[DesertXL]

Bucket Seat Floor Braces Continued

Weld through primer used.

Just a recap, the '66 gal 500 XL and 7 Litre models use a full length rear brace and a reinforced front brace.

I've knelt on the rear bench seat brace where the bucket seat would normally attach and the floor does move a bit, you really need that full brace to properly support the bucket seat.

There's the difference in the front brace.

I used POR 15 on the floor to rocker seam, then once that dried I used urethane seam sealer to further seal it.

You can see it's just bare steel and this needs to be stripped and primed.

Getting there, it's still a snowy mess outside so sandblasting outside is out of the question so I'll have to do this the old fashioned way.

Done.

Continued in next post.

 

[DesertXL]

Bucket Seat Floor Braces Continued

The end braces were easier as they fit in my regular sand blasting cabinet.

To locate the rear brace I used the bench seat holes which are 1/2" dia holes and 1/2" bolts are snug. They are tightened underneath.

Using a floor jack with a with piece of wood propping the pan up under each plug weld I knelt on the brace from atop forcing the two metals tightly together for the weld. It took a while to move the jack and wood for each plug weld then climb back in. Once that brace was done the front one was removed and the process repeated.

That was a lot of bloody plug welding. This time my better half helped me as the one under the car moving the jack and wood prop whilst I was atop welding. Much faster with two people.

The complete bench seat bracing.

I still have to dress some of the welds on the tops of the end brackets but the pain in the butt part is done.

More to come.

Cheers

 

[Marauderjack]

Always refreshing to see your GREAT restoration work......BRAVO......BEAUTIFUL JOB!!