Rear seat-to-trunk divider steel

I will be working with a local company and would like to do a production run of these, and want to gauge if anyone would be interested in ordering these before hand. As most of you know, these are available to Mustangs, and similar models -- But not for Mavericks.

These will appear to be factory, and fit very nicely.

These will be cut out via plasma using .120 thick material (1/8")

I would like to have a few confirm they would be interested in them prior to doing this.

Cost would be subject to amount ordered.

 

I wonder if this is something...Melvin's Classic Ford Parts...would be interested in stocking?
do you have an est. price for (1)?

 

Scott Rod fab Makes them, along with a package tray door panels rear side panels... You can get them in natural or in a color http://scottrodfab.com/products.html

 

Will the back seat install over it without any issues? If so put me down for one.

 

I was going to post the same thing.. until I remembered that his stuff was full AL and not really intended for reinforcement purposes. A firewall doesn't need to be steel by most rules(that I know of anyways).. and I can only assume that anyone running 1/8 inch thick steel plate would be primarily looking for reinforcement.

IMO, full 1/8" steel plate running across the entire opening is completely unnecessary weight. The opening can be tightened up and sealed with 12-14 gauge steel which is more than adequate to do everything required here. Some guys also drill lightening holes but that obviously defeats part of the firewall benefits. Main thing is to not have items flying around into the cabin during a crash and to reinforce the area slightly. True firewalls can be done in much lighter fashion.

Aren't you caging this car too? If so?.. maybe just run some smaller x-bracing between the rear chassis tubes if your worried about torsional twisting.. although I doubt it would have much measurable impact when running a cage anyways.. and then seal it all up with AL. Stronger, lighter, and completely sealed up.. while still looking all the part of a pro-touring setup.

PS.. in other words.. guys that run cages rarely add steel bulkhead reinforcements. That mod is typically reserved for the guys who don't run cages and must hunt for those little bits of extra rigidity wherever they can find it.

 

1/8 inch thick steel might be a bit heavy for that, Levi - especially for shipping purposes. What thickness does NHRA require as a firewall? I was going to make my own out of .035 aluminum

 

I just make them out of Masonite then transfer that to aluminum.




I won't have a rear seat to contend with. They will also be covered with carpet to finish them off and kill the rattles that sometimes come with mounting aluminum to steel.

SPark

 

Melvin's:

http://www.melvinsclassicfordparts.com/pdfs/melvins-maverick-catalog-final.pdf

Is this what you guys are talking about? It's on page 48:

TRUNK DIVIDER
70
-
77 Maverick & 71
-
77 Comet
FAM
-
182.......................ea...............................18.0

Or is what I'm showing just in the trunk?

 

^^ That is what they're talking about...but one made of metal instead of paper. The metal divider will keep the body from flexing. It's a race car thing.

 

I thought it was more of a fire safety thing..

 

Oh I get it now Thanks!

 

I look at it as a firewall

 

I can have it made out of any material necessary. Would more than likely go with Aluminum. Last night I was thinking BIG or go home haha

This would be for safety of fire, and could be used for body flex.

It would also be cheaper than Scotts, wouldn't be as "flashy" -- Back seats would install without a hitch and wouldn't even notice there's a divider.

Also Scotts serves as a rear package tray as well. This would be strictly divider.

Edit; GRoberts, this would not be for my car. This would be a attempt at supplying the community with the ability of getting a trunk divider for safety or rigidity. I have the ability to have made in a production style run.

 

You will need to fill the speaker and defogger holes on the shelve, run a continuous bead around the divider plate, seal the divider at the quarter panels and hope that the divider panel, wheel wells or quarter panels doesn't buckle or back glass doesn't break to keep the gas fire out of the interior if they was a accident. True, it might slow thing down but its not 100% a firewall...more like 25% if that much.