Trunk Floor

[luis1515]

My 1979 has a broken trunk floor.
What will be the recommended material to
replace it and is there like a template to cut it to size.

Thanks

[luis1515]

I meant trunk cover, where the carpet goes over.
It is like carton board.

Sorry.

[RRoller123]

This is a problem for me too. The trunk flooring in my 80 FI Spider 2000 is pretty miserable and looks like it is made of cheap fibreboard. The fit is poor; it slides around, so I plan to make a new one, using the old as a base template and adjusting the fit to improve it somewhat, i.e. make it larger in a few key dimensions. There are a few materials choices that might make sense. 3/8" cabinet grade ply would probably work well. I guess MDF or MDO would work too. Probably MDO as it is more weather resistant, but the ply will be stiffer. There are also some relatively new low-density cabinet grade plywoods that would help keep the weight down. Once I do it I will post some pics. I also am going to make new door arm rests over the Winter out of solid sapele, stained in walnut and multiple varnish coated and polished. Will post pics when that is complete too.

[RRoller123]

Another idea would be 3/8" Baltic Birch ply, which is available typically in 5ft x 5ft sheets along with other standard sizes. $45 at http://www.boulterplywood.com. I use these guys for my cabinetmaking business, but have NO financal interest in them. They also show ultralight MDF on the web site. I haven't used it, but for example, 1/2" standard MDF weighs 66 lbs. for a 4x8 sheet, the ultralight MDF weighs only 44lbs per 4x8 sheet. Would use about 1/3 of a sheet for the trunk I think.

[luis1515]

Very helpful.

Thanks.

[RRoller123]

I would also suggest that side protective panels be fitted somehow too, to keep stuff from whapping the gas tank/lines and rear quarter panels. Not sure how to do this, but I expect to come up with some sort of a hinged mechanism that locks upright at the right angle, and folds over on the main piece so that it can all be removed easily out the trunk opening.

[DocGraphics]

Heres what I did to mine.
I had some 1/4" A grade plywood drop at work I used.
Made my own templates to fit all the way back beside the battery box & for the side panels.
Split in the middle the same as the stock piece, with the spare tire side removable like stock.
Then coated it all with left over deck stain.

Heres a couple pics.




I still am planning on putting carpet over it but it sure is pretty like this too.

[RRoller123]

That's the ticket right there! Very Nice! Is the 1/4" rigid enough? Does it require any reinforcement on the backside?

[bobplyler]

Heres what I did to mine.

I like that. Mine has the original floor, and it's pretty beat up. I might try something like that after I finish with some other stuff.

[azruss]

had the chance to get together with Docgraphics this fall and saw the side panels in person. they look as good as they do in pictures. not strong enough from keeping a floor jack in the trunk from crashing thru them on a .8g turn, but anything short of that should do the job.
Don, what did you do about your timing. I thot the setting you had when we went for a spin was giving you a really good midrange.

[124JOE]

i used a hard board,i just copyed the warped old ones
im not quite done with this yet

[Kent124]

With all the warped / broken trunk boards seems like somebody (Doc) should make them to sell.

[DocGraphics]

There is a support bar under the line screws you can see in the middle, on the edge of fixed piece above the gas tank (same as the factory) so its fairly strong.
It also rests more on the sides & next to the battery, the support bar in the middle is braced/supported at the back end & the spare side rests on top the fixed side w/ the two black brackets you can see. Both sides also sit on the rear edge of the battery box too.
Its seems stronger than the stock piece which was only 3/16" press board from what I can tell by what was left .
I think that going to 3/8" would be stronger (if even neccesary), but hey this was free & I'm not gonna be haulin bricks!!!
When I get my spare tire situation figured out I will attach a spacer on the back of that side to support it better too.
I still have to figure out how to better fasten the side boards & yet have them removable for jack/tool access.

Russ, I still have it timed just where we had it, seems to like it there for now. In the early spring & will be going thru the whole timing & ignition system (t-belt & maybe elect ign.) & get it dialed in. Carb probably needs some help too (maybe 32/36 DFEV, fingers crossed) to go with the 4-2-1 exhaust I have yet to put on.

Hmmmm..Don't know about making trunk boards to sell but I could make patterns for the computer that people could get plotted out full size like I did with the carpet....Hmmmm (think spring)

[RRoller123]

I was thinking of somehow hinging the side boards, with some sort of securing H/W at the top, but I have to give this a good looking at to see how to do it. My car rattles on bumps and I have been going around like an obsessive trying to get all the noises out. With the brace, 1/4" seems like enough. I may go to 3/8" though for the better ability to apply small fasteners. I think I may put some sort of semi-permanent container at the right to hold jack, tools, etc. It would be secured to the base so it wouldn't slide around. Could have a top but an open box would do fine too. Not sure I would want to ruin all this by covering it with a carpet! I am a cabinetmaker (last 10 years, my second life, http://www.lenkwoodworking.com was retired VP/Plant Manager/Mfg Engineer 25 years) so I love this sort of project. I plan to do my door arm rests in wood, sapele w/stained walnut to be exact, over the winter. Have also been playing around with sapele sun visors!

[htchevyii]

I used some leftover stuff from my bathroom, not sure what the proper name is, but it was 1/8" mdf with a plastic coating on one side. I used all of the metal pieces from the stock pieces and with the tire below, it seems plenty strong. The stock carpet protects the sides pretty well. I lucked out and found a very nice one at the junk yard.