MX-3.com

i'm stuck on this one.
no business in my city has offered to cut out my spare tire well in my trunk and weld in a flat sheet when I ask them to. Especially autobody shops coz they always have more money coming in from insurance claimed damages. So who can I turn to? Who can I trust? I was not born a welder. Likely because I have neither the time, tools, and tuition to undertake this daunting task in my trunky... Yet I have stripped absolutely everything out of my trunk at present, including all of the plastic panels on the sides, like a naked nookie. Can It Be All So Simple God

Not sure man, try a ghetto mechanic shop, they dont care. I was thinking about doing the same thing so I can do exhaust our the drivers side. I will only cut a part of it off though.

what im trying to say is that absolutely no one wants to do it.. welding shops, autobodies, no one; i called them all.. all that's left is me: the weldless welder-wanter wandering in a winter wonderland wailing "WHEN?!"

go to a shop that does kits and show cars. they'll do it

Before making a modification like that check with your insurance company and DMV. In many part of Canada especially out west, cutting and welding the unibody of the car is a big no-no and could mean an expensive inspection process which could mean cutting a sample weld for testing which you will then have to get repaired before the car can be driven on a public street. Many insurance companies are suspending or not paying out polices on "tuned" cars that have had any welding to the structural part of the body. Yes the spare tire tub is considered a structural re-enforcment to the rear chassis due to it's location and shape. The main reason non automotive companies won't make parts or modification to a car is because under Transport Canada laws they can become held responsible in the even of an accident.

mmmm

why are you doing this again?

I dont' see why a PROPERLY welded peice of sheet metal would interfear with the structural integrity of the car.

yeah, i went to one last resort shop and asked if they would do such a weld job and they said no: removal of the spare tire well would be detrimental to how the car is supposed to crumple during a rear-end collision ...

"but I don't plan on having an accident," I replied

well look who's smart:



Projectmx ... you have some explaining to do
and some envy to receive ...

okay man .... i might be a little lost.... can someone clear up what the point of this is....

nothing other than making the floor flat back there. You MIGHT lose 2-3 pounds.

cjthor wrote:You MIGHT lose 2-3 pounds.

Not to mention cargo room. I keep all my emergency stuff in there; cables, blankets, flares, booze, camera, flashlights, etc. That space keeps them from rolling around in back and keeps my trunk tidy. I don't know what i'd do without it.

cjthor wrote:nothing other than making the floor flat back there. You MIGHT lose 2-3 pounds.

Actually he may loose more that just a few pounds. For example were Illapino lives. If he were to checks with the DMV in BC and ICBC, he would find that in BC he will need to have the car inspected after making an alteration to the "chassis" of the car. I forward a link of the photo to a contacts I have out west and received that following info from the BC motor vehicle act.

"Rebuilt, altered or constructed vehicles (including kit vehicles) require a structural inspection along with the mechanical safety inspection at a designated B.C. inspection facility before they can be re-registered, licensed and insured."

The comments made about the quality of the weld in the picture were not very positive. There is not sign of any structural reenforcement added to take the place of the spare tire tub which makes up a majority of the strength to the rear end of the car. And there is not even any bead rolls added to the flat sheetmetal that would add some additional structural rigidity back to the rear end.

All this basically means that the people I was communicating with would not allow have allowed this car back on the road if it had come it to them in at least 4 provinces in Canada. Technically by the letter of the law in BC in until the car is structurally inspected his registration and insurance are suspended from the date the alteration is made until it passes inspection. In Alberta and Quebec the car a scrap order could be issues.

So there is a lot more to loose if you don't inform yourself before make a modification where you are altering a unibody chassis.

well actually Project MX is in the mid west, good old USA. they dont give a crap on mods like that, unless you live in Cali. the only reason he had to do it, is for the rear end clearance, it has to be done to make the Rear end fit, for the AWD project. I did the same. truth is it cuts out almost 15 pounds, its a heavy piece of steal. truth is if you weld in a thick enough piece of steel, and do a good job no one will ever know.


illapino-

you could always cut it out, cut your piece of sheet metal to fit, drill holes about every 2" and bond it with some body adhesive then pop rivit it in. it will be just as strong as welding it. and it doesent make any difference in strength if you spot weld it or weld it all around.

once you start cutting into the unibody and really look at all the welds its scarry how little of spot welds actually hold the car together, frekin scary.

mr1in6billion wrote:

cjthor wrote:You MIGHT lose 2-3 pounds.

Not to mention cargo room. I keep all my emergency stuff in there; cables, blankets, flares, booze, camera, flashlights, etc. That space keeps them from rolling around in back and keeps my trunk tidy. I don't know what i'd do without it.

i stash my beer there... i hate the laws here... i can go in a burning house and save a mans life ... and i cant even enjoy a beer afterwards.... that id just geh!!!!