Sheet Metal Divider, How to?

[Virg464]

Tried to find a thread on this but wasn't successful. Wondering how you guys install the sheet metal divider where the rear seat use to be (dedicated 1/4 mile car). Mainly looking at the wheel well area (I have a soap stone line on plane with the cross brace) and the floor pan area, the cross bracing and the package tray area are pretty straight forward. Do you install (screw/rivet/spot weld) brackets in place to attach the sheet metal to? Is it possible that someone offers cut to fit kits, or something like that?

 

[68-500]

Does your track require a firewall there? I have a sheet of plastic cut for my car. If metal is required I spot weld where I can and seam seal the rest

 

[Lefty71]

I would fab a pattern out of cardboard until i was satisfied with the shape. Both of mine were just held in place to those supports with a couple rivets. Probably not code if anyone was to look. And surely the source of a nasty drone in both cars. HTH, Lefty

 

[Virg464]

Does your track require a firewall there? I have a sheet of plastic cut for my car. If metal is required I spot weld where I can and seam seal the rest

Yeah, sheet metal or a slightly heavy gauge aluminum is required. Is the seam seal any thing special or just a standard automotive seam sealer?

 

[Virg464]

I would fab a pattern out of cardboard until i was satisfied with the shape. Both of mine were just held in place to those supports with a couple rivets. Probably not code if anyone was to look. And surely the source of a nasty drone in both cars. HTH, Lefty

I have a feeling I may be over thinking this.

 

[Fran Blacker]

What ever sealer you use I'd buy paintable sealer.

 

[6PKRTSE]

I made a cardboard template for my car first. Then, I made the divider out of a black powder coated aluminum sheet, then ran beads of sealer on the body rear seat area cross supports and screwed in place with several sheet metal screws.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Aluminum sheet of good gauge screwed in and seam sealer here. Firewall for both fuel tank fire and flying battery if it is installed out back.
Keep those two cross braces for support and rigidity.
Hardly no weight with those to be concerned where you need the most weight after all.

 

[33 IMP]

Aluminum panel. Screwed to parcel shelf and cross brace. Covered in pass compartment by (very!) lightweight indoor/outdoor carpet.
Battery, fuel cell, and fuel pump in trunk, never a hassle with tech.

 

[Virg464]

I made a cardboard template for my car first. Then, I made the divider out of a black powder coated aluminum sheet, then ran beads of sealer on the body rear seat area cross supports and screwed in place with several sheet metal screws.

Picked up 6 sheets of poster board to start making templates with.

 

[Virg464]

Aluminum panel. Screwed to parcel shelf and cross brace. Covered in pass compartment by (very!) lightweight indoor/outdoor carpet.
Battery, fuel cell, and fuel pump in trunk, never a hassle with tech.

Did you use a spray-able adhesive to attach the carpet?

 

[33 IMP]

Did you use a spray-able adhesive to attach the carpet?

Yes. Carpeted the whole interior of my 62 Savoy with gray indoor/outdoor, spray glued in place where necessary. I think total weight of carpet used was around ten pounds. I bought a few yards from a HD, but I haven't seen the stuff I bought for many years.

 

[GTX JOHN]

I believe the rules call for .032 if you run Aluminum.

 

[Virg464]

Yes. Carpeted the whole interior of my 62 Savoy with gray indoor/outdoor, spray glued in place where necessary. I think total weight of carpet used was around ten pounds. I bought a few yards from a HD, but I haven't seen the stuff I bought for many years.

View attachment 1927914

View attachment 1927915

View attachment 1927916

View attachment 1927917

View attachment 1927918

I like it! I'll have to see what I can come up with.

 

[33 IMP]

Forgot to mention, used sixteenth aluminum to cover the holes (speaker and otherwise) in the,package shelf too. Same material as to seal the seat hole.
Cardboard template first in each case.

 

[rmchrgr]

This is what I did in my Duster. The material is .033" aluminum. You need to seal the edges somehow. I'd use some sort of adhesive-backed rubber strip or something. Don't forget to make access holes if there is wiring that needs to run through it. I don't have a pic of it but there is another sheet on top of the package tray covering the speaker holes and defrost vent. I used 3M two-sided molding tape to secure the package try panel, that stuff is really strong.

It took some effort to get the panel shaped around the wheel wells. If you have wheel tubs it would be much easier. I made a large cardboard template first then laid it over the aluminum sheet, drew the outline and cut out the shape with snips.

This image does not show it but the panels are screwed to the structures now. You could rivet the material in some places but there are a lot of gaps that would be too wide to do it everywhere. Sheet metal screws get the job done.

Eventually the rear firewall will be covered by a finish panel. I made the little platform at the bottom mostly so it does not look like a gutted race car but also to hide/protect the wiring harnesses coming from the trunk. The tops of the platform are removable in case I need to access the wiring. I can also put stuff on top if need be, it's solid. Most guys would leave that area bare or maybe put carpet over it but I wanted something that gave it a more finished appearance.

Duster rear firewall.

I actually got the idea for the rear firewall from Gary Ball Interiors. He does a lot of Super Stock recreations and is top notch interior guy. Here's some pictures that he put on his FB page.

Credit - Gary Ball Interiors

Finish panel. Credit - Gary Ball Interiors.

 

[Virg464]

This is what I did in my Duster. The material is .033" aluminum. You need to seal the edges somehow. I'd use some sort of adhesive-backed rubber strip or something. Don't forget to make access holes if there is wiring that needs to run through it. I don't have a pic of it but there is another sheet on top of the package tray covering the speaker holes and defrost vent. I used 3M two-sided molding tape to secure the package try panel, that stuff is really strong.

It took some effort to get the panel shaped around the wheel wells. If you have wheel tubs it would be much easier. I made a large cardboard template first then laid it over the aluminum sheet, drew the outline and cut out the shape with snips.

This image does not show it but the panels are screwed to the structures now. You could rivet the material in some places but there are a lot of gaps that would be too wide to do it everywhere. Sheet metal screws get the job done.

Eventually the rear firewall will be covered by a finish panel. I made the little platform at the bottom mostly so it does not look like a gutted race car but also to hide/protect the wiring harnesses coming from the trunk. The tops of the platform are removable in case I need to access the wiring. I can also put stuff on top if need be, it's solid. Most guys would leave that area bare or maybe put carpet over it but I wanted something that gave it a more finished appearance.

Duster rear firewall.
View attachment 1928538

I actually got the idea for the rear firewall from Gary Ball Interiors. He does a lot of Super Stock recreations and is top notch interior guy. Here's some pictures that he put on his FB page.

Credit - Gary Ball Interiors
View attachment 1928561

Finish panel. Credit - Gary Ball Interiors.
View attachment 1928562

Wow! That is neat and tidy, really like the platform over the rear seat area. Thanks!

 

[rmchrgr]

Wow! That is neat and tidy, really like the platform over the rear seat area. Thanks!

Thank you and you're welcome. I try to make things look sanitary if I can.