I noticed that Dan Treace posted a picture which I am posting here, that shows the space under the front seat of an Improved open car. Shown on the floor of that space is a recessed pan that drops down below the edge of the body members. Is this the way it was? The floor of that space in my '26 (if I remember correctly) was just a flat piece of sheet steel. Mine was pretty well gone when I got it and I replaced it with one from Howell's which has cross dimples for reinforcement. Dan picture is of a later Improved open car as the doors have the large holes in them.
I also notice that funny little dimple on the front body crossmember just in front of the seat frame. Mine has that too and what was that for?
Dan thank you for that that image I hope it is okay to use it.

Funny dimple

The dimple is for the cross member to clear the frame.

Really?

Mine doesn't have the dimple shown on your second picture, but the body does not touch the frame. It's possible that a later car was set a little lower on the frame? Mine is a 26.
Norm

Will

Yes, almost, the dimple is there also to clear the starter switch mounting screw and have room to wrench off that nut if needing to replace the switch.

Original pans for the seat base floor all have reinforcement cross beads in an 'X' pattern.

I believe the dimple was added to clear the battery cable--but that's just based on the location, I don't have one to look at & check.

I was wrong in my first post. I looked under the car and felt around without removing the floorboard. I checked again and found that there is a dimple right above the frame where the starter switch is bolted to the frame. There is just enough clearance to get a wrench in there to remove the starter switch.
Norm

I believe that the recessed under-seat pans are late and that the flat ones are early.