I have some ideas but I’ve never done this before. Half of the floor is cut out and I plan to cut out all the way to where it drops down (where the DEWALT tool is in the photo, all that will be cut out). I sort of have a plan but am sort of hesitant so I figured I’d ask yall. My plan is to get the sheet metal shaped up, then take it somewhere to have some grooves put in it for strength. I don’t have the tooling for that but should be able to handle everything else.
I bought a Harbor Freight bead roller (real cheapie) at a swap meet for maybe $20 once. Even that little thing could roll the beads you’ll need in your floor. Every man should have some sheetmetal tools. Start with the cheap stuff and get better stuff as you improve your skills.
I recently made one for a '40 Plymouth. Sorta like you described but I have a Harbor Freight bead roller and rolled my own.
If you used 16 guage metal would you need bead rolling? Or add another cross brace. Is anything going in there- ie battery or gas tank, or just lawn chairs?
Thanks yall. I’m always looking for a reason to find new tools so I’ll look into that. my battery will be in there but not really anything else. Lawn chairs are certainly too heavy. I want to finish the trunk to cut some noise down (no interior currently). I cut the first half out months ago because I was tired of looking at rusted super dented shitty metal. Now that I have the gas tank out (it was leaking), it’s a good time to make sparky sparky back there and finish it up. original ford metal is 18 gauge right? I’d like to use the same gauge metal. I also am using the original floor to frame mounting blocks that were in the original floor. Will use them under a 1x2 tube where the original brace crosses under the floor. It’s hard to see in my original photo but it’s sitting in place. I’ll work on a better photo. my biggest hold up is how to mimick the side fender wall contours while mocking things up and ultimately cutting the new metal out (from a template I’m hoping to build)?
Here's one I built, I took out the big wheel well for the spare tire because the customer wanted it gone and a flat floor instead. The only exotic tool was a harbor freight bead roller that I stiffened up. I even built the little filler panel in front of the main floor section.... here's a couple pics...
I would, especially if some of the beads are near an edge. Course I always cut parts big and sneak up on the final size. I hate gaps.
Somewhere around the middle of the page I take off on the trunk floor. Might be a few ideas for ya, but mine was stepped, no need for beads. I'm like alky, sneak up on the fits, but bead rollers stretch the metal pretty far and I've never had anything distort. I also like step rolling vs beads. Raised or sunken panel designs. Anyways.... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/39-standard-tudor-build-thread.985444/page-7
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/finally-starting-on-the-wife’s-56.1135206/ Cheap modified HF bead roller. make an accurate template. I use magnets to hold the poster board in place. Make reference marks on the template that line up with marks the car. Lay the template on sheet metal. I use the magnets to hold it and transfer the reference marks. Use a spring loaded lunch to transfer detail from the template. Start making parts
CAD will really help. Cardboard Aided Design. Masking tape and cardboard, way cheaper than sheet metal. The guys that are good don’t need it. I, and probably you, do.
It seems that the much modified and referred to Harbor Freight bead roller has been discontinued...but you can still pick up a version through Amazon (and others no doubt) for a bit more than a couple hundred dollars. This is likely way cheaper than finding someone willing to take on the task for you at a shop rate. It's pretty straight forward. cut your panel slightly oversized, determine what pattern you want to roll in, mark, bead roll, test fit, cut to proper size and weld in. It looks like the toughest part of the job (the tool tray) is already in good shape. Don't worry about not having done it before...after doing this one, you'll have done it. Below are a few photos from my build thread on our cabriolet...it was in far worse condition than yours...but piece by piece it comes together. Good luck and happy building.
Modified HF roller. Jegs, summit, Amazon, Eastwood sell the same thing. It’s crap u til you modify it. the wife rolling while I guide. Also made on that offshore junky roller make a pattern transfer over to steel start rolling and banging
Hello, If the floor is going top be carpeted, then put in the floor you want, you have some cross bracing. 18 gauge, single sheet on top of your bracing and a couple more evenly spaced out. That should give you plenty of strength and a solid feel, No need for bead rolling as it will be carpeted on top. Now, it will be solid, quiet and add extra support for the trunk. Jnaki Plus, if a smooth floor is necessary, whether under the removable carpeting or plain, the one piece floor will be the complete unit. You are able to measure the complete sheet metal to fit the whole floor space. Not that you need to have a flat floor in the rear, but it seems like an easier fit and installation. Note: I never liked the ribbed floor of my flathead 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery. It was an awful feeling when trying to go to sleep in a sleeping bag. No air mattresses, just a ribbed floor that was uncomfortable. But, as teenagers, it was the adventure that overcame the “small stuff” that made going on those long road trips worthwhile. Yes, it was made for sliding in boxes or commercial stuff, so the ribs were necessary. But, sleeping is another item for teenage surfers on a long, overnight, road trip excursion. Later on, when we got the second 327 powered 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery, it had a carpeted rear floor area, but we could still feel the ribs and that was not good. Eventually, we had air mattresses like other folks to cushion the hard ribs felt through the sleeping bags. Although it was a 20 something set of bodies, we liked a little comfort for the overnight stays. Long or short… YRMV
post on here a long time ago where someone cut a slot in MDF, then used a round solid bar and hammer to pound ribs in the sheet metal.
If you haven't fixed the old gas tank yet, nor started w/the replacement flooring, you might consider an early('64-ish -> '66 at least) mustang fuel tank. The top of the tank doubled as a trunk floor. TANKS repops them. It might just fit in the trunk-hole & solve 2 problems at once. Moving the brace wouldn't be a big deal. Marcus...
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