Shell prep -unibody versus ladder frame

OK so unibody rally car is generally the way to go because rigidity and generally lighter-right?

Stripping the undercoating garbage off and stitch and seam welding for the unibody.

But what if you are building an old school style Flexi flyer ladder frame vehicle for rally?

Box the frame and maybe add some crossmembers?

Do people still do stitch/seam welding on the body or is that a waste of time with the body being mounted on bushings to the frame?

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RALLYRS
But what if you are building an old school style Flexi flyer ladder frame vehicle for rally?

Best idea ever.

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Vincent Gagnon

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RALLYRS
But what if you are building an old school style Flexi flyer ladder frame vehicle for rally?

Best idea ever.

Well I most likely would go unibody- but some have built cars or trucks(gasp!) with frames so I was wondering what those guys were doing for prep before caging.

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Best thing to do with body on frame junk?

Don't..

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John Vanlandingham
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Not speaking from experience here, but trying to be helpful.

I'd tie the cage into the frame of course, and weld body to cage as best you can so nothing can move too much in an accident. There are safety implications to all this when you start to really think about it.

Other then that, maybe look at the circle track stuff a bit for any good ideas. The cage is plenty for additional stiffness I would think, a full frame car is a project for fun more than competitiveness anyway. Just build it and race it, solve problems from there. What kind of vehicle are you thinking?

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Perry

FE570s course bike
KTM 950 ADV
74 Beetle turbo-efi etc..
72 Beetle stage rally project WRX powered
Attended about 15 rallies, usually a volunteer in a course car.

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Perry
Not speaking from experience here, but trying to be helpful.

I'd tie the cage into the frame of course, and weld body to cage as best you can so nothing can move too much in an accident. There are safety implications to all this when you start to really think about it.

Other then that, maybe look at the circle track stuff a bit for any good ideas. The cage is plenty for additional stiffness I would think, a full frame car is a project for fun more than competitiveness anyway. Just build it and race it, solve problems from there. What kind of vehicle are you thinking?

Thanks for the post.

So besides the obvious tying of the cage into the frame, welding the body to the cage?
Taking the body to frame bushings completely out of the equation?

Interesting.

Thread was posted more out of curiosity and just to get a new thread going more than any solid plans of me building something with the frame.

Ain’t going to lie though, sometimes I’ve thought about a truck build. I know that idea is not popular here.

Heavy, ill handling, shitty weight distribution, Flexi ladder frame, etc.

But relatively heavy duty suspension parts both from the factory and easy aftermarket availability, and simplicity and durability, for the easy way to rally is kind of appealing.

But I struggle with thinking the fun factor just won’t be there compared to a proper set up car.


But if I ever did build anything with a ladder frame it would most likely be a truck.

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I've had similar thoughts. Some rallys are more open or are rough and it's less of a disadvantage in 2wd classes. Especially if it has a bit of horsepower or the weather is really bad.

Honestly, I think anything reliable with a decent driver is competitive for the most part. Not an event winner necessarily, but definitely had a shot at the podium at least for the class.

Safety wise, I always start picturing the body coming loose, sliding up the cage tubing and making the people space way too small in a serious accident. It can't go far because of door bars and etc, but I'd make sure it can't move. Also, cage to frame and body on rubber is gonna make stuff move around that shouldn't unless they are welded together well enough.

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Perry

FE570s course bike
KTM 950 ADV
74 Beetle turbo-efi etc..
72 Beetle stage rally project WRX powered
Attended about 15 rallies, usually a volunteer in a course car.