spare wheel cut out help !

[BIGS]

Right ive cut out the spare wheel and so far it looks like so

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff314/b17ova/bigs031.jpg

Now i want to weld in a new sheet so its all smooth and dont have any of the lines. But how do you get round the chassis rails as there sort of in the way. would the best bet be to drill the spot welds out and give them a freshen up while they are off, and then weld the new sheet in and once thats all done add the chassis rails back on :confused:

[Pistol Pete]

Cut the hole with some square edges and weld a squareish plate back in? I'm due to attack my wheels well soon. I was going to add a brace bar to the underside for added strength.

[BIGS]

I cant brace it untill the rad is in place, i dont want just abit cut out i want to cut it so its about 1" 1/2 - 2" left around as a lip to weld a whole new sheet in

[Pistol Pete]

Can you not do that then? Leave enough to weld to? Sorry if i'm sounding dumb, trying to picture the underside of a Nova. Havent touched mine for months!!!

Just looked through my rebuild pics, left hand side shouldnt be a problem. Right hand side runs very close to the chassis leg. Could you not weld the plate on the inside of the boot floor? Nice bit of sealer round the hole on the underside, paint, then brace bar between the 2 chassis legs later?

[BIGS]

Hmm you have just gave me a idea as i dont fancy using sealer i want it all welded. Maybe if i weld a few bars across so the shell wont move then brace the chassis legs so they dont move then take them off. then when the new sheet is on try and put the legs back in the same place. if this is possible?

[Pistol Pete]

You could always weld a plate on the inside and weld around your cut out from the underside. With regards to a brace, just a bar from left to right between the chassis legs should suffice IMO.

Why take the chassis legs off? Thats alot of work and not needed??

[tony k]

well when i done my one i used some thin cardboard.placed it over the hole then run my dirty fingers over the cardboard,then cut it out and used it as a ten plate,i made it about an inch an a half bigger then screwd,it down the got my mate to weld it other than that its all ok

heres a few pics of mine before and after
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb221/tonysturbonova/DSC00080.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb221/tonysturbonova/DSC00228.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb221/tonysturbonova/DSC00095.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb221/tonysturbonova/06062008037.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb221/tonysturbonova/15062008042.jpg
hope this helps you out fella

[BIGS]

That looks a very tidy job there, but im wanting to get rid of the lines to the left and have it all smooth with out plating over them as that will be two layers of metal then and that = more weight lol. But if i cant sort it out soon might look like i will just have to do it that way:(

[Pistol Pete]

I may be wrong but i think you will find that the metal has the ridges in it to retain some rigidity in the boot floor. HTH!

[mikey14sr]

I may be wrong but i think you will find that the metal has the ridges in it to retain some rigidity in the boot floor. HTH!

correct, they also stop the panel flexing a fair bit, which could cause n annoying drumming sound at high speed. It's the same reason that a lot of estate cars used to have ridges in the roof.

[ck]

the lines are pressed in to retain some strength in the larger flat sections of metal.

erm dan what the hell are you on about plating it up? more has to be cut out as the bloody rad is going there.

[BIGS]

I may be wrong but i think you will find that the metal has the ridges in it to retain some rigidity in the boot floor. HTH!

Yes but it will be braced from undernieth with 1" boxsection. just want a smooth look inside the car.

And ck yes i know more has to be cut thats why i made this thread for some help on how to cut it all out. As i cant cut right to the edge as the bloody chassis legs will get cut. All i want to know if its away round this and dont look like it is so im going to have to take the things off and put them back on

[ck]

erm ok lol, i probably didnt read the thread properly lmfao. though it was about welding it back up flush..

if you were to look underneath the car either side of the chassis leg there is a lip/seam about an inch each side, you can cut up to this line right along the leg if that makes sense. the chassis leg will still be attatched to the floor pan as you wont be trimming that inch lip off.

[Pistol Pete]

Sorry for bumping an old thread. My question is in relation to this subject.

I am also looking to remove my wheels well, but was unsure of what thickness plate to use. 2mm too thick? I have the bracing sorted, just need to source some sheet steel.

[burgo]

2mm way to thick. 1mm would be closer

[Ernie]

you dont need to brace it imho

[burgo]

it may do but do you think you would be able to hear it over the road/exhaust/induction/wind noise lol