Some time this coming week i am going to make a cover for that huge hole i had to cut in my tunnel.

What do you guys recommend i use? It will be more of a cover than a patch, b/c it will be removable. It will be screwed and sealed to floor not welded (For tranny removal/inspection convenience down the road.)

Sheetmetal or aluminum? (Knowing it will need to be formed and worked a bit)
Same gauge as the rest of the floor or thicker?
It's not like its a huge load bearing part of the floor, but i dont want something thats flimsy either.

Got any advice / tips / personal experiences / warnings ?

Attached is a pic of what is being covered.

-Matt

http://chevelles.com/showroom/Matt_Leuck/sideshotnSmalln.jpg

http://chevelles.com/showroom/Matt_Leuck/IMG_0008nSmalln.JPG

I would do it with fiberglass if you are covering it anyway.

Would the fiberglass be easily removable though?

In the future when, pulling the engine and tranny, this cover will probably need to be removed, so i need something i can easily take on and off

-Matt

Anyone else?

Aluminum coil stock and pop rivits.
if you know a seamless gutter guy,or check the yellow pages.He should not charge more then $5.00 The .032 material is easy to work with and heavy enough not to be flimsy.

You can mold fiberglass over sheet metal or aluminum for added support and for the insurance against cracking. You can make the fiberglass as thick as you'd like, just make sure it cures completely.

Also, it gives you the option to do a little sculpting. It's easier to make curves with fiberglass than with metal.

If anything, put some metal in there where you will be bolting it down. It'll keep it from cracking if you overtighten it.

Also, put some rubber washers under the metal ones to avoid any rattles or squeeks.

rubber foam with an adhesive on one side could be put around the edge of the cover/opening to provide a weather proof seal. It would also lend itself to shock absorbtion to keep it from rattling.

I would just use mild steel. Aluminum is not going to like being "worked" and a common T6 heat treated sheet will crack before it yields and conforms to hammer blows. I would start with a large sheet of, say, 0.060", then cut slits in the edges (one at each corner) to form a rectangular "box" shape", then you can hammer/dolly/cut the edges to conform to the floorpan. You'll have to weld and finish the seams you cut, but it should be a cake job with a MIG. Finish it off with sheetmetal screws and seam sealer (3M strip caulk is great) and you'll have something removable and functional. Mild steel is really forgiving and doesn't work harden like stainless, so it would be my choice. Good luck!

My vote is for fiberglass. I would be easy for anybody with fiberglass experience. I'd warp the tranny with selofane (sp) and build up some space on top of the tranny with play dough. Gob a bunch of paste wax on top of the play dough (release agent)and start laying fiberglass w/resin on it. Wax up the tunnel around it so it won't stick to the metal. In a couple of hours pry/pop it off of the tranny. Get you clay off the tranny and unwrap it and your tranny is untouched. Now trim the glass up a bit. Hot water and a brush will remove the wax from the inside. Now start laying some more glass again to beef it up where needed and on the flanges. Drill some holes, spray it black, foam sealer on flg. bottom. Bingo!

Just did this last weekend. Check out my post in Transmissions.
quick link (http://www.chevelles.com/forum/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=28;t=003016)

I used 1100 series aluminum .063 thick so it would be soft and bend without a huge effort.

Lance

Cover the tranny with saran wrap before you put the play dough on. Otherwise, that's how I did mine. I just waxed cardboard and built up the fiber though. I'll have to go back and make it a little more presentable.