fbekholden.com

Hey Blacky, I've welded a length of RHS onto inner sill already. Front end is welded to A pillar, rear closed over. My issue though, is that the RHS support is not doing what holden did as they the braced outer, not the inner. I am thinking about what is best now for the drivers side before I close it up.

For Blackdog, I had a poke around and I couldn't find any evidence of drainage pathways through that middle support.

Errol62 wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 7:27 am

There aren’t any centre sill sections being produced. Out of sight is out of mind. What I did:
Four or five cut outs along the bottom for drainage.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

Just to prolong this discussion a few more minutes: what you appear to have have done Clay, is what I have done- supported/strengthened the inner sill. The thing I am raising is that Holden braced the outer sill from top to bottom, not strengthened the inner as you and I have done, albeit in different ways.
Is it an issue? Probably not given FC FE utes didn't have this brace at all, but... the support of the B pillar comes from the outer sill pad.

Take your point about the B-pillar Brett. I suppose one could fit a sedan style support in addition but I don't know that it is doing that much work particularly in a coupe utility or van style body.

Strength for weight wise I reckon it is the vertical section that does the work in stiffening the sill, and I have used thicker gauge than factory I think, although that adds weight of course.

FB ute driver, EK van project

Update, drain holes for middle support panel every 250mm or so.

Wet afternoon on the garage floor sharing my lungs with a bucket of dust as the sills are cut away.
Some artistic photos. As has been mentioned its easier cutting when its rustier.

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Fark

Love a wet afternoon. Not very productive, but fun all the same.

FB ute driver, EK van project

A couple photos of sill prep work. Swapped from another make of inner sill after this back to a trusty Stark one. Not sure what I'm going to do with these 2 useless unused sills now - maybe next ute will need inner sill cuts.
Lot's of trouble getting this one set up right, it's been a right PITA.

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Geez it all looking pretty serious Clay!
Certainly a lot of thought into the process there.

He he- Hi Drew, Clay is the other fellow that occasionally drops in with a Coopers

Serious stuff brett. Those stark repro bits look like they make the job almost easy mate.

You're going to have to make up the bits either side of the seam out to the sill, aren't you?

FB ute driver, EK van project

Gee Brett this build is epic, I was doing a couple of small things on my next project getting it ready to blast and keep saying oh I've got a bit of rust here and there is a bit there but you are just on another level and scale mate

Neil

Errol62 wrote: Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:59 pm Serious stuff brett. Those stark repro bits look like they make the job almost easy mate.

You're going to have to make up the bits either side of the seam out to the sill, aren't you?

FB ute driver, EK van project

Not sure which bits you are describing Clay??

Yes Neil, it makes "Gone With The Wind" look like a short story. Can't wait to get structural stuff finished and get back to more simple sheet work. I guess it shows that garden art can be converted into a car if you're silly enough

Brett027 wrote:

Errol62 wrote: Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:59 pm Serious stuff brett. Those stark repro bits look like they make the job almost easy mate.

You're going to have to make up the bits either side of the seam out to the sill, aren't you?

FB ute driver, EK van project

Not sure which bits you are describing Clay??

The floor pan panels frobt and rear stop short of meeting up at the seam under the seat. Yours look to be rusted away in between seat side and sill.vthey are basically flat but hav e a couple of small swages in them.

FB ute driver, EK van project

Ah, now I'm with you Clay. Yes, I may have some bits I can use or I'll make something up. I'm having sooo many dramas with this side, in comparison those bits will be a breeze