Sheet metal question.

What gauge sheet metal should be used to fabricate floor panels. Model A coupe, under seat & behind seat. Largest unsupported area would be about 20 X 30 inches.

 

18ga.
Then bead roll some lines in .
Bead rolling will add a lot of support to sheet metal floors .

Retro Jim

 

What Jim said.

 

I don't have the tools, skills to bead roll the lines. So what gauge then ? Under seat & behind seat in a coupe, so there won't be much weight on the panels, if any. But I do want it to remain flat, no sag. It's not a money issue, just want the right stuff.

 

Actually, a HF bead roller is pretty cheap. Not very stiff, mind you, but if you've got a MIG or a stick welder even, you can brace it with some steel tube or angle iron.

If you can use a can opener, you can run beads in sheet metal, so skill isn't really an issue there. If you had to, you could do it without a bead roller- Two 2x4's with a gap in between them on one side, a slimmed down broom handle sanded to the approx size of the bead you wanted, and sandwich the sheet metal in between, squeeze w/ a vice.

 

Id take panels to a shop and get beads rolled into them. im sure it wouldnt cost much, or maybe theres a hamber close to you with a bead roller?
I have a mate around the corner with all the gear, and i started my education last night.

 

Did you read this thread?
Might be helpful for you.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=435411&highlight=deadblow+beads

 

If your dead set on not bead rolling your pans you could always buy some really small angle iron and weld it underneath each pan. Weld it so the angle's V is pointing up then do a criss cross pattern.

 

Bead roller is kinda handy, not required. 18ga is fairly stout, a few beads more or less won't add that much strength. What you need to do is prevent the 'oil can' effect of unsupported flat metal, so bend the floor pans diagonal across any rigid edge - kinda make an 'X' in the floor and flatten it back out. Take a look at exposed duct work and you'll see the same 'x' if it wasn't there the duct would go 'wop,wop, wop' whenever the air came on. The real strength will be added when the floor pan is welded to the structural metal of the car (trans tunnel, toe board, sub frame etc).

 

bob how far is mint hill from lexington nc ,pm me we mite be able to work out sumthing. I have all the tools and the shop

 

i used 18 and 16g, and used small square tube for suports under the floor, made like a small frame type design for each floor panel, then weld in the panels, so its a floor and support structure all in one. doing the same for the front but it will be removable to worko n the trans,ect

 

Instead of bead rolling, cut the large panel in half and bend a 1/2" edge on each cut side then weld or rivet the two sections together. It will increase the strength and the floor will remain flat. Worked for me....

 

You can hammerform the beads into the pan, with a piece of round bar.

 

Just use something thicker if you cant bead roll it. 14ga. would be my choice. 20x30 is not that big of a span. I wouldnt run it unsupported in a truck bed, but that size should be fine.