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willis
United Kingdom
100 Posts |
 Posted - 14/04/2012 : 18:34:55
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Excellent drawings of foot boards by Peter Downs but there is no mention of the thickness. I presume they are made in marine ply, what thickness, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm ?
Ian
Ian willis |
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george
United Kingdom
862 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2012 : 18:50:54
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| Hi I used 12mm wbp exterior grade, our cars are not really long term immersed [I hope] so true marine ply is a bit ott Geoff |
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JMH
United Kingdom
911 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2012 : 20:21:15
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Save weight, go as thin as you can get away with - mine are 8mm. Originals may have been 1/2" I think - far to thick!
JH |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2159 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2012 : 21:09:06
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It may seem a good idea to go this but if you are relying on using the seat back to steady climbing in, particularly with a doorless body then 8mm is far too thin as the floor flexes too much. Speaking from personal experience!
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
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JMH
United Kingdom
911 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2012 : 22:05:35
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Ah - you must have had bucket seats Rich? If so you're probably right. You don't get that problem with a "bench" back & seat squabs though, as the weight goes over a much bigger area, effectively on the side rails & prop tunnel. I didn't mention that my boards are cut away under the seats to save even more weight (the result of a winter's work during a lone posting to Scotland, where cutting off all the protruding bits bits of bolts & other Chapman type mods, which trimmed a remarkable amount of weight from a std J2)!
You just have to hang on to the door when cornering hard.....
JH
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Peter Down
United Kingdom
20 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2012 : 22:30:05
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I can confirm that the original floorboards were made from 3/8"ply.
I have replaced mine using the originals as a pattern a long time ago, but retained the original access door and this is in 3/8" ply.
I have used marine quality and I assume the originals were similar.
Peter (Down) |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2159 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2012 : 23:04:21
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Sorry Jeremy, yes, you are correct, I have buckets. I am sure for a bench, 3/8th would be absolutely fine.
The other problem I found was that if the drivers floor board was too tight a fit into the trim then if you wish to pull the whole floor panel out and with the bucket seat still attached (having removed the seat cushion to miss the steering wheel) then the floor board structure is weak around the handbrake adjustment hatch, causing the ply to crack. So the advice is, don't make them too tight a fit like I once did
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
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bloodysalmon
Spain
1482 Posts |
Posted - 15/04/2012 : 19:52:02
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We know the thickness now but what is the suggested length and width we should buy for 4 seater tourers and or a 2 seaters?
Can you get 4 boards from a 8'x4' ply sheet?
Has anyone got the basis measurements please?
Chris Blood (D0407, D0430 & F0753) |
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daveroberts
United Kingdom
75 Posts |
Posted - 15/04/2012 : 21:57:32
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The original floorboards on J 3758 are 1/2" thick birch plywood, and complete with hinged hatch and brass plate. They are now delaminating and full of woodworm, but still serviceable.
I am sure they are original , as the profile has been professionally routered to shape, from a template, and many years ago. Modern resin bonded plywood, or exterior grade shuttering plywood is of adequate quality. Proper Marine plywood is very expensive, and you need to buy an 8ft x 4 ft sheet and is of too high a quality for this application.
I will however use 9mm resin bonded. because I have some!
Dave Roberts
J 3758 |
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daveroberts
United Kingdom
75 Posts |
Posted - 15/04/2012 : 22:05:56
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Bloodysalmon,
I am about to make a new set for J 3758, and have lots of 9mm Resin bonded plywood.
If there is enough support, i will make a template and reproduce as original.
The sizes are as original, and i will measure them in the morning.
otherwise i can cut a few pieces for you if you give me the sizes.
Dave Roberts
J 3758 daveroberts.redlodge@sky.com |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2159 Posts |
Posted - 15/04/2012 : 22:17:19
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custom machined Collared 1/4 BSF nuts will address the fixing issue
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
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Robin Macmillan
United Kingdom
415 Posts |
Posted - 15/04/2012 : 23:52:47
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I am interested to follow this thread, I have chosen to use 20 mm ply accepting that to reduce weight than I should diet. I have not incorporated the brake adjusting flap as it makes the floorboard IMHO irregular and weaker,particularly in the area where the heel of one's feet is resting. Removing the front drivers side board to adjust the brake is no problem.
The only adjustment with over thick floorboards is recessing the area where the pins of the bench seat go through as there is a hole in them for a split pin !
In my PB purchased in 1965 the boards were cut somewhat diagonally roughly from the mid-scuttle at 45 degrees backwards to the propshaft tunnel. I presume this was "non original" but have replicated it and await expert opinion
PB 0527 |
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PeterL
United Kingdom
1723 Posts |
Posted - 16/04/2012 : 08:46:53
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A P Type owner told me the boards in Ps and Ns were originally in two pieces.
All mine are now cut and it is so much easier to fit them. The cut is at right angles to the centre line, just in front of the seats. It does seem so sensible.
Cheers
Peter (J and F) |
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George Eagle
United Kingdom
3240 Posts |
Posted - 16/04/2012 : 10:59:00
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Just looked at the old NB floorboards which I believe are original and only good as patterns They are 5 ply, 3/8 inch thick and in 2 pieces with the cut being as described by Peter.
The thickness on the N is quite important as the outer edges of the floorboards fit onto a groove cut into the main body timber which in turn is attached to the chassis outrigger i.e. the floorboard has to be just above chassis level as all the supports for the body are mounted on rubber bushes and move quite a bit!
George
L2023 and NA0960
Nr Buckingham, UK |
Edited by - George Eagle on 16/04/2012 11:00:17 |
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tholden
United Kingdom
1638 Posts |
Posted - 17/04/2012 : 19:55:20
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Original J2/3 floorboards were 3/8 inch ply and both sides were all one piece. Splitting the drivers side board is worthwhile definately makes it easier to remove because of the pedals.
P types were the same thickness but the drivers side board was originally split in the way Peter mentions.
The J4 drivers side board was also split in this way.
The original floorboard body rail fixings were not very satisfactory and I prefer to make up 3 small brackets to each body side rail with a nut welded underneath, recess a washer into the board and use a countersunk screw for fixing. This gives a stronger and more rigid fixing particularly useful if fitting bucket seats.
TH |
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