I have been working on the of my 1948 Chevy. The floor pan cross member on the driver’s side was pitted and thin in places so I thought I’d give making a new one from scratch a try. I made a poster board template to trace onto the sheet metal. There is a step down on the channel so I cut the channel at the two 90* bends up to where it steps down and then I welded them to look like a solid piece. If you ever need to make one, drill the cab mount hole after you cut and shape. It has to line up with the hole in the floor. I had to re- align it. I made a simple dimple tool for the dimple on the cross piece. There two spot welded pieces on the under side I salvaged and welded in.
A day without laughter is a day wasted- Charlie Chaplin When wrestling a grizzly bear, you have to keep at it until the bear gets tired, not when you get tired. 1948 Chevy 2-Ton
Nice work. You do know that you can buy those, right? But yours looks good.
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.
Nice work. You do know that you can buy those, right? But yours looks good.
Yes, I saw on line that they are about $80, but where's the fun in that! LOL... I had the material laying around and thought I would see if I learned anything from watching Trev's Blog, and Make it Kustom from YouTube. I only used a throatless shear from Hobo Freight, some angle irons and flange pliers for forming the bends, a step drill bit, a portable band saw, hand snips, mostly my gas torch and a little bit of mig on the backside and last but not least, half a brain. I was happy with the results. I sprayed it with some weld through primer and will install it later. The floor is in pretty good shape and I will put some rust mort on, and fill in some pits, then prime and paint. Anyone know what all those holes are for in that cross member? I know the big one is for the cab mount, but not sure about all the small ones. Drain holes? And what goes through that other bracket that is welded on the bottom of channel? It has a 3/8" opening that goes from one side to the other.
A day without laughter is a day wasted- Charlie Chaplin When wrestling a grizzly bear, you have to keep at it until the bear gets tired, not when you get tired. 1948 Chevy 2-Ton
The pipe that goes from side to side is for the emergency brake ,bracket that also is held by the two holes on the floor.The oval holes in the side is we’re the emergency brake rod goes through .
I don't think those smaller holes on the inner side are drain holes, maybe for locating the part in a fabrication machine at the factory.
No idea what that big dimple is for either. I don't think it does anything for structural strength.
You did a good job of duplicating it. Wow $80 now? I paid less than $35 for each on mine, although it was back in 2015.
[on edit] Jim Carter still lists them for under $35, but I don't blame you for building your own.
[another edit] LMC sells them for about $25.
Last edited by klhansen; 01/10/20234:09 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 don't think those smaller holes on the inner side are drain holes, maybe for locating the part in a fabrication machine at the factory.
No idea what that big dimple is for either. I don't think it does anything for structural strength.
You did a good job of duplicating it. Wow $80 now? I paid less than $35 for each on mine, although it was back in 2015.
[on edit] Jim Carter still lists them for under $35, but I don't blame you for building your own.
[another edit] LMC sells them for about $25.
My bad, I was thinking rocker panels in Canadian "pesos"at $80. I have a hand lever parking brake, guess that's why I didn't realize what they were for. One of the slotted holes did have a rock hard rubber delete in it, but I didn't realize it was a delete. By the way, I never think of LMC when looking for parts, I usually look at The Filling Station, Chevs of the 40s and Jim Carter.
A day without laughter is a day wasted- Charlie Chaplin When wrestling a grizzly bear, you have to keep at it until the bear gets tired, not when you get tired. 1948 Chevy 2-Ton
I forgot you were in Canada. Makes a bit more sense when you said $80. You guys usually get stuck on shipping charges like I do in Alaska. That's why I loaded up on parts on a visit down to the Lower 48 a few years back. I dropped a bunch of $$ at Jim Carter and Mar-K on that trip. I could write off the fuel it cost me as "vacation."
The Filling Station has been my go-to lately. Have only ordered one thing from LMC.
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.
That is some pretty work right there! I enjoy that type of challenge myself. I did a lot of that kind of work 30 years ago on my first truck before I found Stovebolt.com. I love what this site has taught me, but I do miss the days of doing it the "hard way" sometimes.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
