Lowered Floor Pans - More Thoughts & Photos...
Finally got a chance to take a few more photos of the passenger floor in place.
Although you'll have to excuse the photos as taking them at night is hardly ideal.
The space available inside the frame work means there is a limit to where the lowered section will fit.
I have started with the front edge of the lowered section at the front edge of the frame work.
So clearly the floor can not go much further forward than this, but it could be moved backwards.
However, unless I get different seats, moving the floor backwards wouldn't help me much.
I'd also want to leave enough space for access to the radius arm mounting bracket.
Based on my initial seat fitting test, I'd say the lowered section could do with moving inwards a bit.
As this would allow the top, outside edge of the seat to clear the cockpit bodywork.
Towards the front of the floor, there looks like there is room to move inwards.
But at the rear of the floor, the curve of the frame will stop the floor moving any further inwards.
The other thing that occurs to me is that if the seat rails will not work, I'll have to remove them.
As I will not be able to bolt them in place if I can't get the seats out of the way of the mounting points.
This will actually lower the seat by the height of the rails, as it would be bolted directly to the floor.
This in turn would mean the seat would probably clear the bodywork even if it stayed where it was.
So I should be able to get both the passenger side floor & seat fitted in a way that works well.
But before I confirm that, I need to test fit my seat belts to ensure they work around the seat position.
My main concern is the floor for the driver's side, as I would like the seat to remain adjustable.
I think it is the small vertical "lip" where the floor starts to lower that is causing the problem.
My initial thoughts are to remove this lip & extend the slope to meet the horizontal floor level.
This should provide a straight run for the seat adjustment handle and the runners themselves to work.
I just need to check how much extra space extending the slope in this way would take up.
As the start of this extended slope would be the first part of the floor to hit the front frame rail.
So the rear of the existing slope would effectively be pushed back towards the rear cockpit.
See another of my "not so technical" drawings...
So clearly a bit of thinking still required, as I do want to get the driver's side right.
Welding Lessons:
Met my mate for a beer last night and had a brief chat about when he would be free to teach me to weld.
He has some time off work over Christmas / New Years, so it looks like we will try to get together then.
In the mean time I will need to order some of the same box section tubing used in the Cordite frame.
Some of this will be incorporated into the existing frame and some will be to practise my welding on.
My mate will order all the parts he needs to bring his welding gar back to working order & I'll refund him.
He also has small sections of "left over" metal which might be handy for the odd bracket, or bracing.
I'm really looking forward to this, as I think it will remove some of my fears about work I know needs doing.
It will also mark the step up from assembling my kit, to building my car, something
Mr T has mentioned.
Whilst I never intended to touch my chassis, I am kind of jealous of those builders who have restored theirs.
Shopping Update:
I decided to replace the rubber seals from my donor I had for my headlight shells as they had seen better days.
Given the time I spend restoring all the damage done by water getting past them in the past, it made sense.
Got a new pair from Ebay with outstanding service, ordered them one afternoon & they arrived the next day.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2710192954...84.m1497.l2649
Until next time, take care, Paul.
Replies:
DaveCymru - Cheers, I'll re-read your build thread to see how you squared the corners.
It's funny how certain things make more sense when you reach the same part of your own build.
