At 09:35 PM 11/22/99 PST, DJ wrote:
>
>I am just beginning to tear out the interior of my '79 Spitfire to patch up
>a little rust on the floorboards, install new carpet, etc. Any suggestions
>or quick tips out there as to exactly what I should be doing and how I
>should be doing it?
Starting with structural/saftey - the floor boards:
If you have a welder and the holes are relatively small, you can weld in
a flat plate over each hole. Becareful if the bottom of your car still has
undercoating on it. I caught mine on fire welding in a patch.
If you don't have a welder:
If the holes are small, and you want a cheap easy fix, cut some patch
panels and pop rivet them in place.
After either of these fixes, I suggest that you go under the car and seal
the seams with seam sealer, and paint the bottom.
If neither of these is to your liking, another cheapish fix is to get some
fiberglass cloth and resin and patch the holes with fiberglass.
If the holes are relatively large, you will need to purchase new floor
boards or cut some out of a doner car. Don't try and patch a large area
with flat sheet metal. The metal needs the ripples for strength.
As to installing new carpet, etc. - it's pretty simple no real supprises
here except that most people would suggest that you lay some sort of
insulation under the carpet 1st. JC Whitney has some good stuff. Others
have even used bubble wrap.
If you find that you still have the cardboard xmission tunnel, you might want
to think about replacing it with one of the new carbon fiber (or other
material) units. I believe you can get one from:
Ted Schumacher
TS Imported Automotive
404 Basinger Rd.
Pandora, Ohio, USA 45877
Ph. 800/543-6648 (sorry, USA only)
Ph. 419/384-3022 - tech./general information
FAX 419/384-3272 - 24 hrs
Next question, is door panels. You can purchase new ones, or make your own
(if money is a problem). I did and I didn't get the holes for the metal
retaining clips quite right. So the panel, wants to bow. I'm thinking of
installing velcro on the door and panel for ease. If it's a driver it
doesn't have to be 100% correct.
John
John T. Blair WA4OHZ email: jblair@exis.net
Va. Beach, Va Phone: (757) 495-8229
48 TR1800 65 Morgan 4/4 Series V (B1109)
71 Saab Sonett III (71500840) 75 Bricklin SV1 (0887) 77 Spitfire
Morgan: www.team.net/www/morgan
Bricklin: www.bricklin.org
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