Good morning. I need to fabricate some replacement metal before where one of the cars had an air-conditioning system in the front trunk. Does anyone know what gauge metal that is off the top of their head so I can get the right stuff from the metal supply shop?

Thanks!

I believe its been said to be 19ga. You wont find that at the local supply store. 18ga is the closest.

That is a complicated piece so a donor piece would be the best.

RD makes a piece specifically for that purpose:

http://www.restoration-design.com/store/product/PP337B

Not cheap, but I bet trying to fabricate something, or make a donor piece fit, would take a fair amount of your time (however you value that).

Thanks guys-this was a bit of an odd set up in that only the strips that I highlighted in blue were removed.

I’m used to seeing lots of metal cut out but in this case it was pretty constrained, to my only partially educated eyes anyway.

What do you think?

Click to view attachment

19 gauge? It's 18 in the US. Damned metric system.

My thoughts are

1. Whats your budget?

2. Do you want it done right?


I would post a WTB. Probably get those to cuts for ~ $100.

An 18ga sheet would be ~ $15 and you wouldnt have a chance in hell of making those stampings by hand.

I would get that whole floor, cut the piece out of your floor so you have one piece welded in, trim to fit and weld.


If its a custom car/race car then do whatever...

Also think 10 years down the line.

The gauge at wich you need help. Which is a good place to be.

... Again Those would be really tricky patches to make it look right even with donor parts whereas replacing the whole bottom is fairly easy. Also, if you want to keep storing your spare tire there (which you should for safety), the shape of the front patch helps to nestle it in. I was under the impression you soCal boys can't walk 5 blocks without tripping over a good parts car.

The RD piece is great, just cut the hole a it bigger and it drops right in. There's two types one is the full trunk floor, the other is the AC repair section. The AC panel is cheaper and should also be cheaper to ship.
I've got a full trunk section here, very well made piece.

You may actually find that the rust tin worm has gone beyond your repair spots shown inside the metal, which will surface later.

The Porsche Factory 914 Repair Manual (Body Section) generally had them replace whole panels for that reason, as well as it being more work to cut out those 2 panels & try to get them aligned properly, then welded properly - vs just cutting the t=entire panel & welding in the entire new piece.

It's far less work, uses the entire structural panel rather than weakening the original with a bunch of cuts & welds mid-panel, & sturdier to replace/re-weld at original panel weld joints, plus removes any other possible rusting material adjacent.

Check your factory manual to see what it says for the trunk floor, then proceed accordingly. Heck - you'll pay for the entire panel anyway!


Tom
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I'd say buy the RD piece. But I may be a little biased.

Pete

He didn't say rusty, he said a/c install. A couple small pieces from a parts car would fix it.

I have a parts car with the same cuts for a/c as yours or I would send the pieces.

Well see if Bruce Stone has one. He fixed me up with one for my V8 car that had an oil cooler there before when it was converted to 6. I think putting in the big piece is better. You have a chance to make it nice.

Shipping can be a pain and Riverside is not that far for you to drive.

I bought is as a rolling chassis from Craig at the camp.

Bob B

Geez guys-all this great information and sound logic is pushing me towards doing it right. Some help you guys are!

Let me ping Bruce and Vince to see if they have anything hanging around

Fortunately this is an Arizona car so it’s VERY solid, it’s really just fixing where they cut stuff for the AC system.

Thanks for all of the coaching.

I think you'll never get the shape right if you try to do this by yourself and it will always look like a backyard hack repair.
Buy the RD replacement piece and do it right.

That's what i think ...

It is ashamed that you guys are all so shy with your opinions...


(OK - OK, I give. Will track down replacement panel)

This right here would be the decision maker for me. If I could find a good donor locally, I'd get it. If I had to have one shipped, I buy the RD piece because it will wind up costing about the same as a shipped donor and be easier to install.

Either way, I'd much rather patch in one large piece than those two small ones. If you get a local donor, get the whole trunk floor so you can cut at the pinch welds. That will leave you with only one butt weld along smooth sheet to deal with and your repair can be invisible. Some wackos even go so far as to mimic the original spot welds

Well good thing we've established we are fond of wackos here.

Good advice, have a couple inquires out.

Nice work!

I have two good front trunk floor pans, but unfortunately, both of them are currently at my place in AZ. I won't be going back there until after I do my 2018 income taxes in March.

I originally had plans to patch up the hole from the AC condenser in my '75, but never got around to it.

If you can wait for a while, I can bring them back when I return in April or May. I'll be asking $100. for either one.

Very fair asking, can you put one aside for me please?

Sure. Shoot me a PM with your phone # ... I'll keep you updated.

This is laying in the scrap pile, yours if you want it. I stole the tow hook off of it.

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