floorpan gaps

[steve62008]

  floorpan 1.jpg (Size: 29.07 KB / Downloads: 536)
  floorpan 2.jpg (Size: 33.27 KB / Downloads: 534) getting ready to refurbish the interior of my '35 Pearl.  Ripped up the stiff old carpet.  The front floorpans have up to 1/4" gap around the edges if the pan, both driver and passenger sides.  This can't be right, right?  Hard to tell if these are original, but the passenger side has a proper looking round opening (access to something or other).  

For now, I plan on fitting some metal slats to cover the gaps.  Eventually, I'd like to do it proper.  Can anyone explain the reason for the gaps (if there is one).  If they are indeed proper, perhaps the original floorpans had slats or something???

As always, thanks for any help...Happy New Year!  Steve

[Ruairidh Dunford]

The driver’s side round hole is to allow adjustment to the brake pedal rod - I think it had a wooden disc cover originally.

The slots around the edges have been cut at some point and are not original. If left unrepaired they will affect the structural strength of the body.

The smaller oval hole on the passenger side allows access to the gearbox fill hole.

[Peter Naulls]

That's quite scary! It looks as though someone has cut the floor out and then changed their mind. There seems barely enough weld to hold it all in place. I would think you need a complete new floor eventually.

The round hole looks like the one to gain access to the brake light switch.

Peter.

Ah, Ruairidh beat me to it!

[Zetomagneto]

Looks as though someone has been round it with a cutting disc in an angle grinder.Is the Chassis ok
or has that been caught as well.
As R says this will have an effect on the structure of the vehicle

[Derek Sheldon]

I wouldn’t be inclined to drive it like that, make new panels and weld them in.  I only have experience with the Opal and Ruby of a slightly later period. Both of which did not have the drivers side hole . I think that it may have been dropped in later models. I have seen the wooden inspection cap that R mentions in a car of your period and I believe that it had a spring metal clip to keep it in place. Much the same as the one on the transmission tunnel.

[Bob Culver]

I am not sure what I am looking at. From my last encounter with a ruby 55 years ago I recall a removable centre panel over the gearbox only. Is it the chassis and brake cable in the foreground? Surely the original floor was continuous over it? is the body off? What covered the foreground?

[John Cornforth]

A few years ago, Geoff Halstead posted many pictures of his Ruby ARQ Rejuvenation on this forum. I'm sure he won't mind me re-posting the one below, which might help:     I think owners were meant to screw up the brake adjuster wing nut fairly often, and the hole allowed them to do it without grovelling underneath.  the semi girling brakes were adjusted at the wheels instead.  Note the absence of floorpan slots !

[steve62008]

Thanks to all! Does anyone know if replacements are to be found anywhere? If not, I'll just have them fabricated at a metal smiths somewhere. Until then, I'll just cover with metal slats riveted for security.

[Martin Prior]

How weird!

It almost looks as though the panels have been cut from another floor, but if so, why undersize?

Ian Tillman (Oxfordshire Sevens) and Andrew Goodfellow Creative Metalwork both list Ruby floor sections. If they don't have any in stock, then repairs wouldn't be particularly difficult.

Personally, I'm not keen on wholesale replacement of the floorpan and much prefer to patch and plate whenever possible.

[andrew34ruby]

The driver’s side round hole is to allow adjustment to the brake pedal rod - I think it had a wooden disc cover originally.

The slots around the edges have been cut at some point and are not original.  If left unrepaired they will affect the structural strength of the body.

The smaller oval hole on the passenger side allows access to the gearbox fill hole.

   
Here is my 1934 Ruby floor with the original circular plywood cover over the brake wingnut

   
And here is the cover over the gearbox oil filler.