LocostUSA.com

Hey Gang,

I'm cutting out floor panels, and I have a few spots where I'm wondering if I should add others. One of which is the angled plane below the rear panel and behind the rear suspension. I have an IRS chassis that has a flat bottom around the suspension, but then it kicks up at the end to meet up with the rear round tubing.

I presume this should be closed off, basically, I want to see how people have closed it off - aluminum? steel? something else? If I go ahead and weld a steel piece in there, what's the best way to then wrap the aluminum sheet for the back panel? I could recess the panel a half inch or so to give a place for the aluminum to wrap.

The picture is of the "panel", the chassis is upside down. Pardon the shoe prints.

Please let me know your thoughts and insights.

I did my live axle chassis with the back angled up like yours. I just left it open.

John

I left that panel in my IRS locost uncovered. I think Ron's "book" live axel had no cover. You may want to be able to wrap the rear skin at least 120 degrees around the lower round tube and rivet vertically from below. This will prevent you from attaching the under panel unless you wrap one over the other. If you decide to go ahead and cover it, consider the road cr*p that will sit in there at the forward square tube and have no way to exit. Not having the rear panel allowed me to add my custom luggage rack receivers.