lower floor

Author
Discussion

nightflight

Original Poster:

814 posts

224 months

Monday 30th May 2011
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I've got a '98 HPC, and ideally would like to lower the floor. I can fit in OK, but my son is 6' 2" and is struggling to fit in comfortably. Is it a big job to lower the floor on the drivers side?

downsman

1,099 posts

163 months

Monday 30th May 2011
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I was told by Caterham that it is straight forward swapping the floor, but I don't know if they sell one for the imperial chassis.

One thing worth remembering is that as the seat drops, the centre tunnel becomes higher. When I tried driving a car with the dropped floor, I found having to have my elbow higher was uncomfortable. It might be worth checking how comfortable you will be before doing the floor.

Steve-B

749 posts

289 months

Tuesday 31st May 2011
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there's several phases to DIY floor lowering as I've learned and there's only 1 floor pan per chasis manufacturer. As you're an older chassis that should be Arch, so you might give Bruce a call there to secure your lowered floor pans.

1) finding a place that you can have the entire car UP on jacks/stands for at least 24 hours a side w/ an air compressor
2) finding a 90 degree offset air drill to remove all 250'ish rivets/side and an air rivet gun
3) being able to remove the runners from the existing seat, not rusted bolts hopefully
4) getting a number of number 6 drill bits at 3CM length to drill with
5) laying on back for 8-9 hours drilling.... actually that's the easy part

You then need to contemplate taking the floor off cleanly enough that you may be able to use some of it as a template to the new floor.

VERY good idea to get a can of something like POR-11 (or other lubricant) at this point, putting the red tube into the chassis at a few places and spraying it in. Why? So the old rivet heads don't flail around in the chassis rails vibrating that's why!

After that you have to completely clean the area where the floor was sealed on the frame, and slightly roughen up the new floor with some 600 grit. That will help the Sikaflex Marine sealant get a good seal when you put the floor into place, and pop in the first of rivets to hold new floor into place. THen it's just a matter of hours of riveting until you've got a side one, marking holes for the seat runners and Bob's your matey.

Very doable.

downsman

1,099 posts

163 months

Tuesday 31st May 2011
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Sounds like the time I replaced the rear body on a Westfield. Doable, but not a lot of fun!

The air tools sound like a brilliant idea.

chris_speed

308 posts

270 months

Tuesday 31st May 2011
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I had mine done at Arch, and they did it in a morning while I waited for around £300, floor included. Gave me a chance to look at all the 7 paraphenalia around and the Ariel Atom chassis' being made. My car is a 94 Supersport if that helps you.

nightflight

Original Poster:

814 posts

224 months

Wednesday 1st June 2011
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Thanks for all that. I can feel a trip to Arch coming on!

Steve-B

749 posts

289 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
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NOTHING against Bruce and the Arch team but save the £300 and learn a bit more about your car and buy a set of CR500's with the money!