Paul Deslandes Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Has anyone successfully made and fitted their own lowered floor panel? If so do you have dimensions/drawing and material specs you can share? The CC panel seems very expensive and it can't be that hard to make one and must be a lot cheaper. Yours in anticipation Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Hi Paul, I've not done this yet, I plan on doing so during my rebuild process this spring. I've got some 2mm NS4 Ali sheet from ebay which will allow me to construct a 'tub' in which the seats will mount. I intend to leave the forward part of the footwell (from the chassis strut forwards into the footwell) at it's normal level. I'll rivet the tub in with steel rivets and plenty of sealant. Quirin will be sending me a PDF of the dimensions of a normal 'lowered' caterham floor pan over to me - he may be a good point of contact, otherwise I can make sure to pass a copy on to you when I receive it. Hope this helps a bit. I'm expecting the total cost of my floor conversion to be around the £30 mark.. (fingers crossed..) Darren E K80RUM Superlight R #54 NB - forgot to mention. My seats are Tillets which I'm bolting straight to the floor, which avoids any issues with runners. YMMV Edited by - k80rum on 7 Mar 2007 17:07:00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Deslandes Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Hi Darren that sounds more like it! I'd be most grateful if you could send over the info when you get it and we can compare notes. I must say I don't see the need to go further forward than the seat base section although it might be as well to rake the front leading panel at say 45deg to deflect anything hitting it downwards, rather than taking it full-on the 🙆🏻. Is the ali sheet the same spec as CC use do you know? I've got a homebrew foam seat that I can cut to fit any shape. I'm over 6' 2" and although I've been competing for 10 years I'm always aware that my head's a bit exposed. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 No worries Paul! I think i remember seeing your location as Guildford?, if so it'd be no problem to meet up and see how each other is doing depending on who starts first! Yep, I'm confident that the metal is the same spec as that used in the caterham floor kit. There may well be some mileage in raking the floor forwards of the crossmember. I'd initially discounted doing so as I was imagining it as one large section and assumed it'd involve welding the metal (I think that's the case with the OEM version anyway). Thinking about it though, it certainly wouldn't harm the aerodynamics underneath, it'd act as a deflector as you say and a useful upside would be that a slope of the forward footwell section would act as a useful gravel trap/water collection point for emptying. I'll give Quirin a nudge and see if he will be able to send the details soon. It was very kind of him to offer to go to the trouble - what a great community! I'll keep in touch - feel free to PM me if you don't hear anything soon. All the best, Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Deslandes Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Thanks Darren, I hadn't realised you were so close. I thought about a couple of self-balers, like a sailing dingy to let the water out 😬. I wondered about leaving the front section of the floor intact, forward of the cross-member, and 'overlaying' the raked section. However it will probably just collect muck so probably better to either replace the whole thing, as per the OEM, or at least cut the front section back to meet the rake, IYSWIM. Either way I don't see why it shouldn't be as effective as the CC version and a hell of a lot cheaper, if you discount the time to do it. I'm going to get underneath the car in the next couple of days to see what involved. Fortunately I've got a pit so I can see it all pretty clearly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simondann111s Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 I can well understand why you would want to go the DIY route. My cars having this down at the moment and £200 for a bit of bent ali is a bit steep, even with a number of bends in it. Doesn't help that CC's don't seem able to supply the part anyway - 4 weeks now and not even a date can be provided let alone the part.. NOT HAPPY Apparently it's something to do with the toys currently being thrown between prams at CC's and Arch. No doubt when they've run out of teddies and dummies to spit out it'll turn up, but till then I'm screwed. And I though Lotus were bad.......... EDIT: Just get an email, the cars ready to collect 😬 May have been a bit premature with my remarks (although it still took 4 weeks).. Edited by - Simondann111s on 8 Mar 2007 19:06:30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopQ1967 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 I bought a RH lowerd floor at CC last week. I hoped to get time to make a drawing for lassercutting this plate to make a LH floor. Hopefully we have time to do it tomorrow. As soon as I have the drawing I will post it. Matirial wise it is around Euro 5,- per kg. at the moment (uncut, fold and welded). Cheers, Q. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiddy1 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 You have to remember that the two floor panels are the only things that really give the chassis any torsional rigidity, if you replace teh flat panels with what is in effecy a box with no lid it will have no resistance to shear loads, you may well find that the handeling of the car is effected. At least teh caterham floor section is welded and braced to try and give it some stiffness. to be honest at £200 it seems quite a good deal considering teh work that goes in to it A point of interest on teh early lotus 7s teh floor pannel was a single sheet, it had to be heated to make it expand then riveted hot, thus putting some pre load into it. There were some additional tubes added to the chassis when caterham went to the two pannel floor but I still doubt it is as stiff Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopQ1967 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 We measured the floor, we believe the intensions of the producer ware different from what we measured (some misalignments). 😳 Therefore I will bring my chassis this afternoon. For now I don’t share above opinion. Q. Edited by - TopQ1967 on 8 Mar 2007 13:02:23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 My floor is the honeycomb crash stuff. TBH though I think using a riveted floor to stiifen a chassis is a 🙆🏻 idea. Rivets are rubbish, especially in the plane employed in the 7 design. The floor box does at least load them in the right direction. Oh, and I think £200 is excessive. A fabby welder will knock them up for half that and ally is the easiest stuff in the world to fold up, you can do it at home with 2 bits of angle, a vice and a mallet. welding it is hard, you need to go see your welder for that and make sure you take him a bit of your trimmed ally to use as a filler rod. 😶🌫️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Good going Quirin. Thanks for your hard work! B.O.S.S likewise, I can't see 1mm ali contributing significantly to the torsional rigidity. I'd agree suspending it lower isn't going to make matters any better but its got to be negligable.. Edited by - k80rum on 8 Mar 2007 13:16:39 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiddy1 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 "I can't see 1mm ali contributing significantly to the torsional rigidity" Imagine a window frame with no glass in it, push it from one corner and it will soon go from square to trapizodial, now try the same with a sheet of glass in it and its very strong. It is exactly the same as the floor of the seven. As for the lowered floor,it is basically a box without a lid. so take an empty box with no lid, try to distort it at the top and its very easy, now try to distort it at the base, much harder. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Simon/Tiddy, correct but your analogies only work when the frame is untriangulated to start with and moved in certain directions. The movements of a car are in multiple planes and the chassis is triangulated, at least on mine. I don't think anyone can conclude that adding panels is helpful until they have done an engineering stress analysis on the structure. I stand by my comment that we are expecting aluminium rivets to stiffen an already triangualted steel tube structure, something they are not at all designed for or able to do.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irrelevant Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 k80rum: I have a lowered floor you can copy . . . . I'm just down the road from you. If you want to borrow it, Blatmail me and I'll give you my address. Pick it up this evening if you like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Day Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 been following this with interest as I want a lowered floor but bu88ered if I am paying £200 plus vat for it!!! for that money I will suffer having to re rivet the normal one every few months because of my f4t a$$!!!! So who is going to put these into production then!!!!!! 😬 Winner of the Largest pair in a non SV 7 (Rumble 2003) here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I little birdy told me that in the past some racers used to fit a thicker ally floor than standard and it helped the overall car stiffness on the early (1980's I think) cars. So I guess there is something in it. Rob G www.SpeedySeven.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 A big *thumbup* to Adam for the loan of a lower floor pan. I'm off over the weekend but when i get back next week I'll get some dimensions and plot them unless Quirin beats me to it 😬 It'll be interesting to compare our measurements in any case, to see if the design's any different. I'm not 100% sure whether I'll go ahead with building mine yet as something else has come up, but at least our plans will exist in case anyone fancies giving it a go. All the best, Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Day Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Guys when both have you have your plans, can I have a copy please. I have a mate doing an evening course and it covers making ali boxes etc. He has ask if he can make one of these - So hopfully I might be able to get it done!!! cheers Nic Winner of the Largest pair in a non SV 7 (Rumble 2003) here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Very handy, Nic! Yes of course. I'll post a link to the list when I've done mine and uploaded them to the mailing list public server. Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Day Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Darren you are a top bloke many thanks Winner of the Largest pair in a non SV 7 (Rumble 2003) here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopQ1967 Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Whare can I post the drawing? We design in X-steel. We made a cutting drawing (not of much use) as well. In our program I can convert to .dxf files and they made some .pdf's. But these are without much measurements. I will make some pictures as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Hi Quirin. You could try putting them here Or if you want to send them to me I'll try and post them somewhere accessible. My address is darren.elmslieatlogicacmgdotcom Have a great weekend. Darren Darren E K80RUM Superlight R #54 Edited by - k80rum on 9 Mar 2007 14:07:48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Deslandes Posted March 9, 2007 Author Share Posted March 9, 2007 My God I started something here! Thanks to all those that have responded, especially those who have gone to trouble of measuring up and drawing the panels. As far as posting drawings is concerned, its one of the shortcomings of Blatchat that we can't post pictures so the easiest way is either to email or to post on one of the photo sites, such as Webshots. My email address is paul@rocott.co.uk if anyone has drawings they want to share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonbell Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 Has a drwing been produced, if so I'd quite like a copy, I'm also happy to host the file on my website if you like. Simon Bell - Caterham 7 Duratec R I`ve seen the future.....and it`s powered by duratec Check out the website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankeedoodoo Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 I would also like to have a copy, if possible. The cost for the factory version is an excellent DIY motivation!! TIA!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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