Hat Channel Source Ideas Needed

I've found sources for floor pans that have the hat channel attached, but I am looking for just a small section of the hat channel itself. Does anyone know of a source? I would be open to "alternative" sources as well, although I'd like to avoid anything that involves pulling a street sign down in the middle of the night.

I've done a search and found Classic Ent and Jeep Panels, but I am really only looking for about 8" of channel and am having a hard time justifying to myself buying the whole thing and paying shipping on it for just the small section.

 

I used a small piece of c-channel . I think it was 1.5 or 2 inch wide it fit right in the hat channel .It should be available at any steel store it's cheap and very srtong .

 

Thanks. I've read that's thread and is where I found out about Classic and Jeep Panels. I missed that post by JD7, though; will have to check out the local mechanical contractors today.

 

Having bought the HF 36" brake, Which will handle up to 18 gauge, (16 gauge in short lengths) I plan to bend my own straight sections and mig weld up the curved parts out of flat stock. I'll probably get to that project this spring, after the new motor mounts and some floor panel replacement. I have made some small hat sections so far and they turned out pretty well.

tommy b

 

Hmmmm, I know who to come see now!R)

 

Home Depot sells fence posts that are hat channel - don't know if size will work or not - but may be worth a look-see.

 

For such a small pc of channel you're only talking about 50 cents for the steel. I work at a sheet metal shop and we do quite a bit of walk in work. However our shop rate is $94/hour so for something like this I would say come on in after 5 o'clock and we'll build it and have a beer. Won't cost you a nickel. I would even make it for you and you could just stop by and pick it up some time when you're in the area.

 

i have the same problem,but here is what i am going to do ,if you have or can find a jeep for parts the top brace on the back of a m38a1 where the tailgate would be on a cj5 it looks like to me that if you drill out the spot welds it is a perfect canidate for the floor pan hat channel and is useally not rusted out because it is up high and doesnt catch the abuse the bottom side does,and best of all its all jeep same gauge and all