictures
EX JUNK
Moderator
Bill, my car sits about as low as I believe you are looking to build. The body is channeled over the 1 1/2"x 3" frame rails and at the center of the door the bottom of the body is 8 1/4" off the pavement. My drive shaft tunnel measures 4" tall, which is what I believe you said you were planning on making yours. I even made my trans cover removable to aid in servicing and I've posted several pictures in the past on how I did it. I have no additional supports for the floor as they are not needed as my floor is all fiberglass and is one with the body. I see no reason that you could not do the same using plywood provided you glass it in properly.
Jim
Jim
choppinczech
Well-Known Member
I did my floor flat, one piece. Then after the 1/4" thick drive shaft tunnel was made, I cut the floor to fit that. Leaving a rough cut out for the transmission. The tunnel is laid up with biaxial cloth (a 45°/45° cloth/mat) fabric. Super strong.
My floor is pretty thick. 3/16" of glass on top, 5/8" ply, and 1/4" glass on the bottom. So the tunnel was epoxied and screwed in place.
Keep in mind though, I widened the body 9" way back in the beginning.
My floor is pretty thick. 3/16" of glass on top, 5/8" ply, and 1/4" glass on the bottom. So the tunnel was epoxied and screwed in place.
Keep in mind though, I widened the body 9" way back in the beginning.
Right now I have 2 sets of plans...one version simple but less user friendly for me. That version is channeled, and the frame & floor sits high enough that there are no real floor/tunnel issues.
The second still evolving plan is much more user friendly, and I prefer the looks, but is turning out to be much more complicated. Here's where it stands right now...
All of that boils down to the inboard edges of the floor...along the driveshaft and transmission tunnels...only having 2 support/fastening points rear of the firewall. the transmission and driveshaft loop crossmembers.
The second still evolving plan is much more user friendly, and I prefer the looks, but is turning out to be much more complicated. Here's where it stands right now...
- 2"x4"x1/8" frame rails at a 2° rake, with an 11" high kickup. The frame would be about 5-1/2" off the ground at the front. At the firewall, the top of the frame rail would be roughly 11" off the ground.
- The body would not be unchanneled vertically. It will be channeled horizontally over the frame kickup.
- For the floor I am not going to be using plywood...or trying to make my own fiberglass floor. The floor will be composite boat decking. I plan on the same stuff for the inside of the firewall, and boxing in the back of the body around the kickup, where the previous owner cutout about 2/3s of the body.
- Instead of the floor being glassed into the body, the body will be bolted down on top of the floor.
- The floor will be bolted down to the frame rails, the drive shaft loop crossmember at the rear of the floor, and to brackets at the firewall.
- The drive shaft tunnel (probably an inverted "U" of sheet aluminum) will be around 4" tall at the front U-joint, and will angle up from there. I do not see it giving any support to the floor.
- I've not decided on what to do for the transmission cover/tunnel.
All of that boils down to the inboard edges of the floor...along the driveshaft and transmission tunnels...only having 2 support/fastening points rear of the firewall. the transmission and driveshaft loop crossmembers.
I'll have to go back and look through Don's build thread.
I wish I had 1/10th your fiberglass skills. As is the only fiberglass work I've done was patching up the rusted out doors on an old beater...and that was around 1976. I'm trying to minimize the glass work where ever possible...and preferably limit it to areas that will not be seen...LOL
You say that the drive shaft tunnel is 1/4" thick...steel or aluminum? I'd kind of settled on using one of the "off the shelf" .040" aluminum race car tunnels, but I can see how heavier material would help support the floor. I have planned to use some 3/16" Aluminum elsewhere...I'll just order more.
Repost for editing after the 20 minute limit:
Right now I have 2 sets of plans...one version simple but less user friendly for me. That version is channeled, and the frame & floor sits high enough that there are no real floor/tunnel issues.
The second still evolving plan is much more user friendly, and I prefer the looks, but is turning out to be much more complicated. Here's where it stands right now...
All of that boils down to the inboard edges of the floor...along the driveshaft and transmission tunnels...only having 2 support/fastening points rear of the firewall. the transmission and driveshaft loop crossmembers.
Right now I have 2 sets of plans...one version simple but less user friendly for me. That version is channeled, and the frame & floor sits high enough that there are no real floor/tunnel issues.
The second still evolving plan is much more user friendly, and I prefer the looks, but is turning out to be much more complicated. Here's where it stands right now...
- 2"x4"x1/8" frame rails at a 2° rake, with an 11" high kickup. The frame would be about 5-1/2" off the ground at the front. At the firewall, the top of the frame rail would be roughly 11" off the ground.
- The body would not be channeled vertically. It will be channeled horizontally over the frame kickup.
- For the floor I am not going to be using plywood...or trying to make my own fiberglass floor. The floor will be composite boat decking. I plan on the same stuff for the inside of the firewall, and boxing in the back of the body around the kickup, where the previous owner cutout about 2/3s of the body.
- Instead of the floor being glassed into the body, the body will be bolted down on top of the floor.
- The floor will be bolted down to the frame rails, the drive shaft loop crossmember at the rear of the floor, a bracket on top of the transmission crossmember, and to brackets at the firewall.
- The drive shaft tunnel (probably an inverted "U" of sheet aluminum) will be around 4" tall at the front U-joint, and will angle up from there. I do not see it giving any support to the floor.
- I've not decided on what to do for the transmission cover/tunnel.
All of that boils down to the inboard edges of the floor...along the driveshaft and transmission tunnels...only having 2 support/fastening points rear of the firewall. the transmission and driveshaft loop crossmembers.
Similar threads
