Seat Pan Mod

[23 Reo 221]

How do I modify an older fender pan so I can use it on a 1983 C series?

[squonk 38,980]

The tractor is gone but I put a Commando seat pan on a C-160. Just took a little cutting with a cut off wheel. I think there's a pic on here somewhere. I'll see if I can find it. 

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,592]

You'll need a good sized hole saw for the fuel tank inlet….otherwise the mounting bolt pattern is the same. 
  If you can find a fender pan off a 1978-1979 C series they already have the fuel tank inlet opening 

[squonk 38,980]

Didn't see that yours was an 80's vintage. For the curious I put the Commando pan on a 74 C-160  Hat to cut the side rails off of the pan and tack on the piece that goes across for the seat latch.

 

[ebinmaine 63,263]

9 hours ago, 23 Reo said:

How do I modify an older fender pan so I can use it on a 1983 C series?

I'm curious to know what you're upta there. 

 

[23 Reo 221]

The fender pan on my 1983 C-125 is in bad shape so I'm going to replace it with an older style pan. I've always liked the look of an older pan on a black hood.

[ebinmaine 63,263]

25 minutes ago, 23 Reo said:

The fender pan on my 1983 C-125 is in bad shape so I'm going to replace it with an older style pan. I've always liked the look of an older pan on a black hood.

 

Understandable. 

I like the older looks better.  👌 

 

Do you have a hole saw large enough to make the fuel filler hole?

 

 

[ri702bill 7,360]

8 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Understandable. 

I like the older looks better.  👌 

 

Do you have a hole saw large enough to make the fuel filler hole?

 

 

Did the early C series not have the fuel tank under the hood??

[ebinmaine 63,263]

1 hour ago, ri702bill said:

Did the early C series not have the fuel tank under the hood??

 

Fuel tank was under the hood until 77 I believe. 

 

[23 Reo 221]

I'll buy a hole saw at Harbor Freight.

[ebinmaine 63,263]

1 minute ago, 23 Reo said:

I'll buy a hole saw at Harbor Freight.

 

Those wider metal hole saws can be grabby. 

If possible you'll want to use a drill press. 

 Set up the seat pan in a big jig. Get it held TIGHT and STRAIGHT. 

 

If you don't have a drill press or way to jig the seat pan, go very slowly and hold on. 

 

[ri702bill 7,360]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

go very slowly and hold on. 

 

I have a very vivid memory of a guy I worked with back in the late 80's. He was enlarging a 1-1/2" existing hole with a 1 HP industrial drill and a 2" twist drill bit. He was up on top of the machine; the drill had a second handle  - a 1" diameter long pipe - opposite the trigger handle.... Oh yeah it had a locking trigger!! ......

Soo, he is bent over straddling the drill trying to go slow - and all goes well until the bit grabbed - the trigger is locked on, he lets go and the electric drill is SPINNING, auxiliary handle whipping around. The drill was run at a very low RPM - 100 or so. The operator was jumping the handle each time it swung by his ankles, until the drill wound up the cord and pulled it out of the wall plug!! Show over, back to work...  Did any of us jump to unplug it??? Not! We were all laughing too hard....

Edited December 31, 2023 by ri702bill

[Handy Don 10,652]

19 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

We were all laughing too hard...

And another “Here, hold my beer...” perpetrator survives for another day.

If I were to try this now, I’d likely put two or three smaller holes around the center point for the new hole about halfway between the center and the circumference of the hole. Then I’d tightly sandwich the seat pan with scrap plywood held together with bolts through those holes. The bolt heads should still clear the inside of the saw cup and the plywood will help keep the holesaw from tilting and grabbing and also give the pilot drill extra support.

[ri702bill 7,360]

12 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

sandwich the seat pan with scrap plywood held together with bolts through those holes

Similar to cutting thin plastic with either a tablesaw or jigsaw... helps prevent chipping & ripping.

[23 Reo 221]

Just double checking before I cut. To modify my old style seat pan to put on my 1983 C-125 Black Hood I should remove all the mounts under the seat pan, drill holes for the gas cap and trans dip stick and also cut the front of the pan to clear the console.

[ebinmaine 63,263]

6 minutes ago, 23 Reo said:

double checking

Seems reasonable. 

Perhaps make the cuts in stages?

Check the work as it progresses.   

[Handy Don 10,652]

Sending PM

[8ntruck 6,395]

On 12/31/2023 at 2:53 PM, ri702bill said:

 

I have a very vivid memory of a guy I worked with back in the late 80's. He was enlarging a 1-1/2" existing hole with a 1 HP industrial drill and a 2" twist drill bit. He was up on top of the machine; the drill had a second handle  - a 1" diameter long pipe - opposite the trigger handle.... Oh yeah it had a locking trigger!! ......

Soo, he is bent over straddling the drill trying to go slow - and all goes well until the bit grabbed - the trigger is locked on, he lets go and the electric drill is SPINNING, auxiliary handle whipping around. The drill was run at a very low RPM - 100 or so. The operator was jumping the handle each time it swung by his ankles, until the drill wound up the cord and pulled it out of the wall plug!! Show over, back to work...  Did any of us jump to unplug it??? Not! We were all laughing too hard....

Similar to a story a friend told.  He was under his 1st generation Jimmy drilling a hole to install a hitch.  He was laying on a creeper, using a large capacity drill.  The drill grabbed and torqued in his hands in such a way that he could not release the trigger.  Said he got a spin cycle on the creeper until the cord wound up and unplugged.

[Roger R 434]

Best way to cut your hole is to use a conduit KO punch.  If you were close by I would say stop by, but you should be able to find a local Electrician who could get the job done in a matter of minutes. Start with a pilot hole, as large as you can with the bits on hand.  To get an exact location, draw centering lines at 90 deg, extending beyond the OD of your required hole. The KO dies are calibrated and scored for exact location if necessary. 

[Tonytoro416 952]

Used them a number of times