Hi all,
Hope everyone had a nice christmas,
anyway i am starting to work on my project again, I asked awhile ago about bracing the shell when i was going to cut it up. However i don't want
to have to buy some steel to brace it with and then weld it in. It would be easier and much cheaper to use baulks of wood.
Can anyone see a prob with using wood to shore the doors and shell? It would be fine for compression forces but would there be any tension forces?
obviously it would not stop the shell warping under these forces.
The shell is pretty strong and I will only be cutting around the rear arches so It not like i am cutting the floor out.
any opinions welcome
only things i can think of is:
1: wood will compress over time (like squishing together). shouldn't be a big problem i wouldn't think. 1 or 2 mm
2: water/damp being absorbed by the wood, possible swelling? constant water in contact with the shell = rust?
3: wood falling out? steel can be welded in, so won't move, loosen, and fall out. wood could do this, but depends on the structure you make
really, and how well it fits, and how strong it is?
i think they're only minor things though, on the whole, as long as its well planned, and well built, i think it would be ok.
im not sure what you are saying, do you mean to use wood as permanent stiffening for you car?
Or as temporary support whilst you mod the shell.
If it s the former then its a bad idea for a race car, I can think of anything worse than having shards of wood flying round during an accident or
impact
sorry and all
[Edited on 29/12/08 by liam.mccaffrey]
quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
steel can be welded in, so won't move, loosen, and fall out. wood could do this
no probs at all, as long as its bolted in
quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
steel can be welded in, so won't move, loosen, and fall out. wood could do this
Not with this great new product!
Weld it!
Get a cage from a reputable manufacturer and that should provide all the stiffening you require.
ATB
Simon
To be perfectly honest you will be ok without it I would have thought. How much of the rear arches are you planning to remove?
Most rally mods remove the outer arches and the inners and the gaps closed, often before the cage is installed with no probs.
Also after watching chop shop they dont seem to have problems either!
You really only have probs when either removing a roof or full floor, the front and rear parts of the shell tend to be stronger as the suspension pick
ups etc require it.
Steve