Question about belly pan/rear storage

[Minno]

We lost the rear part of the belly pan on our initial trip home with Little Girl somewhere in the rain in a construction zone (?). I was driving so that makes it my fault. We never noticed how it was put together before we started home, and are now at a loss as to how it's supposed to go together:
does the rear belly pan wrap around on the outside of the rear storage compartment or does the storage compartment get made with a belly pan piece on the inside of the runners/skid plates that make up the sides of the compartment? Or do we do both?
Does anyone have a pic of an early 70's storage compartment on the inside and/or underside to help us?
Thanks!

Kay

[Wabbiteer]

Can't comply tonight but will photograph my parts trailer tomorrow - okay?

[Minno]

great! And thanks.

Kay

[Wabbiteer]

Pan sheet lies tightly between BW tank box and the lower C-Rail frame rail flange - the welded tabs on frame should just clear the sheet metal, picture shows a shim installed, probably to keep it from corroding through rapidly from contacting iron.

The frame-rail-wide BW tank belly pan sheet metal has two machine (brake) bent angles to tie onto the bumper lower lip and drop to follow the end angle of the lower frame member.

The '73 has one rivet through bumper in the center of the sheet to anchor it, the '72 has three rivets but it's been patched - and has had cheap screws & bolts added at some point. The '73 had rivets along the ladder frame tying into the pan sheet metal, none reveal themselves on the '72 on a quick look.

The sheet is held tight to the main (higher) frame rail until past the starting point of the additional C-Rail, only then its allowed to drop to the lower floor level to keep it mouse-proof.

On the '73 there was a circular patch underneath the bathtub drain that allowed access to a plastic frisbee style seep-pan since the tub drain trap hung beneath the floor level - might've had enough room to work on tub drain too but I'm not sure.

From what I remember when I tore out the project belly-skins it followed the same pattern. Remember you do not want it too tight or the pan sheet caulked in any form - if there is a plumbing leak it should drain straight out ASAP.

Any points need detailing>?

[Minno]

Thanks Wabbiteer - that helps a lot! Since this will be more visible than the gray tank area, I think I need to rent a metal brake for these bends. The pictures are great. I can see how its all supposed to go together now.

We still need to get together sometime. This is well worth a coffee or beer.

Chris