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Veteran
Posts: 281
Location: WA/USA | Subject car 57 Coronet: What is the purpose of the peanut shaped access panel in floor under the drivers feet. Was it to drop the body on the frame with the steering column attached to the steering box?
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Expert
Posts: 3402
Location: Chestertown, NY ( near Lake George) | Could be to adjust the trans band |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 594
Location: Melbourne, Australia | I've always thought it was to remove/ refit co-axial power steering box for service work in the field. Interesting concept if it was to ease assembly at manufacturing time. Colin |
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Expert
Posts: 1906
Location: Ontario, Canada | It also allows the gear and column to be wedged, adjusted and tightened to fit the dash brackets from inside the car.
Greg
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 310
Location: Newcastle Australia | AceS - 2014-11-08 10:36 AM
Subject car 57 Coronet: What is the purpose of the peanut shaped access panel in floor under the drivers feet. Was it to drop the body on the frame with the steering column attached to the steering box?
My opinion: yes. It was to allow faster assembly on the assembly line. All of the assembly line photos that have been posted show the chassis with the steering column attached. It really doesn't give access to any maintenance points. |
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Veteran
Posts: 281
Location: WA/USA | My clue that it was related to assembly were the promotional shots of the frame with the column attached to it. Removing the panel, it does not really seem to yield any maintenance advantage considering that you would have to remove the seats and carpet to get to it. |
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Location: Parts Unknown | Yes, it was designed to allow the body drop on a full chassis and save time ($$$).
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Expert
Posts: 2524
Location: Houston | Those are intelligent sounding explanations but in fact incorrect. The panel is actually sort of like a 'fuse'. It's purpose is to rust out before the rest of the floorpans, providing the feet full access to the road so you can 'Fred Flintstone' it down to the body shop. |
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Expert
Posts: 1906
Location: Ontario, Canada | Bearing in mind that 58 constant control steering gears are a very different animal when compared to the physical shape of 57 co-axial gears, this removable floor pan segment has Many different advantages and for more than one year!
Also remember that the steering column we ALL see in body drop photos show the column fixed LOOSELY to the rolling chassis. No way is it in its final adjusted position. This final assembly line adjustment of the column fit to the dash Must be made from inside the car. The major adjustment is the cast steel wedge that spaces the top gear to frame bolt and this, hopefully precise adjustment, Must be made from inside the car and through that access plate.
Greg
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