Ever since I got my spider, I've only been able to describe its handling as "squirrely." It needed alignment, and I could tell the front shocks are shot. Pulls sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left. I took her to the shop to replace shocks and bushings before alignment, and got bad news. Stress cracking in the frame of my otherwise rust-free, solid car.
I saw it myself. Where the bolts that hold the front end on enter the frame, there is cracking all around. 2 of the bolts just turned and turned. My entire front end must be dismantled, reinforced and rebuilt.
It sucks budgetwise, but will hasten my restoration efforts. Must be done immediately. Will probably cost over $1500 with all the bushings, shocks, ball joints, brake calipers and hoses (why not since everything will be apart anyway?).
I can't wait to feel how she handles. I had the front end renewed on the spider I had back in high school, but never got to enjoy it. Less than a mile from picking it up from the shop, I got hit by a guy who had run a red light. Totalled my car, new suspension and all.
Front End Upgrade
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HOLLYWOODSPIDER
Front End Upgrade
Last edited by HOLLYWOODSPIDER on Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mark_vaughn
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HOLLYWOODSPIDER
I got the car back, and it's much more sure footed. The mechanic took about 12 digital pics of the operation and the cracks and sent them to me. As soon as my dsl line gets hooked up (freaking Earthlink is taking forever to get me my modem), I'll be able to post them on here.
Unfortunately, the car still has loose steering (2"-3" of play before engaging wheels), pulls to the right and has "unpredictable" brakes. Those were the 3 complaints I had about the car that lead me into the shop in the first place. They're going to fix it, of course, but I can't take it back until the 1st of November, my next day off.
Unfortunately, the car still has loose steering (2"-3" of play before engaging wheels), pulls to the right and has "unpredictable" brakes. Those were the 3 complaints I had about the car that lead me into the shop in the first place. They're going to fix it, of course, but I can't take it back until the 1st of November, my next day off.
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So Cal Mark
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Boydness
Re: Front End Upgrade
Did you take any pics of the cracks or the finished reinforcement work?HOLLYWOODSPIDER wrote:Stress cracking in the frame of my otherwise rust-free, solid car.
I saw it myself. Where the bolts that hold the front end on enter the frame, there is cracking all around. 2 of the bolts just turned and turned. My entire front end must be dismantled, reinforced and rebuilt.