Make your own aluminum floor pan! Die, plastic!

[Zombie-Stomp]

Check out my new metal zuma floorboard! I made a cardboard template and traced it onto the metal sheet, and i wish i had acess to a metal bandsaw, but an angle grinder gets the job done, noisily and messily. I had to do lots of hand filing! Next step is to have a metal bandsaw user cut the angled parts that go towards the front around the steering column, and then get them welded in (hopefully). bandsaw is neccesary for those due to cuves. I'll keep updating.

[Zombie-Stomp]

I can't beliee nobody's commented on my project.... Well, heres some more pics, probably the last ones I'll post of the floorboard, because it will still look just like this after it's welded... unless he does some crappy, sloppy welds. If i were to chicken out, i could take some wide angle braces, bend them, and rivet them in. But i think welding's the way to go. Someone let me know if these photos are showing up on the page! :naught: It's 5 am and i just got done messing with the last 2 floorboard pieces. ;;p so I'm pretty tired, but it's ready for welds! All I'll need to complete my look after that is a black front panel (mine has too many layers of bubbled up spraypaint) and top handlebar panel. If anyone knows where to find them in black lemme know. :ghost:

[pinkymingeo]

The pictures look good. Zuma plastic is cheap. If your dealer is honest, just get him to order it.

[sooznd]

I can't beliee nobody's commented on my project....
Zombie Stomp--it looks really nice & much better than the stock. MyBloody already made a diamond plate floorboard for his Vino, so I guess yours is not the first. Great minds think alike , you know ;)

http://www.provoscooter.com/vbull/vbgarage.php?do=view&id=440

[hybridrazz]

Yeah it looks good, alot better then plastic.

[Zombie-Stomp]

Looks like that guy got some really clean cuts on his floorboard! I wonder if he used a bandsaw to cut it out. Tin snips tend to bend it, and an angle grinder makes rough, melty cuts. I didn't try the waste strip style snips, but I know that would have been a pain nightmare for the hands. I don't have to be the first, just knowing the labor i've put into it is enough for me to be satisfied. For my bike, it is an extremely crucial piece since it's the only thing other than bare frame on that area of the bike. The next panel i'd like to do out of metal is some narrow strips for the area just under the seat, from the gas tank back to the rack, to cover the under seat area better, and something to hide the wiring. After that, I'll need to do a new inner fender for the back tire, hopefully to incorporate an old dirtbike fender. Eventually, that would be cool if I started to manufacture these. I wonder if people would buy enough of them. But then my prototype would be far less cool. Well, I'm off to go get it welded! :smokin:

[Zombie-Stomp]

The pictures look good. Zuma plastic is cheap. If your dealer is honest, just get him to order it.
Ah, yes, I knew I could get them from yamaha, but there was a certain year that had BLACK panels, and:
1) I don't know what that year is
2) I think yamaha only can get the most recent year prebug color (blue/ red)
3) that would be ideal if they were used, a little cheaper still.

[wideopen01]

Ah, yes, I knew I could get them from yamaha, but there was a certain year that had BLACK panels, and:
1) I don't know what that year is
2) I think yamaha only can get the most recent year prebug color (blue/ red)
3) that would be ideal if they were used, a little cheaper still.

i like that i think its cool..is it crome or polished?

[PreBug308]

I would personally prefer the look if you put the metal floorboard and glued/bolted it onto the stock plastic one. That way you'd have the stylish metal look, but could look under it and still see the plastic, not metal frame.

[wideopen01]

I would personally prefer the look if you put the metal floorboard and glued/bolted it onto the stock plastic one. That way you'd have the stylish metal look, but could look under it and still see the plastic, not metal frame.


Yea that would look alot nicer and cleaner...it will be molded good...good idea prebug.

[Zombie-Stomp]

Wideopen,
it is polished aluminum, and on the plastic-on-metal idea, honestly, i don't like it. Here's why:
1) the stock pan has all these little contours that would be impossible to get the flat metal to conform to.
2) the grooves in the floorboard, with anything on top, would fill with water and mud, etc.
3) the first reason I took the floor off in the 1st place is that it got cracked from trails and parking it against things after the centerstand broke.
4) Most important of all- I hate plastic! It's nowhere as durable as this aluminum. I like the minimalist look and shape, sure it's a little thin looking, but i might put some aluminum "angle iron" trim along the outer edges to beef it up a little. I realize i will have to deal with SOME plastic, ie the front headlight panel and the speedo and column, but I consider this bike CHOPPED. :smokin:

[911elite]

looks like you did a great job. i think it loo go like it is from the pictures but maybe if you made a 2 or 4mm aluminum spacer it would look better, sitting more like factory.

[Zombie-Stomp]

What do yuo mean? a spacer? Heres the final product. I've drilled the 6 holes big enough for grommets and then put flat head (tapered) allen screws in, and riveted the metal to the small remaining pieces of stock floorboard where it met with the lip around the front of the headlight panel. The material is incredibly grippy, even when the feet are on the angled parts, need i explain how much better functionally that plastic. I've been thinking about "antiqueing" it, like sand it to a matt finish -the way it looks where i cleaned up the welds- and rub it down with thinned black paint or something- maybe i'll leave it alone.

[Lennox]

I think it is fine just the way it is....good job! :worship: