Hi, I have seen used centre belly pans advertised and am wondering if they would have been fitted to my 1973 Westy as original or perhaps an optional extra? If so are they worth it? My thinking is that anything that will help prevent spray and salt going onto the chassis and around the heater tubes eta cannot be a bad thing. What do you reckon?
your westy would not have had them ..Do not fit them ,they are in my opinion a waste of time , Water and muck gets trapped behind them and they rust like hell . I bet your 73 chassis is in half decent nick without them being fitted for the last 40 years ? yet 99% of busses fitted are rusty as hell behind them ...
They were an optional extra, i guess you could have had them, but i think in '73 they were still welding the centre pan on and that one's a later bolt on version. They're basically a good idea because they do stop crap getting sprayed up under the van and help protect the cargo floor and supports. The problem is that they were welded on and that's where the rot starts. Bolt them on if you do use them.
They were an option. Worth having a centre one to protect stuff. Forget the side ones - they're rust traps.
You probably didn't have them, but I think your M-plate will tell all, Now where's birdy to tell me I'm talking rubbish.......
I still think it's worth having the side ones if can bolt them on rather than weld them. I intended to weld captive nuts into the inner sills on my project bus, but forgot. Doh!
