This is an example of "plug" welding and also using a step on one of the panels to receive the other. It makes for a nice, strong, smooth joint.	This is the front rock guard that completely isolates the 4-link support cross members and rocker panel area.	This is the panel I made to keep junk out of the bumper reinforcement and hopefully reduce some air turbulence under the car.

On the passenger side I had to fit the panel around the custom fuel pump mount I had earlier fabbed up. I’ll tell you, I had a heck of a time trying to figure out where to mount the Barry Grant BG 400-2 fuel pump and filter. I couldn’t mount them in between the frame rails because the wheelie bars would hit and there just isn’t that much room available anymore. So, I made a mount out of thin-wall 2x3 tubing with a couple weld-in thread inserts and cut the end at an angle and welded a piece to it to box it in.

Then I welded the mount to the side of the frame rail where it angles down to meet the bumper reinforcement. I talked to the tech guy at Barry Grant and he said it would be okay to have the pump mounted at a slight angle as long as it wasn’t past 45 degrees. A future article will cover the complete fuel system installation in detail.

This gives a better view of the fuel pump nestled between the rock guard and the bumper guard. I think I'm done making panels for awhile!

Here is the parachute mount fastened through the bumper reinforcement and secured by a 1/2" bolt not seen in the picture. Also, the chute pack mount is removable.

Problem was that the pump was now directly behind the slick. I can’t have the pump being covered in rubber and being pelted with rocks so I made another panel. I once again extended the bottom of the wheel tub and this time I made an extra long angled flap to deflect air down and under the car. It looked so good I made one for the other side too. The rulebook says you can’t enclose the bumper and you can’t make a full belly pan, but it doesn’t say you can’t make “mud flaps”!

One last detail I want to add is how I have been attaching all of these panels in the interior. I really prefer to “plug” weld anything I can get to. If you simply drill holes or use a hole punch like I did in one of the panels you are adding and overlap it to the mating panel, you can weld the hole shut and fuse it to the other panel at the same time. It makes for a very strong and nice looking joint.

I also use a tool to form a step in one of the panels so that when they are overlapped they end up at the same level and the joint is smooth. Also, wherever I had holes drilled for Cleco fasteners I went ahead and used rivets for an extra measure of retention in case some of the welds came loose from vibration.

The next order of business was mounting the Moroso sealed polyethylene battery boxes (# 74050). The boxes will house up to a series 24 battery and once installed they completely isolate the interior of the car from acid leaks or gases. Installation was a snap by simply drilling two holes through the floor into my previously installed tubular metal mounts to carry the weight.