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Velcro to secure interior panels like tunnel and rear bulkhead?
ElmrPhD - 9/12/15 at 12:02 PM

Any reason why that wouldn't work? Not worried about IVA.
Perhaps in conjunction with a couple back-up, conventional fasteners?
I know I'm gonna be disassembling my car with some frequency...

Thanks for your thoughts.

Steve, in the NLs


monkeyarms - 9/12/15 at 12:15 PM

I have a tunnel cover velcro on. 2 years now, no problems.
I fact i wish i had done more panels like it.


mcerd1 - 9/12/15 at 12:16 PM

First thoughts are you'll loose the extra stiffness and strength that a properly fixed panel would give you

Also they won't be watertight at all

And the won't make effective fire walls


With the possible exception of the tunnel I'd bond them with good PU and rivet them in


Charlie_Zetec - 9/12/15 at 01:10 PM

Considered rivnuts as a better alternative? Or Dzus fastners. Neither are particularly "locost" solutions, but would allow panels to be removed with relative ease....


Johneturbo - 9/12/15 at 01:24 PM

I've velcro my tunnel in place ,the reason being it would be imposible to remove with screws without removing the seats first!


Slimy38 - 9/12/15 at 04:52 PM

I'd do the rear bulkhead with something permanent, if you're having to remove the bulkhead frequently then something is wrong with the design.

Tunnel sides possibly also permanent as a personal preference, but velcro for the top panel would be reasonable. Just remember that velcro works on a 'peel' principle. I've used velcro on hard panels before and because the panel didn't bend to allow it to peel, the velcro was stronger than the glue that held it to the panel.


Irony - 9/12/15 at 05:10 PM

I am not a structural engineer but I thought the interior aluminium panels provide a lot of stiffness to the chassis. I know the aluminium is only thin but the forces involved don't require it to be thick.

I have spent quite a lot of time stretching canvas around frames and canvas is not as strong as Ali. If you pull the canvas too tight and staple it along a long length of a big frame by the time you get to the end of the frame the forces are enormous. With a change in humidity I have seen canvas tighten up and snap 2x2 timber. The same principals are involved with the ali panels of a space frame chassis. They provide a lot of stiffness. I would rivet them leaving appropriate inspection panels.


twybrow - 9/12/15 at 08:03 PM

Rear bulkhead on my car is riveted, but all of the tunnel panels are held on with velcro. Makes servicing or fault finding much easier.