I was wondering what you guys felt about seam welding a thirdgen. Do you feel it would be worth it in terms of structural rigidity and stiffness?

If someone already had subframe connectors, but didn't wish to get a full roll cage would it be a worthwhile modification?

 

On this below linked thread several people including RB83L69 suggest that it would make a noticeable improvement:-

Has anybody improved on the welds?
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...ight=seam+weld

Heres a link to a Japanese thirdgen page with some good pictures of seam welding:-
http://www.advanceauto.jp/project_3rdcamaro.htm

 

so you guys know what the hell hes saying, heres the link to the translated page:


translated jap camaro road racer page

 

After being under my car for numerous hours after doing my engine and trans swap this is something I also have thought about but was not sure of how well this would work. Man this would be so awesome to have done.

Kevin

 

I am going to be hitting alot of the areas under the car this winter....if you really look at it, it's almost scarey..some of the spot welds and gaps that is. I don't plan on getting crazy with it, just going to hit the main spots.

 

I think I know where I want to visit if I ever go to japan! Those guys have one hell of a work ethic. That takes a LOT of time and a LOT of work but man does it look good.
The seam welding is a great idea. I'd definatly consider it if my car wasn't so rusty

 

Thats about a $100,000 Camaro with all that fab work. Oh to have metal working machinery like that and time. I'm doing this in small potatos fashion right now to my Mini (same intense level, just not "looks" quallity in fab skills with metal.

The only thing I just don't get is why in the samuri did they keep those stock strut mounts after all that chassis stiffening. There talents could have mock up something solid for this in no time.

 

Damn the japanese they can even make American cars better than we can.

I think i'm turning Japanese.

 

We're planning it on the turbo car this winter, but we're also doing a 14 point cage at the same time...

 

matt you crazy ****.....what are you doing on this board?

lol

 

That is a great link for that jap site.

On a welding note, I noticed that they welded the car up on jack stands. My car is just about as much apart as their's. I was thinking of welding the seams under the car while it was stripped. Is welding on jack stands with nothing in the car a horrible idea?? Any suggestions would be great. I truely don't want to put it back together spot weld it and then disassemble it to POR15 the bottom.

 

Hell, I figure I work on 'em often enough, and I own two so, what the hell....

 

I wouldn't be too overly worried about it. I know a lot of people say it's a no no but if you've ever installed a set of subframe connectors with the car perfectly level and supported by the suspension, only to have to jack on the connector just to make it meet up with where it needs to go anyhow, you've questioned the whole thing regardless... If you're that far apart, I'd say go for it, as long as the car is supported and level, not crooked and sagging.

 

I think adding the extra spot welds at the seams when you have a cage is a bit of overkill. I do think that welding the cage in extra spots like at the door pinchweld and the a pilars would help alot though. I am going to clean up the entire bottom side when it is on the jig and seal every sea. I am also in the process of scraping the inside right now and getting all the factory seam sealer crap out and after that im going to prime the floor boards with epoxy before i get the cage welded in. Im going slow right now though cause I dont get much time to work on it.

 

I think its worth it if weight really matters. Like if you went with a lighter cage and seam welds, versus no seam welds and a heavier cage. One thing I do know, if you ever crash a seam welded car the chassis is rubbish.

 

Heres a link to a thread on the Fabrication board that's prety useful.

Lightweight chassis stiffening
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=225361

 

Just do it.
Stitch weld it.

 

Damn, them japanese boys put together a pretty brutal Camaro!! Now, they're probably just going to slide around in circles with it...

 

No, that orange car is used for roadracing. Probably some series in Japan very similar to JGTC, which will soon become Super GT. Not everyone in Japan drifts, if thats what you meant by going around in circles. *shrug*