as above what are they for ? mine are tatty and rusty and wouldn mind getting rid of them if not important

 

I just had my inner and outer seals done and jacking points the vents above the jacking point in the floor I was told are a crumple zone

 

More like a crumble zone....

 

As mentioned they are a crumple zone. They were plated up on rally cars IIRC.

 

Plated up on mine too

 

so it would be no harm to plate them up then ....just dont crash lol

 

it also makes it easier to get to the arb bolts when they rust into the bolt holes

 

Why do people insist on saying they're a "crumple zone"? Because their mate done the bodyshop (those well known luminaries of body in white design, who are such brilliant engineers they're too good to work for OEMs) has told them? If so, they're wrong.

How do I know? I'm a BIW engineer.

Let me ask this: if a crumple zone was required for improved occupant safety if the event of a crash, why would it be located in the cabin area where localized deformation of the shell (the front floor/lower bulkhead area) would most likely increase injury?

 

so what are they then ?

 

More than likely an air vent for the sill at a guess?!

I stick to carbon BIWs, the 12c tub is a work of art

 

The aren't a vent as they louvres are covered by sound deadening so no air/water can pass through them.

 

I always thought they were crumple zones, there are some in the boot floor under the sound deadening

Steve

 

The water gets in between the sound deadening and the floor and rots them from the inside out

 

They're built in obsolescence vents

 

Obsolete?

Not needed.