I was wondering if the floor in a 75 was made out of fiberglass or steel.
People keep telling me that it should be steel because of the introduction of the catalytic converter which would burn the fiberglass, but i have reason to believe that they are wrong.
Thanks

 

Hi there 75,

1976 was the first year for metal floors, so your in luck..I have seen some really rusted out floors... makes for alot of work to replace them. Just FYI, if you are looking at a 76 is to check in front of the the seat.. the floor dips down there and that is where the rust starts. grab a really thin screw driver and poke it hard in that area.. odds are you will poke right thru... if there is damage there the carpet is usually toast anyway. They are correct about the cat system though..that being 75 is the first year in a vette.. there is a steel shield over the converter to protect the floor.

 

Thanks
Yeah my 75 has fiberglass and the people i tell don't believe me.

 

Me thinks they are 1/3rd right as the passenger section on the right side above where the catalytic converter is/would go is metal, whilst the rest is FBG.

 

Are you sure.. its been a while for me as 75 was my first vette I ever owned I want it back lol... poor thing is under a tarp..hmmm maybe I can steal $$ like I did the first time.... err ahhh pay as much as I could for its pristine condition at the time lol... what a mess... err ahh needing just a few things.. need a free photo host to show you all what I mean

Anyhow.. as far as I recollect there was the foil heat insolation under the seat, the glass floor and then the shield ... someone go out to there car and push the passenger seat ahead and look under there carpet

 

Put my interior back together a couple of months ago. Fiberglass floors with a metal heat shield riveted on the passenger side.

 

Yeah, I'm "fairly" sure. Been working under it the last 7 months. I'll have to double check now. Just seems there is this "metal section" on the right side. I too, also thought '75s had all fiberglass floors til I saw this. Maybe it's just a protective shield "over" the fiberglass. I know I was shocked when I saw that. Also, my car is a very late '75(#35026 out of 38465, built July 12, '75). Maybe there also is a difference between early/late cars???

 

Well here is what i found, need less to say i was not happy when i saw the hole.
My guess is that it did not come like this from the factory, am i wrong?

 

hmmm made a hole for chuck'n beer cans out of thats not so bad, not much you can do there with out getting really into it .. just make sure that its water proof and has no holes.. for exhaust gases etc to get inside. At least its under the seat and didn't effect the mounting holes for the seat... make sure you tap out the holes for you seat and seat belt bolts and make sure the the nut plates that are holding them still.. are firm and secure before you put your seats back in as well as the seat belt retainer on the sill sides and the plastic cover that protects it as well. They are/were riveted in so you will want to clean out the old ones and to make life easier on yourself. a slightly larger rivet may be required as life on the bottom side of your car isnt that nice,, things (metal parts) corrode and usually enlarge holes where a prior rivet was.

If you are re-doing the rivets .. use stainless ones... very strong and you will never do it again.. this was not the factory correct way but unless you have the correct tools to use solid rivets this is the best way.. also put a washer on the other end of the rivet, so your rivet has something to seat against when you are putting them in. this is only when you are not going thru glass and not the nut plates.. in which case you may not have to worry about that. STAINLESS RIVETS... DONT CHEAP OUT !! its a two person job and you will need a heavy duty riveter to do this. rent one, cheap and worth it.


Make sure your heat shield is still there if you are still running the cat converter... as they do get 'really' hot. it wouldnt be a bad idea to buy a under carpet insolation kit for your entire floor....front and back. Mine was very hot in the summer

 

Yes, you are wrong-this IS the way it came.

 

Yeah I thought the precision of the cut floor was factory like, but that engine silicone seemed like the work of armatures. At least now I don't feel so bad for simply cleaning the floor, resealing and painting it.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

I too thought it was "backyard" done with that orange RTV sealer and the way the filler panel was so crudely done. Looks like a "factory Bubba" did it.

 

My first vette was a 75 (loved that car) I had the entire interior out of the car and it was just like the one in the pics above. I always thought it was some kind of repair, but now it seems like it was factory

 

I would be interested to know that.. its been a long while since I have been under a 75.. maybe a few other people can chime in here with earlier cars and maybe fill in a blank or two.. it sure does look like a hack job lol...

 

My car was built March 4th

 

As "History" supposedly goes, Zora Duntov & Dave McClellan "burnt" a 1975 Corvette to the ground testing it at Pikes Peak when "supposedly" the converter got so hot it caused the fire-don't know if this is what lead to this "shield" being made & put into place or not.