sheet metal gage for floors?

hey guys, normally I just buy floor pans preformed already, but on my 50 ford sedan I am going to atempt to make my own. I know most part places say the floors are like 18 gage.My question is, if you were building your own floors what gage would you use for doing the whole floor,not just sections? Would you suggest to just go with the 18 gage? or something alittle thicker. I want to build this right the first time and not go back and say I shoulda used such and such to haul my fat *** in instead. I want to replace everything from the toekick all the way back to the truck. Also if anyone is familer with the shoeboxes, should I make the tunnel higher and wider if I am going to use a c-4 trans or a manual ****** like a t-5 or so? Thanks in advance.
Tony

 

Use 18 ga. 16 is harder to work with, unless you have a brake ect.

 

thanks!, I do have access to a bead roller and a brake so really wasnt to worry about forming the metal.. as far as the was concerned.. I just wanted at least something closest to the factory if not a bit studier

 

Pipes,
18 ga. will be fine if you roll some beads, 16 ga. is really overkill.........
By the way I would us cold roll steel.

 

thanks Thirty7!

 

i use 16g.......i like overkill and don't have a roller .

 

I am using 14 guage, because thats what I have. Its a ***** to work with, but Overkill works for me.

 

i use 16 gauge, less tubing supports that way and i don't find it that hard to work with ( plasma cutter ).

 

16 gauge

 

I used 16 for floors and 20 for kick panels and any place that didn't have weight on it. I used 14 on the floor of my 53 chevy pickup but it was a long - wide part.

 

19 gauge is best. . . if you can find it. All my pieces are made from that guage. Good luck.

 

if you roll beads 18 wil work 16 is pretty tuff ****

 

i use 16 GA

 

16 Ga.... but I design it and get it sheered and bent up at work.....

 

I'm in the 18ga boat too. I have a bead roller with a shear and a brake. I can form **** all night long too.

 

I use 18 gauge cold rolled or AK steel if i can get it. Most bead rollers will not put a dent in 16 gauge. Just make sure to make some new strong crossmembers for seat mounting and such if the old ones are shot. In the past I have built a substructure out of 1/2 or 3/4 inch square tubing then laid my floor panels over them marked where the structure is and drilled holes rosette welding the floor to the substructure. Looks really nice from underneath and you can even make your joints on the substructure and it looks like a one piece framed floor from the bottom.

 

i use 18 gauge, use to use 16 gauge, 18 is a little cheaper and works just fine, if i have 16 lying around ill used that too, theyll both work.

i use 20 gauge on my tunnels.

jeff

 

That is too cool - great job!

 

thanks guys! A guy I know has a old beadroller with a motor on it, and a brake.so I figured if I have access to it I might as well take advantage of it. its good to know about what some of you are using for side panels,because I was thinking about making some up too.guess the biggest thing I was worried about is the bracing and stuff for the floors..but a couple hundred for metal compared to 900 bucks for floor pans from a catalog is a big difference..spcially cause I will need a sheet anyway for other spots I cant get panels for..thanks again
Tony

 

I like 16 ga. for floors as it has a less chance of oil canning and I don't do the beads full depth so it is easier for the bead roller to do it's job. A test planel will tell you how deep to roll the beads but 2/3 to 3/4 the full depth usually works fine. Go just deep enough so that the cease at the base of the bead isn't sharp or crisp, so you still have a slight radius where the bead starts it's rise.

Frank