S3 DD Lowered floor missing dimensions

[hobbsy]

Hello all,

I'm getting some lowered floors made using the dimensions that Paul kindly sent me, appear to have come from Holland.  The fabricator says he's missing the dimensions indicated in the annotated diagram below.  Can anyone help me?

Thanks in anticipation

hobbsy

[Tazio]

Why not buy them direct from Arch Manufacturing, they make them?

[7 wonders of the world]

Much easier Bruce will send them over complete with all the parts required, rivets, chassis rail etc.

[hobbsy]

Well I've kind of committed to getting them made with this guy to be honest.

However what do Arch charge for a pair?  I can see what they are on the CC website which frankly is silly money for a bent up sheet of NS4 ally.

[Bricol]

I can't read the figures on the drawing, but it does look as though applying that old Greek blokes theorum would give you your answers?

[hobbsy]

That is a *very* good suggestion - I'd like to think I would have thought of it if it hadn't have been so early in the morning! :)

5^2 = 3^2 + 4^2   etc ;)

[hobbsy]

Actually it's not quite as straightforward as that as the some of the fold lines are near to parallel but not quite - so the shape isn't a right angled triangle.

Any other ideas?

[SM25T]

Arch every time.

[revilla]

You've only got to be a bit out on the radius of folds, angles of the sides etc. and you'll have horrible problems fitting it. Arch make them on jig which is tried and tested. I really would go with what other people have suggested and give them a call.

[Tazio]

I went to Arch on a Saturday morning, drove in, floor removed, lowered floor installed drove home all done in a couple of hours, and not expensive.  Why do things the hard way?

[Baggiebird]

Out of interest what would the going rate be for this work (from Arch).  Just interested.

[hobbsy]

Well for one i can't safely drive the car with the standard floors and I don't have a trailer nor a car with a tow bar. So getting the floors made whether by Arch or a third party is a necessity

 

I ran out of time to call them today, re availability and pricing but as said it feels like I'm messing around a fabricator who quoted a very fair price and is trying to grow his business.

 

I don't mind spannering on my own car, it's part of the ownership experience for me with a car like this. But I accept that people either don't have the skills nor the inclination to Scrabble around and fit their own floors. Everything is easier if you just pay someone else to do it :)

[Alan Reeves]

I helped put a couple of floors in a friends car. Even with the real thing its hard work at best and that was with a lift and air riveter. I would not do one again.

Sometimes one just has to change ones mind ...

[SLR No.77]

Having fitted lowered floors to both side of my car (on my own!) I agree with Alan. The original floors are 1.5mm sheet, the lowered floors are formed from 3mm sheet and substantially heavier and stiffer, I had to do a lot of adjusting/trimming to get a good fit, then removed them both to be powder coated and refitted. If the floors you have made are even less accurate than the Arch/Caterham originals it'll be a thankless task.

Also note that on the Arch lowered floors, unlike the original floors the outside edge is vertical not horizontal.

Stu.

[Tazio]

Hobbsy, you will need loads of steel rivets and an air riveter, and having built a few 7s I know my way around spannering the cars, but it was a no brainer to get Arch to do mine, when you have done yours, you'll know why.

[PROBE2]

In a moment of madness or boredom I started to fabricate my own lowered floors based on the dimensions above - I still have them and although would fit with some further fabrication I would not be happy with appearance. Lesson learnt -  some jobs are best to leave to the experts! 
 

Arch can supply and the fit is not too difficult if travel an issue.

 

Paul

[garybee]

You could always go about this the other way.  If you're approaching a time where you won't need the car for a while remove the current floor and measure the opening in the chassis.  I'll get round to making a lowered passenger floor at some point and this is probably what I'll do.  You know it will fit then.