TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Mar 23, 2010 2:39 pm

yeah thats true with my pans too. the metal under the seam sealer looked brand new with no rust it was everything else around it that was shot. As far as if it looks good who gives a crap once carpet is down now body is going to see it.

Tue Mar 23, 2010 7:47 pm

Put in a few rivets to see how it would feel. not as pretty on the bottom.. But MAN i suck at welding. Maybe I'm not clear. Anything I weld will vaporize or not adhere. I practiced all last weekend.. then effed up my seat hump anyway. Anything like .. 14 gauge and heavier.. I can do ok.. but this 18 gauge stuff and lighter.. not possible with my equipment and experience.

I think I'll rivet them. Better than the screws that a lot of people try.

The pans are so thin.. I'd vaporize them far too much and not get good adhesion anyway. Be a lot more work and probably a worse outcome.

I don't know how many have used steel rivets before.. but they're damn strong and have a giant head on them.. not like the little aluminum pop rivets. (maybe I'll find real rivets and hammer them in )

Anyone know what kind of forces these are in for? They don't seem to be too structural, other than keeping me from falling out the bottom.
There's not too much to em. Not even stressed at all. just kinda laying on there and attached. I suppose they resist bowing of the body a bit. But my old ones were almost gone.. They didn't resist much.

Wed Mar 24, 2010 12:27 am

Hey Zero, it doesn't sound like you suck at welding, but you just need to play around with your settings on your welder. Check out some of the welding stickies, and these two links:
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/power-settings.htm
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/calculator.htm

Wed Mar 24, 2010 1:06 am

My particular welder has high and low... 1 and 2. I can't figure out how to weld thin metal to thick.

Just thouht of another issue. I can only plu it in to my dryer outlet. Ill give it a shot if I can get the welder close enough.

Wed Dec 29, 2010 6:34 pm

Hi,
been reading this old post about replacing the floor pans. Just bought a 74 "Thing" and will need to replace right floor panel. I did this to a 70 beetle I had, cut the old one out and had to really do some wiggling in the right front corner.
Wanted to know, can I replace the right floor pan on the Thing without removing the body? If it can be done, I know I'll probably need to saw-zall and probably chisel the old welds. replace pan and weld i

Didn't want to remove the whole body if possible. Can I do this and and any quick advise or how to would be appreciated.. It was a few years ago when I did the beetle and really don't remember what I did, except didn't cut into the heater channel stuff by the tunnel.

The other thing, no one seems to sell the pans with seat tracks, what do you do? cut the others out?
Thanks

Ron
Rome ,ga

Wed Dec 29, 2010 8:45 pm

eaker02 wrote: Wanted to know, can I replace the right floor pan on the Thing without removing the body?

Probably should be asking in the Thing forum.