another "when to install" aluminum thread

[welske]

Hey all,

We are where the pedal box aluminum and much of the cockpit aluminum are to go on now. We mocked up, removed and painted, and then siliconed and riveted the passenger footbox aluminum to sort of get the idea on what doing that kind of work was going to be like. One thing I've noted is the order is important - meaning that some panels simply have to precede other panels for a correct fit based on tabs and over/under laying fitment.

Since I haven't built before my first inclination was to keep as much aluminum off as possible. But after looking at some others contributors posts and pictures where the aluminum has been drilled or used in the routing path of wires and other lines it looks like I better have a SOLID understanding of how the cockpit aluminum is going to fit before moving on to those routing tasks.

Can anyone brief me on the procedure they used to get the wiring and aluminum right and done in a reasonable order (so hopefully I don't have to drill out rivets, or undo lots of wiring work later)?
I guess I could clecko all the footbox and cockpit aluminum in, and just leave it like that while running tubes, lines, and wires?
I guess an alternative way to ask the questions is, at what point in the build do you advise to rivet the cockpit together?

Thanks all!

[welske]

Oh yeah, Sorry - I need to get one of those nice signatures with the build information...

In short - MKIV complete kit. Still thinking through engine/trans options.

[Sdonnel]

I assembled the passenger footbox and installed the front F panels right away. Once I got those done, I installed the cockpit floors and stopped with sheet metal installation. Knowing there would be a lot of fitting and routing of things to be done, I didn't want to be laying under the car when I could simply stand inside the frame prior to engine install. I recently installed the power train and until I had the fuel lines in this weekend, the rear of the car had no sheet metal. Now that the hoses are in, my son and I installed the entire rear end of the car, less the bulkhead behind the seat as the trans tunnel cover. I have yet to install a piece of sheet metal on the drivers footbox while I work on the wiring aspect. I'm using many of the vendor items and would rather mock them up without making my panels look like swiss cheese due to my miscalculations. While it may be enticing to place and rivet all the sheet metal, keep in mind the access you won't have if the metal is in place too soon. Drilling out rivets isn't hard, just not fun.

Scott

[welske]

Thanks for the reply. That is exactly the sort of information I'm looking for. I've had to drill out a few rivets and agree, not hard and not fun either. My bigger worry was having to back out some aluminum work after putting silicon on the frame/panels. That seemed like more of a pain than drilling out rivets.

[edwardb]

At this point, don't overthink it. If you have some of the panels already riveted in place with silicone, I wouldn't recommend removing them unless you confirm they're in your way somehow. Done properly (e.g. with enough adhesive, surfaces clean, etc.) they're not easy to get back off without damage. Ask me how I know that. The outside and top of the driver's side footbox are basically mandatory to leave off until the very last minute. The rest, use your good judgement and route fuel, brake, and electrical lines keeping in mind and mocking up panels as much as possible before attaching for good.

[GoDadGo]

The outside and top of the driver's side footbox are basically mandatory to leave off until the very last minute. The rest, use your good judgement and route fuel, brake, and electrical lines keeping in mind and mocking up panels as much as possible before attaching for good.

Double Ditto From The Dark-Dart Side!

My drivers foot box WON'T get sealed until we pull the body back off to paint the car.

https://youtu.be/CaRlqMmKIzk

[Richard Oben]

In short install as little as possible. Last car we did the fronts and insides of the foot boxes were all we had in at go cart. No F panel, no Floor, no firewall. We had everything drilled though, we drill the whole car in the first few days it arrives, keeps the sparklies from getting everywhere. It is so easy to install trans mount without floors in the way. We put most of the carpet in before we did the outside of the foot boxes. PS built the first car in 1998. HTH, Richard.

[phileas_fogg]

If you're contemplating a throttle stop or a clutch stop, leave the outside foot box panel & top foot box panels off until those are complete.

Also, think about where you want to install sound/heat installation. The peel-n-stick stuff is often MUCH easier to install on the panel before it's on the car (and almost always easier to install before other panels limit your access).


John

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Did not put the floor or trans tunnel in till the engine/transmission were installed. Did the trunk floor before the rear cockpit wall. Put the outer foot box walls in last.

[welske]

Again, thanks for the replies gents!!!

I think I'll stop with the aluminum where I am. We put in the fuel tank yesterday, so at this point it looks like I'm going to be tackling fuel lines and such. So I guess it (as you were all saying) makes sense to have more access rather than less.

[Avalanche325]

Put the upper trunk floor in before the rear cockpit wall. It saves a couple drill bits and a LOT of swearing.