The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Tech → Rust? Structural Integrity? Are they not the same?
I plan on tracking a serious rustbucket at a future CMP race. Any recommendations on adding strength to the rusted unibody frame? I have to put new metal in the floor and the cage, but should I be concerned about the underbody?
See Team Seppuku for more information on the actual build.
WOW! Ur nuts!
Luckily, the roll cage doesn't count as part of the budget, because you're basically going to need to tube frame that and call it "the cage."
...but should I be concerned....
Yes, as should those around you.
Luckily, the roll cage doesn't count as part of the budget, because you're basically going to need to tube frame that and call it "the cage."
That's kinda what I was thinking about. All suggestions on how to do it inexpensively or Lemons style would be greatly appreciated.
start over
Grind to shiney, weld till dark.
I'd start by tying the front & rear together with homemade frame rails, the build off that.
Or throw the thing on top of another frame or VW pan. I'd write that Wartburger fellow.
YEW KHAN DOO IT!!
We started with a GTI that looked like that. It quickly became obvious that fixing it was gonna be hella time consuming, so we found a less rusty bodyshell on a local VW forum and swapped all the GTI suspension, electric, fuel, drivetrain into a stripped base Golf body. It was also time consuming, but didn't involve weeks of panel beating and fab work.
Just sayin...
I made frame rails out of open channel and bent my own floor pans from sheet metal.
frame off replacement. Or find another car. I would not drive that car with a cage unless major structural things were replaced.
Rusted through and cracked frame rails should end the build. Unless you know exaclty what you are doing - and then you wouldn't be asking us yahoos - you should find another car.
Rusted through and cracked frame rails should end the build. Unless you know exaclty what you are doing - and then you wouldn't be asking us yahoos - you should find another car.
Yep, I agree, It takes better-than-average fabrication and welding skills to safely repair that kind of tin-worm. You need to make sure that you return the car to structural integrity before you put the cage in. Make sure you/your welder/fabricator are up to the task, or get another car. Yes, our Nash Metropolitan is worse, but we do this for a living and will get it done correctly. I know that sounds arrogant, but really, we are professionals... and its a Metro!
Thanks for the input everyone. We'll discuss our options, but we really want to run the Met at some point. I was hoping to scab metal to the existing rails and make it solid enough to cage.
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