Trunk Floorboard and spare tire fit issue!

[wizard124]

My car came with the 2 floorboard pieces; all warped and useless laying in the trunk.

Since I had my rims sent off for powder coating and the car up on jack stands, I decided to take on the job of cutting and fitting new ones. I started off with tracing paper, then to cutting out card board templates. I found a piece of fiberboard at Home Depot in their scraps. Not what I really wanted, but I was hoping not to buy a full 4x8 piece of plywood, and this only cost me 51 cents. Fitting well!


I worked on the final touches today. I added some 3/4 inch square lengths of wood to stiffen the panels. I was going to stain and seal the fiberboard also. So, I lay in my new spare tire for a final fitment ( I bought a 165R13 to avoid any width issues...)
So what happens....width issues

The section of the tire in the middle of the trunk is above the level of the floor boards. Is this common to all spiders What have others done who have encountered this

One idea is to shim the panels higher with more 3/4 inch thick sections of wood. The other idea Is to cut out some panel allowing the tire to bulge through (easiest). I have the trunk carpet which will hide and help smooth over the bump.

One more thought, maybe the easiest idea I think if I deflate the tire, I can make it all fit. I could simply carry a can of tire fix to inflate the spare in the event I ever need it.

What do you think?

Warren

[kilrwail]

The original boards in my '78 don't quite line up. And they're made of 1/8" masonite, without bracing. The right piece is about 1/4" higher than the left, because of the tire. With the rubber mat in place, it's hardly apparent. If you want to finish the panels and leave them exposed, I'd suggest shimming.

[4uall]

Here is a post I was inspired by http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... &sk=t&sd=a

[leeputmanjr]

New tires are quite a bit wider than stock, so many of us now have trunk boards that need to be shimmed up.

[azruss]

possible to go with a 155 or a compact spare

[wizard124]

Thanks for the responses. I decided to shim. I used 1/2 inch thick self-adhesive weather stripping applied to the boards along the outside body stringers. I added some 3/4 inch square pieces along the seam. I notched it on one end and it is supported by the ridge along the battery tray. The other end is supported by the tab welded in the body panel in the rear. This seemed to square up the support base pretty well and clear the 165R13 tire. I use some stain/sealer min-wax on the fiberboard to seal them. The fuel line cover (original plastic) was pop-riveted to the board. If you drill the holes so that the pop rivets fit snug, you can use a rivet length that fits entirely within the fiber board. As you tighten the rivet, the head expands and snugs inside the board. The original rug fit pretty well, just a wrinkle!




I like it alot

[RRoller123]

very nice!

[Holshot]

Great job!

[GLIDER]

nice job, I need to replace mine on my 82. The original went missing after a recent paint job and I don't have a template. Do you know where I could get one ?

thanks

[TStark]

recently snagged a felted trunk board from a ford focus at a junk yard

two short straight cuts and a fold to clear the battery, and it was like it was made for it.

[fredguaz]

I'm getting ready to do the same.
Something worth checking is the bracing underneath the trunk. On mine, it looks like somebody tried jacking the rear of the car up and the longitudinal bracing underneath the trunk was bent up. This of course would raise the spare tire. Going to try to push it back down by either jumping on it or jack/2x4/ceiling.

[ga.spyder]

I dislike the idea of having a spare that is a different size from the tires on the car.It can cause damage to drive it more than a few miles.so...my spare is a 205/50x15 .I had to remove the trunk boards ,but it fits in the well although it is obviously sitting high.My original trunk boards and spare(original 1982 Pirelli,never on the ground)are both stored in the garage.With the carpet on,the only issue is a noticeable bulge.However,if I ever get a flat I am good to go.

[Jimb]

The problem with mdf (fibreboard) is, if moisture gets into the edges it will expand and will never shrink back to original shape.
Jim

[Bambolone]

recently snagged a felted trunk board from a ford focus at a junk yard

two short straight cuts and a fold to clear the battery, and it was like it was made for it.

Do you have photos of your setup? Which ford focus year? Thanks so much!

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Another option is a 4' x 6' (possibly 3' x 5') commercial outdoor floor mat. I bought two in charcoal grey from Home Depot or Lowe's (can't remember which), cut it to size, and it was a great replacement trunk mat for my '69 and '71. I think the mats were around $12 or $15.

-Bryan