Cockpit Rear Panel

[JerryH]

Is everyone using aluminum sheet for the panel at the back of the cockpit?
What thickness are you using?

[Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F]

Hello Jerry,

I don't know what everyone is using. IMHO, .050-.080" 3003 H-14 would work well for any aluminum panel.

[RTz]

Assuming you have no structural elements putting bending loads on the tubes (like seatbelts, suspension loads, diff mounts, etc) you don't actually need anything provided it's triangulated well. You could literally hang a piece of fabric back there. Be aware though, if an axle broke you might be subjecting yourself to a really terrible day. And there's always the possibility of tubes poking through if you were to be rear-ended. Mine is sheeted in 18ga steel, for a tiny bit of piece of mind - probably more placebo than anything. A well constructed seat would likely be more effective if the unspeakable were to happen. From a non-catastrophe perspective, .050" aluminum should be plenty sufficient for a well triangulated rear bulkhead.

[JerryH]

Thank You Everybody

[tibimakai]

I'm happy that you did not give up on the build(I'm the one who wrote on your build thread).
I will be using aluminum there, the rear of the car is heavy enough already.

[FieroReinke]

I used 18ga steel welded in place, but I overbuilt my car for piece of mind. The VooDoo rear suspension design for the Haynes / Miata, has a pair of tubes for mounting the rear diff that point directly in to the back of each of the seats. To provide a little protection from a rear end accident, I also added 1/8" thick spreader plates where those tubes tie into the frame at the bulkhead panel. Maybe it will help, maybe not, but thought it was a good idea at the time.

[Beelzeboss]

I used 18ga steel welded in place, but I overbuilt my car for piece of mind. The VooDoo rear suspension design for the Haynes / Miata, has a pair of tubes for mounting the rear diff that point directly in to the back of each of the seats. To provide a little protection from a rear end accident, I also added 1/8" thick spreader plates where those tubes tie into the frame at the bulkhead panel. Maybe it will help, maybe not, but thought it was a good idea at the time.

It's never a bad idea to think about safety when designing bits and pieces for the car. Ultimately these are never going to be "safe" cars, but a few changes like the one you made could make all the difference.

It's a case of safety vs. weight/complexity/construction time, and where to draw the line is up to the individual