Re: Chassis Stiffening for Alfa Spiders ???

[C2slayman@xxxxxxx]

Hey Ron!


> Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2003 01:00:47 -0500
> From: RonHorowitz <RonHorowitz@domain.elided>
> Subject: Chassis Stiffening for Alfa Spiders ???
> 
> Howdy, Folks,
> 
> All this talk about chassis stiffeners and I simply have to ask a few
> questions....
> 
> A) Has anyone bothered to measure the torsional stiffness and/or torsional
> resonant frequency with and without this bolt-on gizmo or is this all just
> seat-of-the-pants?

You've got to be kidding! ;->  I have a hard enough time figuring out my 
tailpipe emissions for lack of good shade tree mechanics tools, let alone 
trying to track down a chassis stiffness-omometer (or is that a chassis 
stiffness-ometer?) the Harbor Freight catalog!

> 
> B) Why a bolt on? Would anybody be interested in a better-engineered
> weld-on structure?

Bolt on is easy to do with simple tools.  Welding would be better but require 
more prep work and extensive expertise with welding tools.  Then there's the 
matter of rust-proofing the welded areas.  Also, welding cross members would 
be a pain in the neck for transmission or engine removal.

> 
> C) Anybody interested in an R&D project?

I'll pass.  But I'd be interested in the results.  I'll offer my '89 up as a 
baseline test sample for the bolt-on version if you're in California.

> 
> Don't know if I've ever mentioned it, I've done a fair amount of finite
> element analysis of the modal behavior of mechanical structures....
> 
> RON
> 

Cheers,
Charlie
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