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El Piojo Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2018 Posts: 14 Location: GA
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 1:02 pm Post subject: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Hello,
This my first post but I have been reading and learning a lot from everyone here. However I have not seen much about my current delima. I am in the process of building a buggy from a 74 beetle. The pans were pretty much gone when I got it so originally I was thinking I would just fabricate my own pans however with my limited fabrication skills I am now considering buying pans and shortening them to work. I still think it might be easier to use what is left of the original pans and just weld in some diamond plate or just sheet metal. Here are some pics of what I'm working with. And thanks in advance.
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veeweeman Samba Member
Joined: December 20, 2009 Posts: 940 Location: New Port Richey, FL
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:28 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Doesn't look like you have much left to work with or weld to...I think you'll just have to get new pans and shorten them to fit...that's what I would do. ...it's not really that big a job, once you have 2 new pans in front of you, you can do it in a weekend easy. ..you never mentioned that you had any welding skills or not. ..if not, try the local vw clubs near you and someone in that club can lend you a hand. _________________ Never be a follower...Do your own thing, make it your own! |
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Wolfgangdieter Samba Member
Joined: June 25, 2008 Posts: 1958 Location: FL Panhandle
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 2:20 pm Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Or use the outer perimeter bit left as a pattern and make the perimeter frame out of steel 1x2" square tubing. The remove what's left of the old thin floor pan and cut a new floor pan fron thin polished aluminum diamond plate. Weld the perimeter back to cr and using stainless steel bolts or aluminum rivets reattach the floor pan. You may need to add some stiffeners for seat attachment. _________________ CMC '57 Porsche Speedster Replica and Dolphin boat tailed full pan VW MOD-T Street Buggy |
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jeffrey8164 Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2018 Posts: 3804 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 3:49 pm Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Buy and trim is easier. What body are you going with? _________________ Volkswagen!
Turning owners into mechanics since 1938.
“Let he that is without oil throw the first rod”
(Compression 8.7:1) |
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jspbtown Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004 Posts: 5152
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 4:12 pm Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Tube perimeter. Cut down the rear lip and install flat aluminum diamond plate for a nice flat floorr with better leg room and lower seat |
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El Piojo Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2018 Posts: 14 Location: GA
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:28 pm Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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I have a Clodhopper body for it needs a little work as well. Thanks for all the advise. I like the idea of a flat floor jspbtown I think that's what I will do. Should I use pop rivets for the aluminum? Also on a side note I just finished welding the tunnel back together and even though I checked twice I am still a little crooked how bad is that should I cut it and fix it or run with it?
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Hot Air Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2007 Posts: 664 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 5:30 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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That looks pretty crooked, clamp a bar on the frame head and make center it on there. Take a measurement from the end of the bar to the rear body mount on the shock tower. Measure both sides and see what you get. they should be the same.
I would think if you can see it with your eyes then it is to much, the car will be all over the road at higher speeds... _________________ 73' Bug
85' Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 |
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El Piojo Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2018 Posts: 14 Location: GA
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 6:42 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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The passenger side is 1/2 inch longer than the driver side. |
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Hot Air Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2007 Posts: 664 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:38 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Do a cross measurement. clamp a pipe that is about a foot wider on each side and center it , measure from the passenger side front to the drivers side rear body mount on the shock mount section, repeat this the other way Drivers side front to pass rear. the measurement needs to be the same. if not cut and re-due. You will have all kinds of problems if not.
Is this how you measured ? _________________ 73' Bug
85' Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 |
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Hot Air Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2007 Posts: 664 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:43 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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this is how, not sure about these measurements just make yours be the same on both sides. Reference only
_________________ 73' Bug
85' Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 |
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jspbtown Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004 Posts: 5152
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:51 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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This is what my pan, with the diamond plate, looked on my old Deserter.
I used rivets to secure it to the lip. I also cut out the rear section of the lip on the center tunnel and added a new lip to keep everything flat. Very easy to mount seats and you get more legroom |
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El Piojo Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2018 Posts: 14 Location: GA
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:13 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Hot Air I did not measure this way. But I will cut and redo I wasnt very happy with my welds anyway. thank you for the diagram. jspbtown that is exactly what i wanted mine to look like but with black bedliner instead of paint. It looks so good. Is that 1x2" tubing where the body mounts? what does the bottom side look like? Thanks again everyone. I am going to start a new thread First timer buggy build what not to do. |
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jspbtown Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004 Posts: 5152
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:54 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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To be honest I went a little overboard on that pan. I added a lot of steel that I really didn't engineer...it was probably for looks more than anything. Although it really did have a solid feel down the road. I think the added weight helped.
When it was finished the 1x1 tube on the bottom was body colored and the underside of the pan and the floors were covered in Herculiner.
The side rails might have been 2x2 if I recall |
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drs1023 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2011 Posts: 1682 Location: Georgia, USA
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 8:03 pm Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Being that my side rails on my '63 donor were pretty much shot (like yours), I removed the entire side rails and pan all the way from the Napoleon's Hat to the torsion tube. Use 1- 1/2" x 3/16" thick angle iron to remake your floor skeleton/perimeter. I added 1-1/4" x 3/16" thick (wall) square tubing at 1/3 and 2/3 back from the Hat to hold up the 1/4" check plate aluminum floor pans. I welded this tubing directly to the center tunnel underneath the car and welded it to the perimeter angle iron. The fabricated perimeter metal was formed as closely as possible to original shape - cut, heat, bend, weld, etc.
I had access to a nice press brake so I extended the sides of the floor pan to cover the angle iron skeleton. |
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drs1023 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2011 Posts: 1682 Location: Georgia, USA
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 8:03 pm Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Being that my side rails on my '63 donor were pretty much shot (like yours), I removed the entire side rails and pan all the way from the Napoleon's Hat to the torsion tube. Use 1- 1/2" x 3/16" thick angle iron to remake your floor skeleton/perimeter. I added 1-1/4" x 3/16" thick (wall) square tubing at 1/3 and 2/3 back from the Hat to hold up the 1/4" check plate aluminum floor pans. I welded this tubing directly to the center tunnel underneath the car and welded it to the perimeter angle iron. The fabricated perimeter metal was formed as closely as possible to original shape - cut, heat, bend, weld, etc.
I had access to a nice press brake so I extended the sides of the floor pan to cover the angle iron skeleton. |
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drs1023 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2011 Posts: 1682 Location: Georgia, USA
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 8:03 pm Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Being that my side rails on my '63 donor were pretty much shot (like yours), I removed the entire side rails and pan all the way from the Napoleon's Hat to the torsion tube. Use 1- 1/2" x 3/16" thick angle iron to remake your floor skeleton/perimeter. I added 1-1/4" x 3/16" thick (wall) square tubing at 1/3 and 2/3 back from the Hat to hold up the 1/4" check plate aluminum floor pans. I welded this tubing directly to the center tunnel underneath the car and welded it to the perimeter angle iron. The fabricated perimeter metal was formed as closely as possible to original shape - cut, heat, bend, weld, etc.
I had access to a nice press brake so I extended the sides of the floor pan to cover the angle iron skeleton. |
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Bkhansen93 Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2018 Posts: 207 Location: Coal City, Il USA
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 2:51 pm Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Mine was the same way. I too am making a buggy out of a 74 beetle, but mine started life as a super beetle. I second the 1x2 tubing. I did that and just finished the majority of the work last night.
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El Piojo Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2018 Posts: 14 Location: GA
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 11:18 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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That is what I ended up doing I also decided to make it a flat floor with some 1in square tubing for support in the rear. I am going to use diamond plate for the floor.
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xfactor6 Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2015 Posts: 7 Location: NY
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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:10 am Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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do you have any more pics, would like to see the underside and where it attaches to the chassis and front where it attaches. Almost up to this point so would like some reference, also what size tube did you use for the sides? |
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El Piojo Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2018 Posts: 14 Location: GA
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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 6:05 pm Post subject: Re: To buy and cut or build pans? |
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Just a disclaimer I am no professional as you can see from my welds but based on some very helpful people from here I came up with this. The sides are 1x2in 1/8in wall tubing the back is 1in sq tubing and the lip is 3/4in. The hardest part was deleting the original lip on the tunnel where it curves upward. I cut to much off and left a big gap I had to fill. Next time I will only cut about half to 3/4 of the lip and hammer it in till it is concave then weld and use body filler if needed. But I think it turned out ok. Here is what I ended up with.
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