Hey Guys, I have installed a new passenger floor panel and am ready to install the floor support. When I position it the end of the floor support nearest the rocker panel doesn't seat very well. It has a step in it (see picture) that is intended to accommodate the rocker panel but it is too short and rides up on the panel. Does anyone have suggestions on how to move the step in the floor support about a 1/4 inch? Im not a metal worker so this is all new to me. Thanks!
I just installed the passenger side one and didn't notice any problem with the step that you're seeing. May have been a different supplier, but I did notice the angle on the rocker end was a bit off. Just bent the tabs toward the rocker to adjust that.
The end you're showing looks like the one that goes to the tranny opening, because I don't see the reinforcement around the hole where the cab bolt goes thru the floor. Are you installing it in the right direction? The tranny cover is recessed a bit, so needs more of a step in the floor support than the outer end. The pic I borrowed from RockAuto shows that the rocker end has three tabs, but only two on the transmission end.
You can flatten that step a bit if you need to with a hammer and a sturdy anvil. Beat on it and check the fit, and beat a little more if it needs more adjustment.
[on edit] Added a couple more pictures of my cab support clamped into position.
Last edited by klhansen; 04/04/20207:08 PM. Reason: Added a pic
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
His signature says 1950 Chevrolet 1/2 Ton 3100. I'm pretty sure that was there before I responded.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
He's showing only the inboard end, and it does look like the one I just installed in my '51. Looks just like the left end on my second picture.
Last edited by klhansen; 04/05/20201:48 AM.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I got the sides mixed up and should have referred to the side nearest the transmission. After looking at your pictures I think I see were the problem might stem. It appears you kept the L brace near on the transmission side of the new floor whereas I took it off. I think the using the L brace would have pushed the joggle in the floor support out further and made it clear the step. I didn't maintain the L brace because the new floor panel isn't two pieces so there is not flange to weld it to at the front like you have. It appears you added the flange to that location which is pretty cool! I noticed you kept the old battery frame and now it make me wonder if I should have..... Even with the L brace I still have a heck of a gap, the tabs on mine have to be pushed out a fair amount to make contact. I was thinking of shimming the gap with some sheet metal so the tabs weren't so angled.
I will take a picture of what I have in the morning. Thanks everyone for all your help! This is an awesome forum!!!
This is similar to what I did at a metalshaping demo I gave at the shop for the Stovebolters. An almost identical question as yours was posed... how to address poorly fitting reproduction parts..
In most cases it is a simple case of bends or profiles slightly off in position. If you think about it, the bends are already there, just in the wrong position. So a gradual hammering to relocate is what's in order. Here's the tutorial in moving a bend line:
Quote
One of the questions posed was whether it was better to use and modify poorly fitting reproduction panels or attempt fabrications from scratch. To demonstrate how "tweaking" of reproduction panel creased edges could be accomplished, the following was shown: Two folds were installed in a panel to simulate a factory bend, and then lines drawn in to move the bend to a new location. Hammering gradually from one side to the other did a fairly good job of moving the crease to the new location.
I did have a small piece of solid round stock I was using in the vise to hammer against, but looking at your profile and the limited return on the bends, and all STRAIGHT bends, you should be able to do this hammering against a simple flat bar..
Using a piece of flat bar as an anvil, position where you want your new bend and hammer as shown (red arrow) All we are doing here is to define where the new bend should go.. It doesn't necessarily need to be done all at once, sometimes it works better if you do incremental bends between steps and just keep repeating the process between all the different steps until you get to where you need to be.
Next, position the anvil where the new angled bend needs to be (ramps up) and here you hammer on the side (hidden in this view) to manipulate the ramp bend to the new location needed..
Keep in mind this process is never a one and your done. It would take multiple passes back and forth based on how the material reacts. Or you could even cut out the ramp part altogether, move where it needs to be, weld in place, and weld a filler piece at the end where it now is short.
I tried to keep everything that was relatively solid rather than removing the battery box for instance. I added that little bit of flange just to stiffen things up a bit. Seemed like a good thing to do. Not having the L brace would increase the end-to-end gap in the floor support by a bit, as well as making the step that you posted about too large. I think the L-brace should still be used. I fabbed up new ones because my originials were rusty and cracked, especially right at the spot where the cab support welds in.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
