Ally footwell panels cp16 cp17?
 

Is there any reason these panels couldn't be aluminium then be bonded and riveted in position? I am aiming for lightness as it will be purely a track car.

I can't see why CP17 can not be made from ali other than it has a moving part behind it. As for CP16 it's probably easier to make in steel as it should be welded to join the angled section that goes around the steering shaft. If you make CP16 in ali I would put flanges on the angled part and either rivet it on or use some M4-5 bolts with nylocs.

No problem that I can see.
You will need a steel bracket to hold the column bearing though

Welding Ali is not a problem for me... I have access to ac tig and plenty of years welding Ali. I was just making sure there was no structural reason for using steel.

The structural reason is the steering column mount.

The other reason is for protection, but I can't see steel helping much more than ali during a clutch/bellhousing explosion...

TT

I'm going bike engine route anyway so no need to worry about clutch it sits much further forward in the engine bay.

So I need the support the column is the main hurdle to over come or beef up a little.

The pedal box, from the brake pedal and cylinder mounting, takes a lot of force Mike so maybe just consider adding a lug either side of pedal box and fixing to the uprights either side of it to transfer the force to this rather than through the ali panel and upwards on the floor fixing.

AndyH