Ali and fibreglass sidepanels
 

Hi all,

I have been busy with my car over the last couple of months, steering now sorted and supercharger is mounted. I have made the plenum chamber and attached to the throttle bodies.

I have also started the aluminium work for the floor, bulkhead and seat back.

But I have a question if someone can help? On a westfield I noticed they have fibreglass side panels and aluminium up to the bulkhead.

Is this required just for aesthetics or rigidity? I have enough material but done want to have issues fitting my fibreglass side panels at a later date when I get them if I put aluminium side panels on as they do on the westfield.

Any ideas, what have other people done? I know people have debated putting the aluminium on the inside to hide the chassis rails.........

My sides a just bare FG, the extra 25mm that not boxing in the rails is handy. It doesn't sound much but it's quite tight for my feet at the pedal box end.
If you did want to hide the sides I thought about making inserts and covering them in vinyl leatherette ect

Putting Ali on the outside of the chassis, you may find it tight to get the side panels on. My Saturn ones were with the floor, I had to remove some of the lower lip to get them to fit.

This is something I am wondering about. The fiberglass panels have been test fitted and they create a seal with the top and bottom rails but not at the front by the pedals and a little bit at the back. If I don't fit the alloy panels I will have to create an infill piece at the front by the pedal area and on the pax side. I was also going to glue some vinyl fabric on the alloy inside at the same time as trim.
I've sat on the fence a while now and am still unsure what I will do.
Ian

I'm unsure about this as well.

I'm sure that panelling the inside won't add much to chassis rigidity but it would look a lot nice. Maybe just panel next to the seats but leave the footwell sides bare to give the extra 25mm space?

I covered 6mm ply in leather cloth for my inner sides. Held in with friction and the seats!

Cheers
Stot

hi as a compromise I sheeted the inside and covered it in leathercloth, but from the back panel forward , and down the diagonal under the scuttle thus leaving a bit of "feet room" while still finishing off the inside.

That's great guys thanks for your replies. I am concerned now about the side panels fitting over my floor. My floor is pretty much ready to seal and rivet and is 3mm ali. But will thee fibreglass side panels stretch this extra 3mm between top and bottom rails? Seems a lot of people have had issues with this.

I would rather make changes now rather than later!

I am going to leave mine bare FG as suggested. I have a MT75 box so room for my feet is extremely tight already! I can always add some interior plushness later if I need to. But to be honest this is more a speed machine than a comfort wagon:)