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Sorry, but gotta get a bit more info in here..SêX ve to agree with Scott Keck about the stress riser problem
around the screws that Innovations recommends installing their
floorpans with. This is a real problem and my biggest issue with
their installation procedure (there are couple of others), BUT
there is nothing wrong with having fiberglass underfoot. Unless
you get a good sized rock under your boot and somehow put all of
your weight on the top of that rock and you don't have carpet or
anything covering the fiberglass, and even then it will probably
be fine.
I built and drove complete cars while at Ford that had nothing
but fiberglass composite body structures including the floorpan.
Typical thickness of the fiberglass composites for these
structures was only
2.5 - 4.0 mm (.100 - .160 inches). If the materials are used
properly they really can be stronger than steel. The 4x stronger
number that Innovations mentions is about right if you build the
composite part to be the same stiffness as the steel part. This
is the usual design approach for automotive composites. These
materials are very tough and the normal loads applied by moving
around in your car and getting in and out will not be a
problem....if you install the floorpans right!
If anyone wants to know how I would install them p-mail me at:
jaranson@the-bridge.net
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|_ getting off my soapbox now.......
Later,
John Jaranson
'71 FI Auto Fasty (Composites in her future)
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