Gutting A Car - Do's And Don'ts

[SlowWhite]

I've started gutting my car in preparation for the Cage. And I am just wondering what I can and Cannot take off my car?

Primarily Just don't want to cut something out that I shouldn't. The first thing that popped up is the Brace that Goes between the 2 Rear Strut towers. I've seen it cut out in 2x1G's with cages but I was wondering if I cut that out prior to cage install will it effect the car in anyways. (car isn't driving but I don't want it to bend or bow type thing)

[Enes]

keep roof uncut. and your shock towers. foot wells where passenger and drivers feet are.. structurally that is what what is going to start wrinkling if there is any bowing or frame bending hapening..

-E

[SlowWhite]

So you're saying don't cut that brace that runs between the 2 rear towers?

What about the parts that Mike Swiss cheesed in his car? can i just cut those thing entirely out or will it be best to just swiss cheese it like Mike did?

not even sure if we have that type of stuff in our cars but if we do....


Is it ok to cut off any Bolts/threads that I won't be using any more. (ie: wiper reseviour)

[Raptor]

Keep in mind that all the holes I created were flared afterward which makes them stronger than flat untouched sheet metal. If you do one without the other, you will take a lot of the support out of the panels.

I would leave the brace between the towers in until the cage is in place, then cut it out after. Basically any thing that could effect the geometry of the car shouldn't be removed until there is a replacement (cage itself).

If you are gutting it to prepare for a cage, the best things to focus on are going to be the sound deadner (on bottom and top) and painted surfaces where the welds are for the attatchment points of the cage, that stuff catches fire and could make for a bad day if it can't be put out in time. It also has nasty effects on the welds themselves and could make the integrity suffer.

[SlowWhite]

Well if it does catch fire it won't be the first or 2nd time this cars been on fire.

Thanks for letting me know on that brace. I already have all the sound deadening material out of the back. (amazing how much easier it is with a heat gun and putty knife. Stuff gets as mushy as a browny right out the oven. comes right off with out any effort.

how do you do the underside? Is the material just like the inside? or what do you use to get it off?

How do you do the wheel well area where the rear strut tower welds will go?

[A//// Guy]

Can cages be bolted down at all vs welded? Or does it have to be totally welded to ensure structural rigidity?

[Goat Blower]

You're going to burn the undercoating in the wheelwells unless you scrape it all off, which isn't too smart around here. Just have an extra person with a spray bottle while the cage is being welded in. All I took out for mine was the rear speakers and frames, and all plastic panels and carpeting. Then I put it all back in afterwards, not too tough.

[SlowWhite]

Thanks for the info Steve. I guess I'd know more about how it's going to go together once it gets here.

Another thing I noticed is I don't believe my side bars are going to make it passed my doors/Seat. So I'm going to have to notch them like Nash did.

[Raptor]

They ended up notched because that job was rushed so he could make it to the track that weekend. It is possible to make most any of them work, but does require time to fit them up. So take your time and you should be able to do it without too much if any hacking on the door panels.

[SlowWhite]

That would be awesome. Do you have to have a bender or anything?

Where do you guys get the Foam for the Cages and which bars are required to have them?

[SlowWhite]

How hard is it to remove the Dash?

And what all can I take out from behind it?

I was removing the sound Deadening material yesterday to get ready for the cage and noticed some of it goes behind the Dash.

While under there I was wondering just what all I could remove?