Floorboard

[2speed]

Do you most of you screw your front floorboard down? Not the angled one, the other. Just seems to be easier to access transmission check and battery stuff.

[Will N]

I screw it down because I'm a little A.D.D.. It would drive me crazy knowing there are supposed to be screws but they're missing.

[Y-Blockhead]

I do screw mine down. But I use a two piece lower floor board to access the battery so there is no need to remove the whole floor. https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/p...7804&cat=41699

[nkaminar]

Two piece boards at bottom. Screwed down. PITA to remove but I am also A.D.D. I also have to remove the carpet and the insulating mat.

[Bob Bidonde]

The bottom floor board is screwed down in both of my Model A's because I rarely need to remove them.

[JRrev]

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I screw mine not just because it's supposed to but to eliminate rattles.

[stevemclark]

I have never seen this car with screws in it,been in my family scene 1951.Never had it move on me.I have the two piece lower board and a transmission access cover with a dipstick. https://www.brattons.com/TRANSMISSIO...uctinfo/10083/

[w.michael]

I started fastening floorboards down after I realized that even in an easy roll over, I would be sharing space with not only the floorboards but also the battery. I also upgraded my battery hold down system. It’s only a tiny safety improvement, but I’ll take all the safety margin I can get. This thought process was inspired by the roll over that occurred on the Grand Tour at French Lick about 15 years ago.

W. Michael

[German guy]

I cut (not a show car) an access panel in the right side of the flat floorboard (mirror of the one for the battery) that makes it real easy to check transmission oil.

[john in illinois]

You can get replacement 12-24 Philips screws at McMaster Carr. makes it easy to use a driver drill to remove and install .

John

[WHN]

Floor boards not screwed down. Just another sign of problem car. What else is half done or shade tree mechanic repaired.

I want to get it out easily, ????.

Enjoy your holiday.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by WHN

Floor boards not screwed down. Just another sign of problem car. What else is half done or shade tree mechanic repaired.

I want to get it out easily, ????.

Enjoy your holiday.

I agree 110%. When someone wants me to look at a vehicle they want to purchase, there are about 5 items, that my eyes quickly gravitate towards as a clue whether is was a patched restoration, -or a thorough restoration.

1) Paint used on items such as Bumpers, Shift Lever, E-Brake Handle, etc instead of plating.
2) Rubber Valve Stems in lieu of Metal Stems.
3) Missing Engine Splash Pans.
4) Floorboards missing Screws and perimeter Seal.
5) Bent or mangled Service Brake Rods.

Again, there are other things that can be included, but these take about 1 minute to determine on the initial glance.

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by JRrev

I screw mine not just because it's supposed to but to eliminate rattles.

Me too, same reason. Unfortunately I can only use four of the screws because some doofus in the past stripped out a bunch of the D-nuts and I have not gotten up the initiative to replace them.

[Wick]

I put the floorboard seals along the edges, clean all the threads, then use all the screws, plates, seals.
This keeps the road dirt and heat out of the car.
It's rare to find cars with the floorboards screwed in.

On car inspection, engine pans and shocks catch my attention first. Then the condition of hoses and wiring.( battery cable ) 12v cable is a Red flag.
I'll grab the steering wheel when I walk by for play.

[john in illinois]

Originally Posted by JayJay

Me too, same reason. Unfortunately I can only use four of the screws because some doofus in the past stripped out a bunch of the D-nuts and I have not gotten up the initiative to replace them.

You can often use a 12-24 tap to refurbish the nuts.


John

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by john in illinois

You can often use a 12-24 tap to refurbish the nuts.


John

Tried that, no joy. They’re stripped, not chowdered. I suspect that the doofus tried to insert 1/4-20 and kept going…

[Gene F]

My floor(s) (horizontal panel) has/have the woven welting tacked on the bottom of the edges to make for a nice seal. The thinner stuff, and it doesn't make the floor panel bulge up. All these years, and it has compressed some. Plus I use a screw gun to run the screws down, so yes I use the screws. Just takes an extra 3 or 4 minutes.

FYI; my throwout bearing is sealed. I check the trans grease from underneath when doing my annual lubrication. If I need to fill it I have a small oil can with a pump trigger and a braided flex hose. Yes that 600W can be a little stiff, but still easy if I need to top-off. I tend to avoid toping off my batter as long as the plates are covered. Adding distilled water cuts the battery life A LOT, even in small quantities with a charger.

[serocontra]

my car didn't come with screws (or floorboards for that matter)
got a 2 piece board set and screws from snyders.
unfortunately the holes of my car and holes in the board didnt match up perfectly, but good enough to get all of the screws in.
i have a cover for the battery with a modern quick disconnect in there. i'm not looking to win any shows any time soon.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by serocontra

my car didn't come with screws (or floorboards for that matter)
got a 2 piece board set and screws from snyders.
unfortunately the holes of my car and holes in the board didnt match up perfectly, but good enough to get all of the screws in.
i have a cover for the battery with a modern quick disconnect in there. i'm not looking to win any shows any time soon.

Not sure what "not looking to win any shows..." has to do with doing something the correct way (-really doesn't matter if it is a Model-A or something else) but the easiest way to correct the misdrilled holes is to drill oversized and glue in a wood dowel to fill the hole. Use a #12 screw that fits the D-nut and cut to approximately 3/8 - 1/2 inch long. Insert the screw into a drill motor and spin while grinding one end to a sharp point. Then insert the screw with the point facing upward and when the floorboard is positioned correctly, push downward on the floorboard and the point will make a divot where the new hole is to be drilled.

[rackops]

I'm in the "screw it down because they're supposed to be" club. What I would love to find though are 12-24 Robertson screws (trust me, I've looked and unless I want to buy 1000 of them, they aren't around) as they'd be so much easier to remove and install than the flat head screws.

That said, I rarely ever remove the floorboards, so it's one of those things I live with.

(Oh, I also bent the washers so they are more accurate per the JS than the as-purchased concave ones...but again...probably a little bit over the top...)