Floor Start Floor Panel

[rich@minispares.com]

that hump certainly looks as if it has been cut out and pop riveted back in!

mini machine sell a front tunnel that includes the hump - you can use it to mod later shells if you so desire, so parts are available from them if you need them.

[Spitz]

OK...just went out and had a closer look.

It really is deceiving/hard to show in the pic.....but, the bulb around the starter has not been welded or riveted etc.
It looks like what the PO had done was glue and screw down a very sturdy piece of rubber around the area. I'm guessing to "seal" the gaping hole cut to accommodate the remote shift.
I've included a picture from below to show no weld.
Also....on the left front floor ( I think the same is on the right ) there looks to be a round aluminum plug (?)

Looks like perimeter of a weld......but is just the outline of a rubber "seal"


You can see rubber remnants here


Left floor


Underside

[tsumini]

I think the starter "bulb" area is just slathered thickly with undercoating and if you clean it all off the bulb will be intact other than the cutout for the remote shift. The John Deere floor start has two mounting holes which should be welded shut to accommodate the original start button housing. Center hole also may be too big.
The plugs in the floor are swaged in aluminum plugs. See photo. seems like they only appeared on some early 60's floors. Your floors in front of the seat mount crossmember look exactly like my 1960 Austin.

ETA: I would be interested in the smaller plug in the floor that is inboard of the larger plug. I have the same holes in mine but the plugs are missing. Can you tell what they are? rubber? aluminum?

AluminumPlugs.jpg

[Spitz]

I'll have a closer look at the plug and maybe photo tomorrow or Friday.
The van is, I believe from help here and wiper motor date, a 61 Morris

[Pete]

You certainly appear to have an early floor pressing, the one after the '59 big footwell but before the '61 onward pressing so I'd also agree this looks like a '60.

[Spitz]

Any other way to tell the date....again, wiper is 361, welded seat brackets, original engine is gone, SN is 98316

So what would the best plan be.....patch the hole in the front right of the right floor ( left has a similar hole but closer to the footwell 90 degree seam )....or replace both panels completely?

[Spitz]

Here's a pic or two of the left side floor.
That plug is rubber...still soft. It's 1.5" total width. It is 8" on centre from the aluminum plug

[tsumini]

I just found a photo (I had forgotten about) of the rubber plug that I took of my car before it was removed so it should be in the box of removed parts. Thanks. I don't know of any way to take out the aluminum plug without destroying it. I have to make new ones for myself.