seam welding?

[mattrod70]

are there any hot street benefits to seam welding an engine compartment or the whole car for that matter? it seems like a lot of work but alot of racers do it and i know it helps with rigidity but will it give a noticeable improvement like SFCs do?

just curious because the car is coming apart and all the seams will be there and bare so it won't be that out of the way

tia matt

 

[351w_swap]

I haven't heard of people doing this for rigidity before but I will be doing it when I make the new pans for my 65 simply because I hate bondo. The car was pretty much supported in bondo (not kidding, the you should see the old rails) when I bought it. I guess I didn't contemplate the added rigidity because I dont have to worry about it with my full length rails and the 2 inch round tube cross in between them. I guess if you dont mind seam sealer or bondo on your car, leave it, there are much better, less expensive and less time consuming ways to add rigidity such as frame rail connectors and boxing the front rail to the rocker panel. Good luck in your project

 

[mattrod70]

the only rerason i would think rigidity is that race cars and rally cars etc always seam weld the entire car. i do plan on bracing in other ways as well, sfc, and am curious if anyone ever "x's" the hole behind the rear seat, like a monte and export for the rear? any thoughts?

 

[C0V3R]

The rear doesnt have as many problems as the front and center of the car. I'd work on the back after the rest was done.