Crunchtime Cage Construction Question

now this is complicated so stay with me here, get a 3lb hammer and give the rocker box section a good medium sized wack where you want to install the plates, if it obliterates and crushes like the french government in a war then go with your cut out boxed in section idea. if it bouces the hammer off and has little deflection, build on it.

I bet ther rockers are rather strong. still weld a plate on top and on the vertical face of the rocker and even if you wish one of the floor of the car too, this way the load is transmited to the flat floor.

I cant be sure as ive only driven a citroen sm around the block, not caged one. but as a person that builds cages daily, id try to mount on that rocker, if in doubt use larger and thicker plates

I hear what you're saying, I'm just worried a bit that the cage will actually not extend any lower than the seat of my pants, and if the car flips over there's absolutely no roof (fiberglass) or A-B-orC-pillar support-- we're talkin' pancake. I'm worried it could punch the cage down crushing those sills. You can see in the below pic how you actually step over and down into the car. Look closely and you'll see they (sills) extend down and into the black under the car.

I'm not disagreeing with you, just providing more information. I'm serious-- those things are like pontoons-- I think they get their strength from their box section size, not from the thickness of the metal.

I'll try the hammer thing, too.

--Spank

find your best 1/4" drill bit, some oil, and drill a hole where you're going to mount the cage plates. see how thick the material is. i think that box is a perimiter frame pc. and should be good to set the cage on.  i would lengthen the plates some just to be sure. 

this thing was built in france.........

Also if I recall from the last time  cut one in 1/2..   it was a rusty basket case.

the sides are doubled up.. So they are folded over themselves.

You know if the 60s  the DS won the Paris Dakar (sp) rally.  you may want to go out and look for some historic photos of how they cadged those cars.

This.

If you're really worried about it, gusset over to the B pillar.  The rear stays should connect to the shock towers.

In the picture below, you also have a hole in the box section so you can inspect the condition of the steel.  It also looks like its at least 16 ga, with a strengthening plate over the corner - I wouldn't worry about it.

just put more weld on it, your runing low on time!