Originally, we purchased this car to be a daily driver so that we could do a rolling restoration without getting into the car too much in the first few months. It would appear that whilst the environment seems to be the big issue in the States, especially in California, personal safety isn't quite so high on the list. You can drive a dangerous car as long as it doesn't pollute...
Remember the pictures of the underside and the after market seats? Well upon closer inspection, when I had my head under the car looking to see what brake pads were fitted I saw this....
It is a picture of the near side nut and bolt securing the drivers seat to the floor pan. Below is the far side nut and bolt. If you look closely, you can see where the passenger side has already had a repair done. You can see a plate and some screws protruding.
After removing the seat which was held in place using these 4 copper nuts, bolts and washers, ( see how small the washers are, no load spreading at all )
This is what we were left with, here is a picture of the front seat mounting holes. Luckily the metal here has been dry and has not rusted, just a little discoloured.
Not so for the rear mounting holes.
Then after some more cleaning up...fairly gently I might add....
At this point we knew a phone call to a very good friend was in need.
Chris Hunt is an expert welder and he has helped us to rectify this situation. The Passenger side, whilst it had been repaired before was in an even worse state. The U.S. repair consisted of a plate of steel, some silicon sealer and some self tapping screws down through the rusty pan into the steel plate. Needles to say that was all cut out. Also the area around the front mounting holes on this side was badly rusted so that area was cut out ready for repair.
Section of floor cut out from drivers' side, can you say Flintstone's?
Because we want to fit original seats, it seemed pointless to buy new floor pans and modify them to suit these old aftermarket seats, so we have decided to plate up and repair what we have for now and refit the seats just so we can get her through the MOT and keep the insurance people happy. They are already screaming for a number plate which of course she wont get until she has been registered. This can only come after the MOT.
As soon as funds permit, we shall fit new floor pans and original style seats.