Trimming upt the strut towers on a 4th gen
#1
Trimming upt the strut towers on a 4th gen
I have the car pretty much stripped down to a shell for mock up and the cage. My question is, how much of the sheetmetal can be removed from around the strut towers ( the front portion ) before you start jacking with structural integrity of the front end. If i had to I could run bars from the interior cage out to the rails but wasnt sure if this was necessary.
Pics if you got them please!
Pics if you got them please!
#2
10 Second Club
iTrader: (27)
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kissimmee, FL / Vienna, VA
Posts: 810
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
This is mine so far and it's not entirely finished. I'm going to run a smaller tube from the forward bars down to support the motorplate. This will run right beside the shock tower and I intend on welding the entire tube to the tower. This will also go for the rear of the shock tower because I plan on cutting from there back to the firewall to run headers.
#3
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (28)
you can trim alot in the door jam, end of the dash hollow spot too, when you trim behind the towers, it a good time to re do the firewall cowl then too. (strait up if going lexan) look up ATVracer post when he went spindle form hub style front end and did all that for rear headers.
you can also drill the spot weld off the top sheet metal (cap) over the upper shock mount bolts (in the engine bay). whitetone has that done, and most of the MWC cages for the past few years. ohio boys, ant.
you can also drill the spot weld off the top sheet metal (cap) over the upper shock mount bolts (in the engine bay). whitetone has that done, and most of the MWC cages for the past few years. ohio boys, ant.
#7
7 Second Club
iTrader: (42)
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: paducah, ky
Posts: 4,558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
https://ls1tech.com/forums/17453404-post253.html
do it right the first time and cut all that **** out.
do it right the first time and cut all that **** out.
Trending Topics
#9
TECH Addict
iTrader: (53)
https://ls1tech.com/forums/17453404-post253.html
do it right the first time and cut all that **** out.
do it right the first time and cut all that **** out.
#12
10 Second Club
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For those who have the top sheet metal cap removed, how much weight does that save? Also how much does that affect the structural integrity? Would this be okay to do on a street driven car that doesn't have those forward bars with the cage?
#13
TECH Addict
iTrader: (53)
Once the cage is tied into the shock towers and frame rails, how much more work is it to make the front end removable? I remember seeing it done in Fireball's build thread. I saw that there is some sort of slot to receive the bumper, then supports behind the front tire. Then is it just dzus fasteners along the fender and shock tower seam?
I can't believe how much room there is with trimming the strut towers, let alone a removable front end.
I can't believe how much room there is with trimming the strut towers, let alone a removable front end.
Last edited by White.Lightning; 06-19-2013 at 05:43 AM.
#15
7 Second Club
iTrader: (42)
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: paducah, ky
Posts: 4,558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Once the cage is tied into the shock towers and frame rails, how much more work is it to make the front end removable? I remember seeing it done in Fireball's build thread. I saw that there is some sort of slot to receive the bumper, then supports behind the front tire. Then is it just dzus fasteners along the fender and shock tower seam?
I can't believe how much room there is with trimming the strut towers, let alone a removable front end.
I can't believe how much room there is with trimming the strut towers, let alone a removable front end.
#16
LS1Tech Premium Sponsor
iTrader: (26)
You could plate the bar on the back of the shock tower, then add another bar from the upper front side to compete the gusseting effect. It probably is not as strong as the higher mounted one-piece tube like I normally do, but would probably still do the job.
#18
10 Second Club
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm looking for some ways to remove weight, and these things just look heavy. My car isn't a daily anymore, but it does see a good but of street driving. In FL our roads aren't like the Midwest, but I do not want to remove these if its gonna cause a problem structurally without having those front down bars to brace the strut towers like the cars in the pics.
#19
7 Second Club
iTrader: (42)
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: paducah, ky
Posts: 4,558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the windshield in these cars provide some structural integrity on a factory car.... and when you trim the cowl back you'll be left with a hole and a gap between factory hood and windshield.