Monocoque "boing!"

[Guest Handlebars]

Hello everyone.

My 3a makes a noise over bumps-it sounds like the floor is flexing. Is this common on monocoque cars? If I put some angled ally front to back, might this stop it?

[Big Jim]

hi Jason,

Welcome to the Community board.

 

Right there's a couple of area's that might need "strengthening" If you car has tie bars on instead of the Sierra anti-roll bar, then you need to run a piece of 1" angle iron across underneath the floor, where the anti-roll bar used to be. If you just bend the last 6" or so of he bar at each end, you'll be able to pick up the bolt holes that were used to clamp the anti-roll bar in place.

See next post for more info!

[Big Jim]

Also, the side panels can do a good impression of Rolf Harris's "wobble board" I noticed that my RH panel was OK, but the LH one gave grief. The RH one had a support bolted to the top & bottom for the steering rack joint, this gave it extra support, I decided to do similar to the LH side as well. The bar is bent at 90º at the bottom and bolted through the floor, twisted through 90º as it comes up then has 2 90º bends at the top, so that it can be bolted through the inside "lip" of the chassis.

you can see it in the piccy, next to the alternator brkt (that wasn't there when it had the Pinto in!) the bolt is what fastens the top of it.

 

with these mods done, I have no longer got any "Wobble board" effect, and the whole car felt much stiffer.

[Guest Griff]

I had a problem with my near side, side panel flexing. Sorted it out in no time. Pushed a tennis ball down between the engine mount turret and the side panel, true hoody style

 

Problem solved!!

 

If you require further technical details and photos, sell your car

its not for you

[Guest Handlebars]

Thanks for the replies fellas. Oh, and I ran out of petrol today. Nice fuel gauge (right!), I'll have to fix my speedo cable now. After seeing some posts on that, I should turn the air blue once again!

[Guest salty_monk]

a baptism of fire!! I've run out of fuel twice now, you soon learn to carry a gallon in the boot...

[Peter Bell]

Before Jim asks where abouts are you Jason? it looks as though you are a new owner. There will probably a few people some where near to offer help, advice, and empty your biscuit tin.

Peter

[Guest Handlebars]

I live in Blackpool. And I'm glad my car has a heater. I used to live near Portsmouth until August last year. Wintertime down there we used to wear filp-flops and thongs!

[Longboarder]

Ha Jason, you're in for some fun changing the speedo cable. Did mine a month ago and access is tough. Ended up cutting a four inch square out of the tunnel side to get the circlip pliers in. Then you lie upside down in the footwell operating pliers, mirror and torch and wondering if you can get out again when finished. Laugh? I nearly cried.

 

Nigel

[Guest Petemate]

Hi Nigel

Good description, that. Being a smartar5e, I designed a large access panel for the speedo connection at the 'box (umbrella - rain) so I suppose I'll never need to get to it. But I won't hold my breath........

Petemate

[Guest Handlebars]

I do have an access panel (well, a resonably square hole) where the cable goes into the 'box, so that should make the job a lot easier... Nope. Didn't convince myself either!

[Guest alan rowe]

this tennis ball you used Griff - what are its technical properties and has it got a compressablity factor - its the sort of technical stuff that I sometimes resort to - failing that Chris Brown has very successfully helped me in sorting things

 

A

[Guest chris brown]

failing that Chris Brown has very successfully helped me in sorting things

Dont drag my name into it :gdit: :gdit:

[Guest alan rowe]

Chris - I was being very complimentary - you sorted out my clutch movement with an on site design

 

still working

[Guest salty_monk]

Didn't know Chris played tennis