Strut Tower Help!

[93Nifty]

Happy new year everyone. Looking for some advice here. I’ve had my 1993 coupe for about 6 years now and finally decided to do some suspension upgrades. After removing the original driver side strut and camber plate I discovered what you see in photo below. Looks like the previous owner did some very shotty metal work with a cut off wheel…
The car was driving fine and I dont have any plans to race this thing so my question is, do you think it’s ok to throw on the new caster camber plate and strut and head to the alignment shop? I don’t have the time, money, or knowledge currently to fabricate a fix for this. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated and thank you for your time!

 

[rednotch]

Damn, some 1 probably tried to us 79-89 camber plates on a 93.. Should hold up fine but I'd still plate it and run some extra large hardened washers on both sides of the three camber studs that run threw that slotted area and the rear hole..... or see if any local mobile welders would weld it up for a few bucks... You can buy a set of the makers garage scuff plates, or the fleabay knocks offs, and small sheet of scrap to mimic them and make a patch if you want to plate what they cut out..

 

[93Nifty]

That’s a great idea! Thank you.

 

[Noobz347]

I had to look up the scuff plates (had not seen them before).

Didn't want to waste the link.

Optimal Caster Camber Scuff Plates | Precision Fit

Achieve elite wheel alignment with our precision Caster Camber Scuff Plates, designed for enhancing vehicle handling and prolonging tire life effectively.

makers-garage.com

 

[Mustang5L5]

That really needs to be fixed. It’s probably holding up fine now but if you ever put in stiffer shocks or even go to coil-overs that’s a safety risk. There’s no way to be sure just how far you can push it so I would spend the time/money to get it repaired.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Whoever did that was a complete a-hole. I am with Mustang5L5 and I would do it regardless of coil overs as those strut towers have a lot of load on them with the stock setup. Looks like the one bolt hole is original and about 1/4 of the original strut opening is still there so you would have two reference points to locate a donor patch from a wrecked car. I bet @95steedamustang would have some advise on how to go about fixing that.

Do we dare ask what the other side looks like?

 

[rednotch]

Finding bookmarks on this tablets a pita, I know they had them for a long time now, hell even fleabay sellers knocking them off so its been out awhile.


As for cutting that section of tower, its been done for years on race cars, but they generally plate it an use a fixed strut mount, mounted more inboard towards the engine side on true drag racing set ups and those take real beatings from wheel stands, its multiple layers and probably the strongest section of the full apron.

 

[93Nifty]

I appreciate the feedback fellas. The other side is (passenger side) is actually perfect. Very odd as this car only had 60,000 miles when I purchased and the rest of the body is in great condition with original parts.
My theory is the original strut may have been “frozen” and the previous owner ran over a significant pot hole or curb and caused the strut to “tear” the strut tower mounting area and the resulting “bulge” was cut out….who knows.
My current course of action it to massage the area flat, throw a plate over it and use some larger area hardened washers (thanks rednotch) to get this thing driveable to my buddy who’s a welder. I definitely won’t be installing coil-overs until this is properly repaired.

 

[Noobz347]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVhTDNlbsSc

 

[95steedamustang]

Whoever did that was a complete a-hole. I am with Mustang5L5 and I would do it regardless of coil overs as those strut towers have a lot of load on them with the stock setup. Looks like the one bolt hole is original and about 1/4 of the original strut opening is still there so you would have two reference points to locate a donor patch from a wrecked car. I bet @95steedamustang would have some advise on how to go about fixing that.

Do we dare ask what the other side looks like?

Ive done this repair a few times.
I keep donor sections around just for this purpose. I can cut this section out and send to the poster. Just cut your section out, weld in new piece, weld and grind until smooth and no pin holes and no one would
Ever know its been repair

 

[Noobz347]

Nevermind, I like this plan better.

@93Nifty Hit up @95steedamustang in Private Message.

Mouse Hover over his avatar and select [Send Direct Message].

 

[KRUISR]

My guess it a previous owner needed the adjustment and didn't want to use CC plates. Probably a lowering spring and needed camber adjustment

 

[93Nifty]

My guess it a previous owner needed the adjustment and didn't want to use CC plates. Probably a lowering spring and needed camber adjustment

Awwwww this makes sense!

 

[AeroCoupe]

Well its sad that they resorted to this whatever the reason. Hell if you need more camber just get the bolts for the struts if you don't have the coin for the CC plates.

 

[Noobz347]

Well its sad that they resorted to this whatever the reason. Hell if you need more camber just get the bolts for the struts if you don't have the coin for the CC plates.

We have seen so much Fox butchering here.

Back in the day, we had a dude that made so much power and torque that he busted off his 4-lug wheels and sat the car down on the pavement. Ouch.

He was a rich Jersey kid. I think he moved on to more expensive cars. LoL

 

[93Nifty]

Ive done this repair a few times.
I keep donor sections around just for this purpose. I can cut this section out and send to the poster. Just cut your section out, weld in new piece, weld and grind until smooth and no pin holes and no one would
Ever know its been repair

DM sent!

 

[General karthief]

He will likely advise you to weld up the bottom and finish grind that surface also....
just sey'n in case nobody does

 

[AeroCoupe]

I thought that was the normal way to do it? I will say it would get Krylon primer followed by some nice chassis black if it were mine but we all know Kevin’s car would be all show quality up in there.

 

[General karthief]

Funny when you're young and full of 'race car' visions, loud, obnoxious, barley drivable and prolly not smart or legal 'modifications ' then spend our 'older and hopefully wiser' years fix'n that crap

 

[Willybill32]

Funny when you're young and full of 'race car' visions, loud, obnoxious, barley drivable and prolly not smart or legal 'modifications ' then spend our 'older and hopefully wiser' years fix'n that crap

Hmmm…for me, those younger days are way in the past, but my ‘86 still makes a lot of noise…

Bill