Me Mum used to 'ave a '68 Cambridge, as I recall the thing was built
out of war surplus Royal Navy battleship plating.

..040 is pretty close to 18 gu. sheet, I won't say you can't hand form
it but I will say you won't enjoy doing it. My suggestion is to take
your new floor pans to an industrial strength sheet metal shop & have
them roll the beads for you. They may not have the exact size but
should probably have something close, you'll never be able to tell
the difference once the carpet goes in .

H.

http://users.eastlink.ca/~howarde/Tonka.html

On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 04:50:26 GMT, "Ray Field"
wrote:

Metal worms have eaten a few holes in my '68 Austin front floors. Original
pans have half round stiffening ribs pressed into them.
Is there any simple method of reproducing these ribs in sheet metal 0.034 to
0.040 inch thick using hand tools, arbor press, heavy vice or other simple
workshop tools.
Ribs are semi circular cross section 3/8 inch radius, longest rib about 9
inches, other ribs same size are at right angle but separated by 3/4 inch
from cross rib. Will be making up patches about 9 inches square.
Any ideas or methodology will be appreciated (not car crusher or Jewish
lightning please).
Ray