Removal of interior panelling

[UpTheCreek]

I'm just starting to clean up the inside of my Series 3 truck. Today I removed the old dog guard which was fixed between the roof vents and a panel that stretches full width of the truck, just behind the rear seats. It's made of flat ali sheet, in two panels with two ali sections, and is merely pop riveted to the floor and rear door posts. It doesn't support the seats. I'd like to have a clean floor line so that there is more interior loading space when the seats are folded forwards.
Q: Can this panel be removed? Is it structural?

[John]

Yes, the bulkhead behind the seats is structural.

[rayhyland]

Do you want to sell the dog gate?

[red90]

It does not sound like he is talking about the bulkhead. Picture?

[John]

Yeah, the description does sound a little odd. He is either going to post a photo or send me one for a second opinion.

[N Hamelin]

I think this is the same guy.

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/p ... 27661.html

Definately not removable unless a replacement is fabricated. There are a few different style bulkhead replacement bars available if you give a quick google search. Some Carawagons had that bulkhead and/or the forward one on a 3 door removed for walk through access, but it definately weakens the structure immensely. On a friends 3 door Carawagon with that rear bulkhead removed he was never able to close his doors worth a damn. Way too much flex in the body sides.

[rayhyland]

75 bucks for a dog gate?

[seapotato]

Just looking at those craigslist pics,my 71 5 door has nothing there at all, and yeah, back panels shake like crazy when you try to shut the back doors.

I've been thinking about making some sortof diagonal brace that doesn't block off the space altogether...maybe just down to the fender wells or something...

Didn't realize there was supposed to be a bulkhead there...would it have had one originally? I didn't notice any unused rivet holes.

A bar might be a good Idea, it would support the bed I plan to have in there...

[ANDYD]

Yes, all Series Land Rovers should have that brace behind the seats, it is a structural bukhead that prevents body twisting.

Its also prevents heavy objects slamming into the back of your seat when in an accident or even during hill decents.

Your Land Rover would of had one at one point.

There was kits coming out of the UK that would lower these bukheads but still give it the strength it needs, the main reason for people wanting to do this is to be able to move the seats back a few inches for extra leg room.

I would recommend putting one back into your Rover, maybe a good time to incorporate a roll bar at the same time?

Cheers,
Andy

[rayhyland]

You could put in a full loop that acts as a roll bar, bulkhead and attachment-point for stringing a cargo net behind the seats if you ever needed it. You could through-bolt it to the chassis for rigidity as well. You can take a look at mine one day if you like to see how it is sometimes done. Mine has a diagonal as well for strength but you could do double verticals instead if you find the diagonal inconvenient.

[seapotato]

Interesting..yep, I was definately going to do something, as the body sides wobbling annoys me, and make the rear doors kinda crappy to close.

I'll have to take a closer look, it really didn't look like there was a bulkhead in there before, but then I hadn't thought about it much.

Body on my truck is a little different than most, as I've built a sortof sub frame underneath to mount it to a different chassis, but I'll figger something out.
I've had a few hundred things on the list before this issue so I'd been putting it off and only half thinking about it. but it's rapidly approaching the point of being driveable so maybe I'll grab a beer this weekend and do some thinking on it.

cheers,
r

[UpTheCreek]

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts on my 5 door series 3 bulkhead. From what's been said, I think I'll leave it in place, though it really does look like it's an aftermarket addition (slightly different white, and rough cuts to side posts). I certainly don't want any side panel shake.
The dog grate is for sale (make an offer), but you'd need a bulkhead for the lower fixing

[Greg S]

There is NO bulkhead behind the second row of seats in a five door 109 station wagon. If you have one, my money is on it having been added to accommodate the dog partition.

That being said---- If the door post was cut away to fit this divider, be careful about removing it and having decreased strength. You say something about a "rough cut" is that the post or divider? If it isn't the post, don't worry about it.

The rear door post aren't that flimsy unless they are rotted at the bottom.
I recommend you leave the front stabilizer bar behind the front seats, but then, the Dormobile doesn't have one and seems fine.

[rayhyland]

Ah good catch. I think all of us were thinking of the bulkhead behind the front seats. Yes there is nothing originally behind the rear seats I think. And yep, it will rattle when you slam the rear doors, because you are basically driving an aluminium cookie tin.

[seapotato]

thanks greg...I was peering in there yesterday thinking, if there was a bulkhead here , someone did a damn good job of taking it out.. :lol:

on one side the bracing was funky, but I patched it up, doors are still a bit hokey to close, but I haven't decided what my ultimate plan is for a cage/rack, so till then I'll just just scowl at the panels when I shut the back doors...


I'll figger it out soon tho, have to do a quick tcase rebuild then it's time for the first test drive... :rolly: :D

[UpTheCreek]

Hello all,

Thanks for all your help. Seems I created a lot of confusion by not showing any photos of my truck.
They are now loaded at
http://s846.photobucket.com/albums/ab26 ... 0interior/

if anyone cares to have a look
Thanks
Martin