Interior pan advice please - 3 piece ok?

[dreracecar]

Fire boots are the only extra requirement with an exposed transmission in the drivers compartment but the driveshaft still needs a cover. Most of the F/C's I work on/build run a belly pan whether a 1-piece that includes the sides or the sides separate and a small dia tube support to step on while climbing in so you don't step on the pan, never a problem with tech

[rooman]

If you are running slower than 7.49 (with the transmission in the cockpit) you need to add the 3.2A/15 suit (up from 3.2A/5) but the glove and boot spec for unblown cars is the same (3.3/5). The 3.3/15 gloves and boots  are only required on supercharged/turbocharged cars or closed bodied cars burning methanol (regardless of the transmission in cockpit criteria)

Roo

[wideopen231]

does a belly pan help any other than air coming into the compartment ?

Number one reason for it,^^^^

air under car is secondary,but never hurts.

It helps keep the flames (and oil and loose parts) out if things get ugly. 

Roo

[matt b]

Thanks all!

Rooman - brake foot on the floorpan and throttle pedal has a shelf for my heel. Car does not have a full belly pan.

lol at dropping gloves - it gets awful dark in there too and I can't reach much when strapped in. Makes for some awkward moments with no pit crew!

Think I will just use a one piece floorpan but just bring it flush to the vertical members - be much easier to get it in place and easier to fabricate too.

[rooman]

Why not put a proper belly pan on it (from the bottom and for the reasons stated above) and then just enough floor on the top side to rest your feet on?

Roo

[matt b]

Roo - agree and absolutely would do if I planned to campaign this car - chassis is already prepped / painted (2 times) and going together. Hate to any more time / rework than I have too since plans are to let it go.

Too many projects - door car, this one and my Buddy Warren full bodied FED - and not enough hours in the week.

Dzus tabs already in place on upper side of frame rails / crossmembers, etc. Not notching for the verticals will make it a simple shear, brake and punch job. Give me more time to file rings....&^%$#.

Thanks again!

[THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER]

lol at dropping gloves - it gets awful dark in there too and I can't reach much when strapped in. Makes for some awkward moments with no pit crew!

I too race mostly alone without a crew. In addition to having a floor I'll never build another car without an array of tiny LED lights in the cockpit for night racing, plus a couple of LED headlights, and a HORN. All those things probably weigh less than a pound as I'm using a small motorcycle horn, a single DPDT micro switch (up for interior lighting; momentary down for horn). They sure make racing a lot less stressful.

On my Willys coupe I also have lightweight power windows. Really help to keep the interior temps down on a warm day, plus it makes it easy to stop and get my e.t. slip. Nope, won't ever build a door car without power windows.

[Curly1]

On my FED I have a diaper under the motor and belly pan under rear of car that goes to back of transmission but it does not cover the pan. I am thinking of making a small pan to catch tranny fluid if anything ever happens.