Floorboards in Specials

[Zetomagneto]

Super workmanship, thanks Rory

[Pete236]

Morning everyone.

Thank you all very much for your input, it's very much appreciated. I'll try and reply to you all individually!

Hi Pete, I also have a dismantled Cambridge special, no floor.Some of the other things we need to
know is the correct distance between the bottom of the body sides, and the top of the chassis side
members, it could be that the bottom of the sides are level with the underside of the crossmembers, but I don’t know. I have the Cambridge booklet but that doesn’t say either.
Also what is the fore and aft location.
Best Wishes Gene

Hi Gene, I'll get some pictures and some rough dimensions of mine tomorrow if you like. The body was made by Stuart Roach's Father and was copied from the original. Although we discovered today that it is about 1 1/2" wide than the original!

Yes Pete the gearbox cover is home made and there to allow the gearbox to be removed from inside the car, without this you have to remove the radiator and engine which is a pain in the proverbial. My special is my own confection rather than a Cambridge but you may find some useful ideas if you look through the thread I have running about its build.

Ian I've had a good read about your special. If I could produce work even half as good as yours, I would be very pleased with myself indeed, it's superb!
The gearbox cover is a fab idea, and is spot on from a practical point of view. Dad has saved the cover from a Ruby which we might well use, but I'll be giving a lot of thought to getting the 'box out from inside the car. The number of times I've cursed Coach builders for making gearboxes and clutches inaccessible! I remember a run of Rolls 20/25's which had bodies from one of the lesser known coachmakers (the name escapes me just now) and they all had a steel and ash cross-member right over the top of the 'box. Most had had the crossmembers cut in the past, but I came across one which was still original. It pained me to take a saw to it, but the owner refused to let us take the body off to get the 'box out.

Hello again Pete, if you look at the “Brake Pedal Again “ post, Henry Harris has put up some useful images of the floor in relation to the pedals, its post no 12. Thanks Henry, useful information.
Best Wishes to all, Gene

I've not yet viewed the thread Gene, but I'll have a look. Cheers!

Hi, I have sorted through some images that may help.  I plan to put them on Face Book groups page   -    https://www.facebook.com/groups/41865892...087917986/
Austin Seven specials/sports/racers   as I find it much easier to load.  Bruce

Thank you Bruce, those pics are brilliant and have given me a lot of ideas. Like with Ian, I am awed by your workmanship. Simply superb!

Afternoon all,

Progress is progressing on the Cambridge Special. With all the bits mocked up, it's time to think about floors.

We've none of the origin bits left, so it's a blank canvas. 
If any of you gents would be willing to post some pics of various floors in various specials, I would be extremely grateful. Just to work on out where the bulkhead begins, where the floor ends etc.

Many many thanks,
Pete.

Hi Pete,

I seem to remember the floor was marine ply — it was a bit gappy around the pedals and got damp in the rain but, as they say, those were the days.
I would say keep it simple and keep it light. Keep the posts coming.

Charles

Hi Charles,
That sounds about right, Dad pulled it all apart and got rid of things he didn't think were worth keeping - but then realised far too late that he wasn't at all sure about what to do with the floor. He has now taken over from me on the floor side of things and is constructing an angle iron frame which plywood boards will lay in. I'll stick up a few pics on the main thread, not much progress but there is a little bit at least!

Ruairidh, thanks very much for posting those pictures up here, I'm very much obliged.

Gents, thanks again for your time and your input!

Pete.