Can anyone tell me the purpose of the removable front floor pannel in the bed? Looks like a leak looking for a place to happen. My PO sealed it but it needs to be redone. Is there a reason not to seal it? Any gaskets that might work? Thanks, Dave

It's called the "smuggler's box", I've learned from a couple of the guys here is that the Elky's of that period were built on station wagon frames and the plate covers the rear seat floor pan. Of course it makes a great place to relocate your battery for better weight distribution... :cool:

Seam sealer will work. There's no reason not to seal it as you can still gain access if you remove the box behind the drivers seat.
Of course it makes a great place to relocate your battery for better weight distribution...
Or you can use it to smuggle mexican's :lol:

On the other hand, as long as the plastic storage box inside is water tight, there's no reason to seal it either, cuz the water will drain onto the ground. Besides, you can also use it to hide your stash... Is pot still illegal in California? :P

Thanks for the info, think I will pass on sharing with my 14 year old son the "smuggler box" term. Don't want to give him any ideas and yes pot is still illegal in CA especially for him! :cool:

Hey 72 - I apologize for the pot reference... I was being facetious because I had read it on an old post from somebody who was not from California :-P The post was pretty funny.

highway69, no offense taken but I would like him to wait awhile before damaging his brain cells! :P

I don't think that the General had a name for it. I've always called it a Smuggler's Box. Attach a Piano Hinge and some Desus fasteners and you have a cargo area. If you add a lock then it is a pretty secure area.

It has drain holes in it so that water that gets into it will drain out but over the years they get clogged from debris and general junk, plus you never know who has been back there. You can't get replacement lids and if you were to replace the bed floor they come in two pieces (left & Right) and they don't have the accommodations for the panel. In that case there would be no reason not to cut the box open from inside the cab and open that area up for storage. That plastic box is pretty cheap and very small compared to the amount of room there actually is in that area.

All Forth Generation Elkys have them also. It was the 5th Generation that removed that and opened the area up for the spare and other storage.

Attach a Piano Hinge and some Desus fasteners and you have a cargo area. If you add a lock then it is a pretty secure area.
That's a sweet idea! I'll have to do that.

I kind of like the piano hinge idea, although I wonder if it was really made in jest. If you do it it will definitely leak so you'll have to be sure the drain holes are open and you'll have to add a reinforcing "collar" around the "lid" because you will find it's too flimsy and flexible to "close" right and tight. In my 74 the drain holes were open, but there was still a lot of rust inside the "box". I assume that it rusted because the space generates condensation inside with temperature changes. It seemed like I got a lot of road and exhaust echo from there, so after I cleaned it up, I filled the cavity with urethane foam and sealed the lid before putting in Herculiner in the bed. Unfortunately, I never thought far enough ahead to cut out the back of the cab to open up that area. Anyway, I used butyl rubber caulk like that used to install windshields (the thin bead), used a putty knife dipped in laquer thinner to smooth the stuff out and then bolted the lid back down. I did use round head bolts(like license plate bolts) instead of the factory hex heads. The good part about the butyl rubber is that it never drys out or gets hard and it will expand and contract with the metal without any concern about losing the seal.

I was wondering what that panel was for and what to do with it for the longest time Thanks a Bunch! :cool:

Just searching ebay and found a company reproducing the smuggler box cover panels: http://www.iowamusclecarparts.com/home

I kind of like the piano hinge idea, although I wonder if it was really made in jest. If you do it it will definitely leak so you'll have to be sure the drain holes are open and you'll have to add a reinforcing "collar" around the "lid" because you will find it's too flimsy and flexible to "close" right and tight.

I've seen it done and the lid could end up needing a little reinforcement, its been a while since I've had mine off the truck I don't remember how flimsy it is or is not. I'd say that you could use a gasket very much like the one used on sun roofs and possibly the exact one. It fits around the lip including the hinge so when the lid is closed it will seal even that part. The holes for the Desus fasteners could be an issue you could have to come up with something a little better.

I don't think you'd be able to just go out and find exactly what you need to do it with in one location. I could be wrong though after all is said and done it could still have a slight leak I guess, a sun roof doesn't.

I decided to open mine up to acomidate the jack,toolbox and a couple speakers,by removing the wall between it and the cab.Couldent justify the 130.00 for that plastic box anyway!! My cover was flimsy but rust free so I sealed it with a spray in bedliner.I had to replace by floorpan underneath with one from The Paddock for $225,O well, such is the hobby!!Perhaps a new plastic box was less work,But I was on a rust hunt when I got the car.Dont want her to die of the big C,ya know!!Seeking a replacement dash pad and rear bumper for a 68 titled as a 69 with b/u lamps in rear bumper,and info on swivel buckets "The General "offered in the early years,good frames bad foam and covers,they may be Monte but I am unsure. Howdy from Dallas Texas Yall