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TR2/3/3A Using 5/8" marine plywood for a temporary drivers side floor?

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K

karls59tr

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OK it would be an unusual thing to do but humor me. I heard of a guy that did this to his TR3 with good results. Didn't the MGA have wooden floors? Anyway it would seem to me that there is plenty of frame rail on the tunnel side to support the plywood but what would be the best way to fasten it down? On the inner sill how could the plywood be fastened down? I'm just speculating for fun on how it could be done. I realize that welding in a new Moss floor is the way to go but I don't have welding skills and I'm 76 and just want to enjoy the car for a few more years so looking for an easy fix.:smile:
 
Surely you have enough metal left on the 4 edges to use that as the support. Actually probably do not need all 4 edges. Maybe only partial on 2 opposing edges.
If you plan on getting the car over 100 mph you could consider screwing the boards down.
 
My first car was a 1963 Valiant with no floors. Every year we would get new license plates, so the old ones would go to plug rusted out floor holes. It worked well, as the increase in the number of plates in the floor kept up with the rust holes growing each year. My 4 year younger Brother liked it too, as he could kick a plate over and pee out the floor hole so he could drink a ton of pop and not have to stop at every gas station we passed...!
 
charleyf said:
Surely you have enough metal left on the 4 edges to use that as the support. Actually probably do not need all 4 edges. Maybe only partial on 2 opposing edges.
If you plan on getting the car over 100 mph you could consider screwing the boards down.
Click to expand...
Screwing them down to the frame?
 
CJD said:
My first car was a 1963 Valiant with no floors. Every year we would get new license plates, so the old ones would go to plug rusted out floor holes. It worked well, as the increase in the number of plates in the floor kept up with the rust holes growing each year. My 4 year younger Brother liked it too, as he could kick a plate over and pee out the floor hole so he could drink a ton of pop and not have to stop at every gas station we passed...!
Click to expand...
:LOL:
 
charleyf said:
No to the remnants of the old floor. Surely you have some of the old floor left. If not then your rust is bad enough that you should be checking your frame as well.
Click to expand...

charleyf said:
No to the remnants of the old floor. Surely you have some of the old floor left. If not then your rust is bad enough that you should be checking your frame as well.
Click to expand...
Well there should be some of the old floor left. Here is the rest of the story. More than a few years back someone posted on the internet (maybe here) that they had 2 fiberglass TR3 floors that they were giving away for free. So I said sure and he forwarded them on to me. They were well made and had the captive nut holes in place. Odd thing is I did not know anyone made fiberglass floors for the 3 nor have I ever seen them advertised anywhere??? So I cut out the rusted floor in my car....laid a sheet of metal down and mounted the floor in place.I believe it did just sit on the frame on the gearbox tunnel side. I don't recall how i fastened the sill side. I believe I did some creative riveting at the firewall. The fix worked well enough in terms of keeping the weather out but in hindsight I should have used some rubber strips to stop the creaking and occasional odd rattling. So now I am thinking of solid marine plywood as a more solid base for a floor....maybe salvage the fiberglass floor and mount it on top of that. I don't remember how much of the original floor was left on the sides. :D
 
CJD said:
My first car was a 1963 Valiant with no floors. Every year we would get new license plates, so the old ones would go to plug rusted out floor holes. It worked well, as the increase in the number of plates in the floor kept up with the rust holes growing each year. My 4 year younger Brother liked it too, as he could kick a plate over and pee out the floor hole so he could drink a ton of pop and not have to stop at every gas station we passed...!
Click to expand...
Not a bad idea. At my age I could dispense with a ā˜¼ā˜¼ā˜¼ā˜¼ bottle ,cut a hole in the floor, rig up some tubing and a funnel and order large coffees!:D
 
Carl, first clean up what ever is left of the floor and coat with POR15. Make a cardboard template that fits well.
Buy the size needed in .125 Aluminum sheet.Cut it/grind/fit/shape until it is up to snuff. Then it can be glued in place
with WS urethane. Don't neglect the underside. This will be the best of the worst scabs in "temp" floor repairs.
Mad dog
 
mctriumph said:
Carl, first clean up what ever is left of the floor and coat with POR15. Make a cardboard template that fits well.
Buy the size needed in .125 Aluminum sheet.Cut it/grind/fit/shape until it is up to snuff. Then it can be glued in place
with WS urethane. Don't neglect the underside. This will be the best of the worst scabs in "temp" floor repairs.
Mad dog
Click to expand...
Mad dog Are you saying to go with the.125 aluminum sheet only or to fit it under or over the marine plywood? Also....would WS urethane bond plywood to perfectly clean frame iron if I went that route? Karl
 
In the UK we have stuff called sikaflex, its like windscreen bonding, this is great stuff for using as seam sealer as it dont shrink,
it will glue anything to anything
or you could get some panel bond, Its a two part adhesive. which is great if you are mixing materials like mild steel and aluminium, as they get frisky when they come into contact with each other
 
mctriumph said:
Carl, first clean up what ever is left of the floor and coat with POR15. Make a cardboard template that fits well.
Buy the size needed in .125 Aluminum sheet.Cut it/grind/fit/shape until it is up to snuff. Then it can be glued in place
with WS urethane. Don't neglect the underside. This will be the best of the worst scabs in "temp" floor repairs.
Mad dog
Click to expand...
I think the template and metal idea is better than wood but would suggest thinner steel sheet,maybe .o6o,that would be easier to bend and shape.
Tom
 
My (now-former) '31 Model A Ford still has its plywood floorboards installed by the factory 93 years ago, so you'll probably be OK with your proposed plywood repair. Morgan also used wood until recently - maybe they still do!
The used license plate repair method also works well, but watch where you're drilling for pop rivets, so that you don't hit a brake or fuel line. I found out about that caution over 50 years ago, when my '62 Peugeot suddenly became highly entertaining to stop following my floor repairs.
 
I timed myself on floor installation the other day on a 61. start to finish 3Hrs. Not including the weld grinding
and finishing.(bare tub). Of course it can take longer if there is a lot of rust in the sills......OR sad, AM parts(get BMH)
Mad dog
 
Your plywood repair will work fine, drill some wood screws from below through the floor where there is enough decent metal to hold it in place. Good to see you with plans to enjoy it. Not every repair needs to be butt welded sheet metal to factory specs.

Maybe put trap door in it so you can Fred Flintstone it if the car ever stalls or runs out of gas.
 
glemon said:
Your plywood repair will work fine, drill some wood screws from below through the floor where there is enough decent metal to hold it in place. Good to see you with plans to enjoy it. Not every repair needs to be butt welded sheet metal to factory specs.

Maybe put trap door in it so you can Fred Flintstone it if the car ever stalls or runs out of gas.
Click to expand...
:LOL:
 
I once saw old blue jeans soaked in resin(no lie). patched the hole. Broke butt college kids will do anything,
doesn't make it sane.
Mad dog
 
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