'glass roadster floors/firewall...need some guidance

[slepe67]

I have a fiberglass 32 roadster, I plan to run it D/STR.  The floor is there, but it is fiberglass.  Anyone have any tips on how to make a steel floor?  Could a guy jsut make a grid with 3/4" square tubing, and weld the sheetmetal to it, then bolt the floor to the frame?  Would that be legal?

The firewall, I think is a straightforward deal.  It's already fully sealed, so can I bolt my steel firewall to it?  Again, is that legal?

Sorry to sound like a newb, but I am..hahah

[floydjer]

As long as it`s mounted above the frame rail ( S.CT.A. rule book section  4.p) and below the fiberglass, seems like it would pass. Any one with real knowledge???. And welcome to the site. Jerry

[slepe67]

I'll have to read up more on how the floor can be safely secured to the frame/body.  I was thinking of 3/4" square tubing.  Build a grid-type faming, and weld the pan to it.  Then, bolt the floor to the frame from tabs welded on underneath, and thru the original style frame mounting point on top of the frame.  Then, there's the cage mounting points...which could also be used to mount the body to.

[floydjer]

Take a look in "Build diaries" at the d/bstr thread. It`s a `29 on deuce rails but, should give you some direction. J.B.

[slepe67]

that is a sweet car, thanks for steering me that way.  I can't believe I missed that thread.

[wilcox garage]

On our car we built the firewall and floors and attached them to the chassis. We used round tube for the floor under bracing and tied in all the seat mounting , driveline loop, driveline tunnel, and seatbelt mounting points. Then set the glass body on top the rails and attach the front to the firewall . Our body was just a cheap racecar body so once i had the side mounting points for the body done I cut the glass firewall out.I have a bunch of pictures if you are interested in any particular thing let me know.                                                  Mark

[floydjer]

See, I told you we needed real knowledge!! J.B.

[slepe67]

after looking at Wilcox's car, I think the best route for me to go would be to set the body on the frame and bolt it down.  Then, cut out the floor from underneath, along the inside lip of the top of the frame.  Build 3/4" square tube frame, like Wilcox, then put the floor in.  I need to refer to my rulebook to see if I can use round top screws, or if it has to be welded in.  The body is held to the frame with thick flat steel plates, used almost like huge washers, to bolt it in.  I think it'll work.  It'll probably kick my butt, mut it SOUNDS painless.  haha

[floydjer]

Update??  Pics.?? Build Diary?

[slepe67]

Update??  Pics.?? Build Diary?

haha, yeah right!!!!  I am so slow at this part of the build, you have to watch furniture to make sure I'm moving!!!  I'm doing as much research as I can.  My laptop is getting a workout.

Riddle me this....

BODY MOUNTING: I have cut out my floor, left about 2 inches on the side, to cover the frame, and act as a mount to bolt the body to the frame.  Would FENDER washers work OK for this? 

I am thinking about having this body as a lift-off "funny-car" style body. I'm not talking about the ability to get the body off in a few seconds.  It's going to be secured with a ton of mounting points, roll cage braces, etc etc.  Not sure if that is too smart, as I will be streeting the vehicle also.

FIREWALL:  I know it has to be fire/water proof.  No holes (read: daylight) can be seen from the inside, looking at the firewall.  Now, if I kept the existing fiberglass firewall, and bolted a thick sheetmetal firewall to said fiberglass firewall from the INSIDE, would that meet the safety requirement???

Then, I'll make all the bracing required for fiberglass roadster bodies at the firewall/doors/trunk/etc.

I'll post up pics tomorrow so you can see what I'm talking about.  I have a guy picking up a bunch of stuff in the AM, so my garage is a MESS! 

Also, see this month's Hot Rod magazine, Dodge Bros 4 cyl roadster for a good idea of what I mean.  I think I'll post my buildup in another thread, unless the moderators think I should stay in this one.  Thanks again, JL

[JimL]

Having built a tilt-body roadster, I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents...

Dan Wagner and I built a 27T to tilt up, like a funny car, and it had good points and bad points.  The problems are:
-- Trying to get the bottom of the body spread enough to come up past the widest part of firewall and shoulder bar
-- Disengaging the hood sides and pulling them out, to let the body slide up inside of them (because they flange over the forward vertical edge of the body)
-- Mounting a tach or shift light on the upper body (inside the windscreen) to get them visible (everything below your cowl line is invisible in the bright white light--- especially at higher speeds).  The wires were impossible to route without frequent breaking or snagging
-- Keeping a good seal on the lower parts of the firewall, because the body tends to snag and tear up any weatherstrip (the top 1/3 of the arc, above widest point of firewall, is OK)

Once we had the body tilted up, it was still quite difficult to work underneath it.  As you get back toward the cage, there's too much body side hanging down.

If I had it to do over, I'd cut the body horizontally, at the widest point of the firewall, and make just that top section lift straight off (about the top 1/3rd of the body removes, all the way back to the parachute pull point).  I'd flange the lower part of the body, at the cut line, so the upper "hat" section would drop right in place.  This would give you full access to almost every part of the car, and I think it'd be easier to build.  You'd also solve ALL of the problems I listed above, and your body sides would be very rigid. 

Regards, JimL