VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Front floor material for 34 master

What wood material was used for the front floors on the 34 master. I have a sample of the top section (gas pedal mounting). It looks to be 3/4" maple in two sections. Top piece is 4-1/2" and lower is 7-1/2" from top to bottom. The top is screwed to the lower sections. The cut outs look to be correct, but there are no holes for fastening to the body on each side. I think this is a replacement piece - still it is a good patteren. I also need more information on the floor section in order to make a new one. I do not have much to go by - only memory from 40 years ago. Any help is welcome. Thanks Einar

When i redid the front floor in my 1935 chev std coupe back in 1996, i used 3/4" maple x 6" wide which when dressed ( actual measurement) was actually 5 1/2" wide.

On the inside of the main wood front to back floor sills is a rabbited ledge that the wood sits on , on each side. I fit each piece of wood tightly together up towards the cowl area. Then made patterns and cut the area from the cowl down too the main floor. Use bugle head screws and put a wood screw into each board or one near each edge. Use your mind to make what you think is the right decision on how many screws and spacing.

I took a doweling jig and used serrated dowels and glue and clamped all the floor section together and then did the cowl angle pieces and cut the bottom one to match the angle where it met main the floor. I coated the floor with minwax diamond coat gloss clear, about 4 coats. Still looks like new.

I had the carpet up last year and what i noticed was that the wood which was supposed to be kiln dried, had shrunken and allowed about 1/4--3/8 " gap between each of the boards..the wood had pulled back out of the serrated dowels !!

My BETTER solution this time will be to use a marine epoxy glue along with birch BISQUITS and marine epoxy glue each board together and clamp them. I will run them thru a joiner so that each piece of wood is a pefect fit to the next. The bisquits will stop the separation of the wood boards wanting to pull apart.......the bisquits are stronger as a joint than the wood and the epoxy glue will keep the boards locked together also.

Any of the hardwoods.....oak, ash, maple, chestnut, walnut all make excellent looking strong floors.

mike lynch

I made mine out of plywood as that was what was in my parts car, badly delaminated in in very bad shape. Perhaps the solid wood is the way to go. Although it likely won't see the water dirt and grime the cars saw in their time.

You can see in PAT's posted picture of the plywood floor , how it fits up tight to the metal firewall and also the rabitted ledge on the sides, that are down below the surface.

There are a few CAGE NUTS on the other side of the firewall that 1/4" stove bolts and washers will lock it down into position.

Also note that Pat has the metal angled pieces that run along the floor on the sides that make the correct slope from firewall back. This also makes the floor flat across.

My 35 std coupe floor was originally plywood also. Not sure if it was original or not.

Looks good Pat !!!

mike lynch

Mike, Pat:
Thanks for the information, really help. I have been looking closer at the floor section I have and fitting in place to come up with a good pattern. The piece I have I believe is a replacement piece. I got this car in 1971 and do not remeber exactly what material was in the car - Plywood or boards. I thought the factory used the boards. I plan on making the top section using the boards. Again thank for the help, makes everything easier. Einar