Shitload of weld doesn't need to be pretty
Building for the road course...again
- Thread starter gotovato
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Crazycanadian
Greenie Member
There's a good chance that strut tower crack had started before the accident. I had to scrap my SMF 323 chassis after 6 years of racing it. The stress was starting to rip the body seems apart. The strut towers especially.
gotovato
Greenie Member
I guess I haven’t shared the video here.
People who know, know what happened. People who don’t know, well that’s 96% of the comments lol.
I was coming in HOT. I very clearly brake much later. My friend went wide and my fully attack brain said “I see gap. He must see me. He left gap. I go for gap”.
The closing speed was too much and there was nothing I could do. He was just there.
View is from my buddies frs which I hit
I don’t think the crack was there previously specially with how many times I took that front left Coilover on and off while I was setting up the suspension. Few times this year actually.
It was my bad. I was absolutely cooking and he wasn’t. He clearly didnt see me.
We’ve talked since obviously and no problems there. He said he knew I was behind him but wasn’t anticipating going side by side in turn 1. I told him I saw the gap and he’s like yea but people have been turning in from wide left the entire day which is true.
Technically that is outside of track limits and I wasn’t using that space. Rules for the day were open passing, anywhere and everywhere. No point bys. Just allow the pass.
Being that I know and trust this guy I figured it would be OK but that was a bad call on my part
People who know, know what happened. People who don’t know, well that’s 96% of the comments lol.
I was coming in HOT. I very clearly brake much later. My friend went wide and my fully attack brain said “I see gap. He must see me. He left gap. I go for gap”.
The closing speed was too much and there was nothing I could do. He was just there.
View is from my buddies frs which I hit
I don’t think the crack was there previously specially with how many times I took that front left Coilover on and off while I was setting up the suspension. Few times this year actually.
It was my bad. I was absolutely cooking and he wasn’t. He clearly didnt see me.
We’ve talked since obviously and no problems there. He said he knew I was behind him but wasn’t anticipating going side by side in turn 1. I told him I saw the gap and he’s like yea but people have been turning in from wide left the entire day which is true.
Technically that is outside of track limits and I wasn’t using that space. Rules for the day were open passing, anywhere and everywhere. No point bys. Just allow the pass.
Being that I know and trust this guy I figured it would be OK but that was a bad call on my part
gotovato
Greenie Member
Thankfully we’re good friends and have been for a while lol.
His car needs Coilovers and a wheel. He’s wanted new Coilovers for a while so now he has a good wife excuse
That strut tower crack was 100% from the collision. You would have felt it earlier on track if it was there.
You have really stiff suspension, with regard to what came on the car from factory.
Add up all the torsional strain from all the G's you were pulling all these seasons, and its no wonder you got that crack.
You could whine and cry about it like a good Honda kid. Or you could find a shop, that can weld it back together, maybe even add some support/reinforcement plates to both sides since you have now discovered a weak spot in the chassis.
You can either grow from it like a good driver, or cry about it, sell the car, and go back to daily driving boring grocery carts until you grow old and die.
Im rooting for you, even if it is a Honduh.
Edit: You could also use this as an excuse to upgrade some bushings on whatever suspension you transfer over.
You have really stiff suspension, with regard to what came on the car from factory.
Add up all the torsional strain from all the G's you were pulling all these seasons, and its no wonder you got that crack.
You could whine and cry about it like a good Honda kid. Or you could find a shop, that can weld it back together, maybe even add some support/reinforcement plates to both sides since you have now discovered a weak spot in the chassis.
You can either grow from it like a good driver, or cry about it, sell the car, and go back to daily driving boring grocery carts until you grow old and die.
Im rooting for you, even if it is a Honduh.
Edit: You could also use this as an excuse to upgrade some bushings on whatever suspension you transfer over.
gotovato
Greenie Member
So as you mentioned, I have done both. I have cried. Gotten that out of the way.
Now to repair.
Went by my shop today where the car is sitting. Boss man said it’s probably a good idea to just fix it.
He’s an extremely skilled fabricator so this really shouldn’t be a big deal. Hammer it flat and weld it. Maybe make some plates for the top as my camber plate is already underneath and just solid metal. Sandwiching the strut tower would probably be good.
I have a friend I helped probably back in 2019 with a shift selector for his genpu. His broke and at that time it was either unavailable or stupid money from the dealership.
I gave him my shift selector from my spare trans.
All these years later we still talk every now and then. He replied to my story the other day and offered me a subframe and steering rack. For free.
Such a huge help right there.
This said, we’re just gonna fix my POS and carry on
Now to repair.
Went by my shop today where the car is sitting. Boss man said it’s probably a good idea to just fix it.
He’s an extremely skilled fabricator so this really shouldn’t be a big deal. Hammer it flat and weld it. Maybe make some plates for the top as my camber plate is already underneath and just solid metal. Sandwiching the strut tower would probably be good.
I have a friend I helped probably back in 2019 with a shift selector for his genpu. His broke and at that time it was either unavailable or stupid money from the dealership.
I gave him my shift selector from my spare trans.
All these years later we still talk every now and then. He replied to my story the other day and offered me a subframe and steering rack. For free.
Such a huge help right there.
This said, we’re just gonna fix my POS and carry on
Last edited:
gotovato
Greenie Member
Got the message from the shop today. The cars “done”.
There was a lot of fuckery involved. Like…a lot. Who knows if the car is little to the left or little to the right or what but it apparently “drives just fine”. I like that but after knowing what they had to do…fuck me.
Body shop is ready to take the car in tomorrow and scan it and compare to the OEM measurements. See how close or far off we are. They can tell me within 1mm so that’s kinda cool.
Lots of money. Lots of fucking around. If the car is AS good as it was before this happened, I’ll be happy. We shall see anyways
There was a lot of fuckery involved. Like…a lot. Who knows if the car is little to the left or little to the right or what but it apparently “drives just fine”. I like that but after knowing what they had to do…fuck me.
Body shop is ready to take the car in tomorrow and scan it and compare to the OEM measurements. See how close or far off we are. They can tell me within 1mm so that’s kinda cool.
Lots of money. Lots of fucking around. If the car is AS good as it was before this happened, I’ll be happy. We shall see anyways
I had a Ford ranger that had rear ended someone before I bought it. I knew about the accident and bought it from a family friend that did body work on the side. One of the wheels was 3/4 of an inch further back in the wheel well than the other one. Drove fine and never had an issue for the 140k miles I put on it
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