Framing / reinforcement

[C_Note]

Anyone do any subframing and/or reinforcement work? Trying to figure out where I can get the material (rolled aluminum, or whatever) to start framing in the back of the CRX, before I put the knife to it.

Its stripped all the way down, except for one of the rear quarter windows and the outter door panels (the ground effects), so its pretty much ready for surgery.

Also, anyone know of a good cheap fabricator? Since I don't have the tools to do it myself, I'd like to have a set of new rear fender lips made.

[daveb91]

I wont have anything to do with this try some info at the resource they should give you the same info I will "dont do it". I already know Kurts stand on this. Its your car and do what you want. Have you seen a completed one even with bracing?

[kmfdmk]

Bring that shit out to my house!! I've got tons of stuff... tools welder, grinder torch... etc etc.

Umm as for fabrication work... *no clue* I do everything myself on a piece or railroad iron, pair of vises, plastic hammers and wood.

[C_Note]

I wont have anything to do with this try some info at the resource they should give you the same info I will "dont do it". I already know Kurts stand on this. Its your car and do what you want. Have you seen a completed one even with bracing?

Heh, come on, Dave. Join the dark side...

I looked it up yesterday, and found one that looks like what I'm picturing, and I think it looks decent. I'm not making a convertable, with a soft top and stuff, I'm going to make it a roadster.

And again, I have nothing else to do with it, other than take it to the scrapper. Nobody wants to buy a 1st Gen, so all its going to do is sit around and rot.

I've got tons of stuff... tools welder, grinder torch... etc etc

Between my grampa and my old man, they have 60+ years of experience as Iron Workers between them (plus my little brother was in his third year of apprenticeship when he died), so these tools are not in short supply.

I do everything myself on a piece or railroad iron, pair of vises, plastic hammers and wood.

How do you replicate the results of a stretcher/shrinker? Thats what I would need to get the curve of the fender lips right.

[Jay]

youre gona make your CRX a roadster? uhm.. explain, i may wana partake or at least witness some of this event.

[kmfdmk]

stretcher/shrinker?

I don't I call it fabrication... *shrugs* I was just offering.. my bad.

[C_Note]

No, dude, I wasn't being snippy, I was asking. I can see using angle iron /railroad iron and hammers to reproduce the effects of a brake, but how do you put a curvature into a piece of metal? If you have a technique, I'd love to know about it.

[kmfdmk]

Well the way I got it was a curved piece of wood a 2x12 filed down to match the curve I wanted plus just a LITTLE bit deeper, and very gently beating the ever-loving crap out of it a gentle tap @ a time.. for about 3 hours...we don't have a sheetbrake etc.

[C_Note]

I can see doing that for a flat piece of metal, but would it work as well on something like a dogleg or fender lip, where there is already a brake in the form, so you have an x-axis and a y-axis that needs to follow that same curvature?

[kmfdmk]

torch, vise grips, gloves and a huge jig... yeah.. I'd just go with the ease of all the tools you've got available.

[Feedman]

I would think as long as its braced properly it would be just fine...in a project like this, planning is going to be key.

Take pics and PLEASE keep us posted....


Good luck bro... 8)

[C_Note]

Well, here is a quick sketch of what I'm thinking. The black lines are the car lines (back/sides/floor), the red lines are proposed paths of reinforcement, and the blue lines are possible additions (depending on how stable the red lines make it). The "A" on the top view sketch corresponds with the "A" brace on the front view sketch

[narfdanarf]

What kind of cage design do autocrossers use? I know it stiffens the hell out of it....I would be impressed if you could 3wheel in a convertible :lol: