[DeTomaso] Talented body mod [WAS: Talentet body mod]

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/12/15 9 41 35, detomaso at poca.com writes:


> Yikes!  That's scary!  Just cut away the frame/chassis structure to make 
> room for a big dropped floor pan.  I be that car has some body flex!
> 

>>>The idea itself has merit, if it's done properly.   Hall Pantera and 
others have sold this particular lowered floorpan for years.   In order to be 
done 'right' it needs to be thoroughly welded into place to start to make up 
for the strength lost by cutting out some of the underfloor structure.   
Note that you are cutting both a longitudinal and a lateral chassis piece in 
order to insert this replacement floorpan.   I don't know if the edges of the 
Hall floorpan fully make up for losing these pieces, or not?

Note that the angle of the stock floor is NOT replicated, so that the seat 
now tilts forward to an unfortunate degree; the solution is then to place 
spacers under the front of the seat mounting tracks.

Kirk Evans has sold a similar product for years, except his is much MUCH 
heavier and stronger, and also features the correct angle.   Intuitively I 
would guess that if it was installed properly, it would make the car stronger 
than stock.   Unfortunately, it's too much of a good thing--it features too 
much drop.   It hangs much further down below the car, and with today's 
tire/wheel packages, it's vulnurable to scraping.   I drove Larry Stock's 
so-equipped Pantera once and believe me, when you go over a bump and the floorpan 
smashes into the ground, you REALLY feel it and it scares the crap out of 
you!!!

My own car features a unique solution to the problem--due to extensive 
rust, both floorpans were cut out along the full length (from in front of the 
pedals all the way to the back of the cabin).   New pans were made out of much 
heavier-grade steel, and then replacement longitudinal and lateral 
structure was placed on the *inside* of the pans, preserving the strength that might 
otherwise have been lost.   The positioning of the reinforcement is 
different from side-to-side, enabling the driver's seat to sit just a bit lower, as 
the passenger seat sits atop the new interior chassis pieces, which negates 
the advantage of the lowered floorpan on that side--DOH! :>)

Mike
-------------- next part --------------
   In a message dated 2/12/15 9 41 35, detomaso at poca.com writes:

     Yikes!  That's scary!  Just cut away the frame/chassis structure to
     make room for a big dropped floor pan.  I be that car has some body
     flex!

   >>>The idea itself has merit, if it's done properly.  Hall Pantera and
   others have sold this particular lowered floorpan for years.  In order
   to be done 'right' it needs to be thoroughly welded into place to start
   to make up for the strength lost by cutting out some of the underfloor
   structure.  Note that you are cutting both a longitudinal and a lateral
   chassis piece in order to insert this replacement floorpan.  I don't
   know if the edges of the Hall floorpan fully make up for losing these
   pieces, or not?
   Note that the angle of the stock floor is NOT replicated, so that the
   seat now tilts forward to an unfortunate degree; the solution is then
   to place spacers under the front of the seat mounting tracks.
   Kirk Evans has sold a similar product for years, except his is much
   MUCH heavier and stronger, and also features the correct angle.
   Intuitively I would guess that if it was installed properly, it would
   make the car stronger than stock.  Unfortunately, it's too much of a
   good thing--it features too much drop.  It hangs much further down
   below the car, and with today's tire/wheel packages, it's vulnurable to
   scraping.  I drove Larry Stock's so-equipped Pantera once and believe
   me, when you go over a bump and the floorpan smashes into the ground,
   you REALLY feel it and it scares the crap out of you!!!
   My own car features a unique solution to the problem--due to extensive
   rust, both floorpans were cut out along the full length (from in front
   of the pedals all the way to the back of the cabin).  New pans were
   made out of much heavier-grade steel, and then replacement longitudinal
   and lateral structure was placed on the *inside* of the pans,
   preserving the strength that might otherwise have been lost.  The
   positioning of the reinforcement is different from side-to-side,
   enabling the driver's seat to sit just a bit lower, as the passenger
   seat sits atop the new interior chassis pieces, which negates the
   advantage of the lowered floorpan on that side--DOH! :>)
   Mike