Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: slepe67 on May 07, 2009, 09:58:34 PM
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I'm ready to put the floor in my 32. I have a 'glass 32 Roadster, and keep in mind that is is going to be built as a MOSTLY race legal car (SCTA and NHRA), so I have to run steel.
I cut the 'glass floor out, except the area that sits on the frame. Question 1: Since my frame is boxed, and I can't access the bolt holes from underneath, what's a trick to do to line up my bolt holes? I guess measuring and drilling each and every one will be the right way. Start small, and bore bigger???
Now that the body is drilled for mounting, I take the bolts out, and fling the body into the front yard, so I can install my one piece steel floor. Around the preimeter of the sheetmetal (where it meets the frame) I plan to pop a hole every 6 inches or so, and drill and tap the frame, corresponding with each sheetmetal hole. Use button head screw to bolt floor down to frame. I've already cut it out, and looks pretty good so far. I still need to run some stiffening beads, but, I have to find a place that can do that. Do I need to worry about shrinking (e.g. will my holes line up after I run beads, or should I do them first?)
I'll post pics tomorrow for more clarity on the topic. Thanks in advance. JL
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Disregard, found what I was looking for:
AWESOME TOOL! AND VIRTUALLY FREE!!!!!!!!! :-D
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=359217
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A Y-Block will put you right out of XO/Street Roadster -- read the Rule Book. 292 V-8 inches of overhead valves is a D/Street Roadster.
Stan Back
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............best method for already tapped holes is to knock the heads off a few bolts with the right thread and sharpen them on a grinder , thread them in and rest the panel on top, give it a tap and the holes are centre punched for you, thanks for that one Grumm :wink: :wink: it's perfect for undrilled bellhousings too
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You could also use allen head set screws. Run them almost all the way in and tap.
Will Willis
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67- I'm going to go back to your first posting. If you cut out your flooring to compete in Gas/Fuel Roadster OK; the secondary flooring must be metal as points out in 3.G. I can see your point. In the definition of a step pan it is just called material.
But if your going to run as a Street Raodster for the SCTA I can find no referance to a steel floorboard. I've inspect hundreds of roadsters and that has never come up. Firewall, yes. I do not know the NHRA rules
I even looked at an inspection check off form and did not find a referance to steel or metal floor board. I've also looked in the Vintage Catagory, Gas/Fuel Roadster and Street Roadster. The association has not allowed wood.
If I'm incorrect I'm sure someone will point it out. Good luck..........33 years and I'm still reading the book over and over
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Said many times b-4.
It's apples and oranges regards NHRA and SCTA/ BNI rules
NHRA's firewalls too flimsy for Landspeed racing.
Read the rulebook -as many have said -OVER and OVER and do it the SCTA/BNI way PLUS!
It saves lotta headaches for guys like Jimmy Six.
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67- I'm going to go back to your first posting. If you cut out your flooring to compete in Gas/Fuel Roadster OK; the secondary flooring must be metal as points out in 3.G. I can see your point. In the definition of a step pan it is just called material.
But if your going to run as a Street Raodster for the SCTA I can find no referance to a steel floorboard. I've inspect hundreds of roadsters and that has never come up. Firewall, yes. I do not know the NHRA rules
I even looked at an inspection check off form and did not find a referance to steel or metal floor board. I've also looked in the Vintage Catagory, Gas/Fuel Roadster and Street Roadster. The association has not allowed wood.
If I'm incorrect I'm sure someone will point it out. Good luck..........33 years and I'm still reading the book over and over
I typed in error. The FIREWALL must be steel, never meant to imply the FLOOR had to be. I just kept hearing/reading horror stories of fiberglass catching fire and opted to the side of safety.
That being said, will this be a SCTA Legal Option?
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I don't know about others but I'm confused. Are you talking about the floor or the firewall. As for fiberglass most of our roadster bodies are fiberglass and the fire comes from around the back of the car and into the roll cage that way so protect your self.
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Jimmy 6:
I have heard and read stories of fiberglass cars catching fire. The fire supposedly consumes the car, as it eats the fiberglass floor and firewall. I'm trying to eliminate the fiberglass floor and firewall in my car, and coverting it to steel.
I have cut out the floor, and left a 2-3 inch gap along the lip that sits on top of the frame. The floor will be bolted through drilled and tapped holes in the frame, about every 4-6 inches. THe body sits on top of the floor. Essentially, from reading the rules, my car wil be legal, as the floor is sitting on top of the frame. Correct? I've seen quite a few pictures of SCTA cars with aluminum floors done in the same fashion, so I would ASSume that steel would be also legal.
The fiberglass firewall is still intact, for now. I intend on building a steel fiewall to replace it.
Gain any clarity? I have to post pics this weekend, I have a hard time putting my thoughts onto paper...
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Slepe67,
I have a sugestion you can ignore if you want. Why don't you cut your floor to fit just inside the frame rails and weld tabs to the inside of the frame and bolt your floor to that. That way you can take the floor out if you need to without removing the whole body. We do this with our roadster but the floor is aluminum and the tabs are dzus tabs. So by removing 6 dzus buttons we can take the floor out to drop the driveline or the trans without removing the body. Of course with the aluminum floor we can flex it to drop it through the bottom, with steel you may need to section it so you can drop it out in two pieces.
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I guess we are still guessing on what you are building. It's beginning to sound like your building as street roadster as Gas/Fuel rodsters for the most part have step pans and secondary flooring. I would do what ever is convenient for you and meet the rules. Dallas has given you another idea for a separation for the body and floorboard.
As for a firewall, I believe the are a few out there which have kept their fiberglass firewall from the body manufacturer and covered it with a metal and thickness which meets our requirements. Good Luck.
PS: Interested...At this time I am no longer inspecting vehicles. I can only share what I did in the past and I keep current with the rules so when I do race again I am also legal in everyway with my own roadster. The chief inspector is very competant and I trust he will continue as those in the past have.
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Slepe67,
I have a sugestion you can ignore if you want. Why don't you cut your floor to fit just inside the frame rails and weld tabs to the inside of the frame and bolt your floor to that. That way you can take the floor out if you need to without removing the whole body. We do this with our roadster but the floor is aluminum and the tabs are dzus tabs. So by removing 6 dzus buttons we can take the floor out to drop the driveline or the trans without removing the body. Of course with the aluminum floor we can flex it to drop it through the bottom, with steel you may need to section it so you can drop it out in two pieces.
Great idea! I'm going to do that. It's a lot more simple solution, and would be more race-car efficient. That being said, what thickness of aluminum do you reccomend for the floor for strength/oil canning, etc? Would I need to put beads in the aluminum to prevent all this? Thanks for the advice!
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(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/slepe67/floorplan2.jpg)
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/slepe67/floorplan1.jpg)
Like so?
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I would re-read 4.P page 40 of the 2009 rulebook. Your pictures do not meet the definition of "over" in my interpretation of the word. They look to be "in between" but I could be seeing them wrong. Good Luck
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I brainfarted! I was going off memory, and thought it said level with, rather than over frame. I can't find my rulebook, so I ordered another. Guess I'm on ohld til it gets here. Jimmy, thanks for your guidance.
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"floorboards shall be mounted above the frame or in the stock location for the body style and year of the vehicle" :roll:
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cmon now, you don't have to " :roll: " haha! HEY, I've never done this before, and was going off of info that as passed. I HAVE been known to read into stuff too much. I have a clue now. I'll wait for the '09 rulebook, before I cut ANY metal. Thanks mkilger for the clarity.
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67 its ok, I started a post last year about floors and step pans and got alot of good feedback. I think a few guys changed there cars because of it and that why the :roll: but thats funny anyway.