top plate: 1 Subaru chassis: FAIL....

Sounds like you have atleast a decent plan of putting it back together. My only worry is it looks like it's twisted forward a bit, but very tough to tell from photos. The Subaru Body diagrams are available online, you could probably get the measurements from there, and do some crude measurements yourself.

IMHO looking at your undamaged side.

The cage tubes should have been about 2-3 inches higher, basically right at the corner. Then the a plate cut for the strut top which basically duplicated the OEM top completely, and welded to the plate the backstays were welded to. You won't be able to move your backstays, but definately tie whatever material you weld in for the strut tops to the cage plate.

Jon, here is a suugestion you might consider:
Find some 6" diameter or so tubing, .12" min or sligthly thicker wall, large enough to fit around the sturt top nuts and allow socket clearance to them. Cut 2 length about 3" to form some big rings (or start with flat plate and bend some rings and weld the ends), and notch to fit and surface irregularities aroudn the strut tops. Weld to the top plating surface around the strut tops.

This will stiffen the added plating and spread the loads very evenly, which avoids the loads concentrating in one spot, which always starts tearing like this. More importantly, these rings will give you an excellent point to which to easily weld all sorts of supports.

Good luck,
Makr B.

shit....this isn't going to be easy....need to take the rear window out. eerrrgh.


(although, now I might as well replace the rear window w/lexan)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2011 08:19PM by Jon Burke.

Jon, our of curiosity - what suspension were you running?

Quote
Morison
Jon, our of curiosity - what suspension were you running?

Fairly certain he has said DMS he got a deal on.

Curious myself cause that is harsh damage and even though whoever caged the car could have done some strategic stitchy weldy, I'm curisus what cause such damage---crash or hydro-locking

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
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is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

yah, DMS that have been rebuilt by Odi.

I think it was a combination of things....that corner's been hit before. And I think my NNR off was a nice little perfect storm of errors.

Interestingly enough, my reinforced front end did very well and even though I slammed it into that burm pretty hard, there's almost no front end damage (except the bumper cover, of course).

bump for post-fab work pics!

damaged side....now undamaged!



Right side, undamaged, now less undamaged.



the whole thing, with the new and improved 1.75" strut bar, birds-eye-view.

Looks good. Not a drop of pigeon poop on those welds. Don't forget to drill your passenger side mounting holes.

Very nice!

Looks great Jon! Nice work.

When adding plating like that what should be put in between the sheets to minimize risk of rusting?

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Greg Donovan
When adding plating like that what should be put in between the sheets to minimize risk of rusting?

You poor saltlanders.... Make sure it's really clean, then seal it afterwords with an epoxy primer of some sort.

Very Nice. that goes on my "want to improve list" for betsy for sure!

Curious about the costs in both time and money to add this to your car.

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Greg Donovan
Curious about the costs in both time and money to add this to your car.

the only 'good' thing about this.....low cost.

12gauge piece of sheet metal, 9"x30": $30
3 3/4" bi-metal hole saw: $20
Welding consumables: sunk cost
Time spent prepping and welding on the rally car: 5-6hrs

Posting photo's on teh interwebz and being all, "Look ma, I did this myself": Priceless.

That's it.