Putting The Boot In...

[Guest SteveL]

Hi All

 

One of the jobs I've got left to do is to put some sort of boot into my 2B, and I'm looking for advice.

 

I've got a Chris Gibbons plastic fuel tank sitting at the rear of the car, so I should have quite a lot of boot space, but I'm trying to work out the best way to panel it out, as I have the lowest part of the boot above the diff, a higher part above the fuel tank, and further complications around the filler cap.

 

I've considered making it from some sort of frame (maybe small angle iron) and then "hanging" this frame down from the top chassis members. This would give me a skeleton which I can then clothe with plywood panels. Heavier (cause of the metal frame) but each panel will be removeable, should I need to get to the diff, petrol tank etc.

 

One alternative would be to create a plywood "tray", attach it to the chassis above the diff somehow, and then fill in the gaps between the tray and the top chassis tubes with pieces of ply. Lighter and easier to do, but less removeable.

 

Last option I can think of would be to make it completely out of thin sheet steel. I think it'd have to be in two halves, so I could thread it in between the roll bar/chassis members and assemble it in-situ. Two halves (each one rivetted together) which are then bolted to each other, and then bolted to the top chassis member which goes round the boot area. A pain to remove (should I ever need to), but possibly the easiest option to make and fit.

 

How did you create your boot space?

 

Steve

[Guest Angel Boy]

If anyone can help on this it would be much appreciated as I am being asked by the powers that be about something similar. She is fed up having things in her foot well

 

Cheers,

Andy

[Guest Daz]

I have a different boot layout as I used a mini fuel tank in the space behind the driver, but I used aluminium sheet cut out of the side of a scrap caravan. I formed it into the shape of the boot, used silicone to seal the edges and rivetted the sheets together and to the chassis. It is certainly strong enough - I went to Le Mans and back with a boot full of camping kit and it held up all the way.

 

If you can do it, fit the boot liner before fitting the back panel - it will be a lot easier in the long run.

 

Daz

[Guest Taffy Rob]

Hi

I actually went for the simplest way I could think of, I've made a plywood (exterior grade and pre-treated) floor in two pieces (so I could fit it in the space), to be as snug a fit as possible, it is bolted onto the chassis tubes by two small brackets at the front (i.e. against the seat back panel), then the second part is bolted to the rear nice and firmly, this then sits on a piece of studding bolted onto the diff carrying plate to keep it clear of the fuel tank / sender. Then evo-stuck and trim clipped carpet around the boot, looks really neat, maximum use of room, and as I used waterproof carpet I really can't see a problem. Also the carpet is nice and rigid (oo-er), and there is no way anything is going to fall out the sides!

Rob

[Guest paul boatman]

I used ally - it doesn't need to be waterproofed like the woods - easily bent and cut, very thin - you can easily overlap the joints and seal/rivet together before lining with carpet. Its fixed to the seat back panel, diff mount plate etc.

 

Seems to do the job!!

[Guest Julian B]

Hi

 

I made mine out of ply which i pre painted to weather proof although aluminium would have been nice but i didnt have any to hand at the time. One point to remember is that when you construct your boot try and make it so that you can easily take the floor out. This saves a lot of heart ache if you get problems with the fuel sender etc later on.

 

Happy Building

[Guest SteveL]

Thanks for all the replies. Two weeks off work coming up, so I should get it done soon!

 

Steve