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Hi all,

I've been lurking here for a while now, and have finally started to work on my M38a1 again (after 6 yrs). My brother and I replaced the front floor with a complete reproduction over the weekend javascript:emoticon(':D')
(he is a body man and owns his own body shop, so it was done right!). I ordered a reproduction rear panel from Xtremeterrain in Kentucky, which should be delivered by the end of the week. I am lanning on getting the rear floor panel made by a local hotrod builder next week.

Now for my question. Does anyone have a repro (uninstalled or installed), or a VERY STRAIGHT rear floor panel that they can measure for me (I need EXACT measurements)? I was able to take my original out in one piece for a pattern, but was rear ended and bent at one time or another - the rear panel was pretty beat up and bondoed too. Also, would you go with the stock thickness or a little thicker?

Thanks for the help - I'm sure I'll have many more questions as the rebuild goes forward!

Thanks - Matt

Just an FYI, the rear panel was stamped, unlike the MBs and such of the time. Was wondering how you were going to get that stamping done.

Hi Bob,

I was thinking a good fab shop with a shear, break, and a bead roller. It looks pretty simple to me - should be able to shear it to a rectangle, roll the 1" beads in, and break the edges down to a 90. A $20 piece of metal and an hours work - at the most! That beats $250+ that I have seen everywhere else, anyday!

One other question: My 'A1 had a door lock(sliding type) brazed to the rear floor to hold the passenger seat in place. Was this original? If not, can someone point me to a photo of the original hold down?

Matt

Matt,

That sounds like you are an adventerous type! Take some photos as you go. That is great that you have acess to some of the metal working equipment.

I have often thought that it wouldn't be too bad of a job with the right tools.

Someone here should have the dimensions you need. I have an M38 and not an M38A1 (sorry!)

Good luck!

Hi Ryan,

I am quite adventurous, or maybe monetarily challenged should we say! I thought I had a local hotrod shop that could do the job, but he doesn't have a bead roller that large (his only goes to 3/8" - I need 3/4 - 1" - I didn't measure the ribs). He said he could make the pan though.
There are a few other fab shops in a 30 mile area that I am going to call next week while I am off.
I have been taking alot of pictures along the way and will post them on my new Geocities site when I get the body in primer.
I made some quick measurements when I got home from work last night: 36" between the wheelwells with a 5/8" 90 degree downward bend on the edges, and I think 42 1/2" long with 1/2" 90 degree downward bend on each end (I'm not sure about this, as my pan was bent a lot at the rear panel).
I'll have to measure the ridges (width) before I call anmore fab shops.

Sounds great Matt.

If you want a photo gallery on the website here let us know.

I'll probably do that also - Thanks!

I measured 36"W and 42 1/2" long. I'm pretty sure about the width, but the end near the rear panel was buckled a bit, so I couldn't get a precise measurement. Can anyone verify the dimensions for me?