[79vette]

I wasn't able to reproduce the stamped ribs in the replacement floor, so instaead I used a 1"x3"x.060" rectangle tube cut in half to make a 0.5"x3" C channel, and welded that to the floor as a stiffening rib. This spans from the front floor support to the rear floor support and provides a load path from the seats into the underlying cab structure, so the flat sheet metal floor isn't supporting the weight of the seats.

I dont have photos, but there is a piece of thick wall pipe welded between the C channel support and the floor sheet metal to allow the seat bolts to clamp up on a solid piece instead of crushing the channel.




Repeat process on the other side.






At this point I took a quick break to go pick up some new toys. Still no center section built to connect the 2 sides of the floor and the transmission tunnel cover was installed installed with one bolt, so I almost lost the turbo on the interstate...




After picking up the turbo, I raised and extended the tunnel cover to accommodate the SM465 and auxiliary trans.