riviting a floor

What is the best material for my floor in a 30 coupe,i was thinking of using alum.sheet and riviting it to steel sub floor,or steel sheet and riviting or steel floor and welding it,seems to be alot of rust traps under the car,i have saw a lot of the steel welded but not the aluminum,thanks

 

The thicker, the better. I can't remember what size aluminum I'm using. 14 gauge??? I'm also building a race car...

For aluminum, I would get some rounded head hex bolts, and drill and tap. That's what I'm doing.

Steel, weld it. Just my $0.02

 

I always weld in a steel floor from the seat back and use wood up front (I like the look of a wood floor)... As far as rust goes, you'll be dead before it rusts enough to give you a problem, unless you park it out in a muddy field for the next 20 years.

 

I always wonder why people feel they need to build a cage to mount the sheet metal to. All the older cars I have taken apart just have sheet metal with beads rolled in for strength. Not a dig on your work it looks great just wondering why so much extra work?

 

With your structure you could just puddle weld the sheet metal to your bracing and just weld the seems shut on top. Then apply paintable drip check on the underside seams. then paint and with a slight undercoat you'll never have a problem. I would not use aluminum on a street car with rivets if there is any flex over time it could cause problems. Just a thought...John

 

Quinton I've been contemplating the same thing. man that car looks sweet from what i can see there have you started a build thread yet?

 

I agree and but think it is because some of the guys (me included) don't have a bead roller.
As for the rust, you can spay the top of the cage and the bottom of the floors with weldable primer. I get mine from Finish Master her in Grand Rapids but it is available at most paint stores.

 

Thanks for the input,no build thread yet,it will come when i get a few more things done. quinton

 

I'd REALLY like to just use beaded sheet metal, but I'm in the "don't have a bead roller or know how to use one" camp... The only one I'd see buying would be a cheapo at Harbor freight (as I won't use it very often), and I have a feeling that's one of the things at HF this is lothed by the general public.

That's a really nice looking framing, looks like it is gonna be seriously solid. I like the idea Ghost presented, making it look like one solid piece would be pretty sharp.

 

Aluminum on steel, won't you get galvanic action?

 

Cut your panels and take them to a sheet metal shop and let them roll you a bead.

 

Thats what I did before i had any tools to use.After my 3rd or 4th car he just said "you know where everything is go ahead and use it" It really helped me out then.I am sure there is someone in your area too...



Steve

 

I was just getting ready to say this.

Weld-Thru primer is your friend in situations like this.

Prime the meeting faces, weld it in, and then coat it however you would normally, and don't look back.

Nice thing about a stout sub-floor like that is that it affords you amble support and mounting opportunities for your seats and anything else you need to stay put (belts, console, etc).

I would not feel real good about just bolting the seats through the pan without some sort of reinforcement, and his sub-floor will do that nicely. Plus, the thing won't oil can and make funny noises when you step on it either.

I'm going to secure most of my floor to the chassis with button head screws, so I can remove it to get at all the goodies from above if I ever need to. It's more work, but IMO it's worth it. We'll see how well I pull it off, when I get that far.

You will if they are both bare or fretting against one another. If there is a coating in between, and they are securely fastened together, you should be OK.

 

There's been a lot of mention about rolling beads into the floor pans, it does help and makes the floor very ridged, however with the subframe that you have in this car you really don't need any beads in the sheet metal.

Just keep it simple.

 

If you are looking for the proper rivets Big Flats Rivet Co is the place! They carry all the proper Ford rivets and tools to set them. http://www.bigflatsrivet.com/

 

is that sub floor welded to the body or the frame?

 

I highly recommend welding in steel that has beads rolled in it. You won't have leaks and the beads will help eliminate vibration noises.

 

Looks like from the seat back will be steel and from the seat forward will be wood? I like that.

I think my whole floor will be wood but the trunk area (bulkhead back) will be steel to keep it simple... and to mimic the stock floor. I'm not sure yet.. still doing my homework.

I'd also say to go with the welds/sheet metal flooring. I think it'd be less work since you're becoming a welding pro as it is. Plus, I think it'll look pretty clean and can be sealed without any question of issues of different metals interacting.

By the way... it's looking good. Update your homies okay!?

 

i like this thread, came at a great time. I am doing the same to my car.. Im doing a "double" floor, bottom floor welding in, insulation (dynomat or similiar) then the top floor. Weldable primer, spotted in, insulation, top floor, seam sealer then bedliner for undercoating. I dont have a bead roller so i braced in my floor as well. Front tunnel section will be removeable for access to trans/etc by sheet screws and sealer.

 

If you use aluminum rivets or even steel rivets and an aluminum floor attached to the steel sub frame you WILL have problems if/when it ever gets wet. Dissimilar metals cause problems and the aluminum will act as the sacrificial metal and corrode anywhere it's touching steel. I make some killer wheel lips and patch panels out of aluminum and after a season of driving the car all of my work just sort of fell off due to corrosion. Just trying to save you from doing a job twice.

 

I've done the same thing, steel substructure with a beaded aluminum floor.
I will be using a 'glue' to fasten it all down, not sure what type or brand it is but it has a bonding strength of 5000 psi. A buddy of mine is getting it from the shop he works at, it's some type of panel ahesive that is used in new cars.
As far as the galvanic action goes, it is a result of dissimilar metals, and the aluminum will be the sacraficial component. The easy way around this, is to simply provide a barrier (primer or undercoat will work) and as long as the two metals do not contact one another, this will be avoided. This was something we dealt with on a constant basis in the glazing industry.