12-07-2019, 05:13 PM
It is ever so easy to over engineer car bodies. When I acquired "Alice" the bonnet top was made from ali over an oak 2" x 1" frame, three cross members and two stringers, as I recall.
None of which is required, the bonnet top is self supporting. And so it went on.
One of my favourite materials is 1.5mm birch ply,I have used it to give the rear corners extra strength under the ali skin, over a laminated ash 1" x 1" frame, panelled with 3mm ply on the inside to carry the weight of the fuel tank hanging off the back.
If the chassis had had a Ruby style tank then a 1.5mm ply, or ali skin would be all that is needed.
Floors also are usually over-done. Mine are 3mm ply - if the propshaft tunnel has a ledge on it, and there is a bit of softwood level with the chassis on the outriggers then very little of the floor is unsupported so you need nothing thicker.
None of which is required, the bonnet top is self supporting. And so it went on.
One of my favourite materials is 1.5mm birch ply,I have used it to give the rear corners extra strength under the ali skin, over a laminated ash 1" x 1" frame, panelled with 3mm ply on the inside to carry the weight of the fuel tank hanging off the back.
If the chassis had had a Ruby style tank then a 1.5mm ply, or ali skin would be all that is needed.
Floors also are usually over-done. Mine are 3mm ply - if the propshaft tunnel has a ledge on it, and there is a bit of softwood level with the chassis on the outriggers then very little of the floor is unsupported so you need nothing thicker.