0RAAMaudio

Over the past few years I have had a few caged project cars and have had every possible issue you could think of. First one so bad I had to cut it out and toss it in the trash "race shop" owned by a "race tech inspector" used outdated rules, wrong size, wrong metal, crushed looking bends, etc. Second shop on that car did pretty well but took forever, I had to go help finish it, work all night, drive 175 miles to an event, no time to even scuff new race tires, still needs more work.
The next one was a mixture of the first two, different car. I just bought an 02 T1 race car, I am 5'8" and hit my head on the cage, once I took out the dash I found some horribly bent tubing, totally out of spec, etc.
After two failed attempts to get it worked on(not that upset, I do understand this business) and not willing to wait as it puts the whole project drastically off schedule I had enough.
I ordered all the tools I need to do this right, I can weld good enough and will practice and cut open to inspect what I test on(from a long line of incredible fabricators though I am self taught) and I will build it better than the vast majority of work I have ever seen done because I am **** about such things

I can afford to pay for good work, finding it, getting it done, that is another story!

No wonder I have been a hard core DIY guy for 40 years now, want it done right, do it yourself!!!!!

Rick

mikahb

More power to ya man. If I had the time, skills, tools, space, and inclination - I'd do the same thing!

Post up some pics as you make progress, would be educational to watch.

fatbillybob

+1 been there done that. Are you using TIG or spagetti shooter? Stockcar products sells NASCAR gussets that can increase the surface area of your welds. This is a really good thing if you are not a pro. If not illegal for your race class gusseting your rollover hoop to B piller and front down tubes to the A piller is a really positive thing to do with very little weight penalty

steve J06

I agree! I do most of my stuff myself even if it requires learning and practice before the actual fabrication. I find that i pay way more attention to detail and quality than 99.5% of people out there (and these are people in the biz). probably has to do with time/cost/bottom line of the other folks running a business while i'm just in the shop having fun.

0RAAMaudio

I have my bender and the tubing, will get the software and other parts,notcher, alignment jigs, etc, in the next few days then the fun begins!!!!

There are some exceptionally gifted builders out there but they are either very expensive and/or so booked up it is just to long a wait to get anything done by them.

Doing this as a business is certainly different than as a hobby, hard to do but a few merge them together quite successfully.

I have allot of leeway in the rules I am under so will really build this up nicely, tied into all I can do, gussets, triangulated, will make sure I run really good beads when I weld, proper penetration, etc.

Pillars tied into the cage most certainly!

This is going to be great fun!!!!!!!!!

Rick

fatbillybob

Actually it will be fun for about a day...then it's work!

0RAAMaudio

I know, just trying to have a good attitude for the long hours ahead, I love to make things, not particularly found of actually welding them together

Rick

WNeal