Lemons racecar, addressing rust
 

Looking at picking up a 914 for a Lemons race in late October. I have a particular car in mind that has been sitting for some time. Its been started somewhat regularly and the mechanical w're relatively well sorted before it was parked.

But its been parked for a while. Which is to say: I expect rust and lots of it (pictures forthcoming). If I don't care about the condition of the car per se, but just need it to last a couple of 12 hour track days (and perhaps others), what are the areas I have to address, or check for their integrity? We will have a full cage welded in, which I assume will help tie the car together structurally.

Longitudinal body members, especially the right side, around the jack points.

The inner "ear" where the right-rear trailing arm mounts to the chassis. The section of longitudinal in the right-front corner of the engine bay, where it turns to go up. (AKA the "hell hole".)

It is much less common for 914s to rust around the torsion bar mounts at the front of the front suspension, but it's certainly worth checking there. Early 911s are notorious for rot there.

It is also less common for the outboard mount for the rear trailing arms to have structural rot, but that's still an important area. (Tip: When you get the car, pop out the plastic caps on top of the three bolt holes on that outboard mount and put as much PB Blaster or Aero Kroyl in there as will go in there. Those bolts love to rust in place.)

A full cage should help with the longitudinal stiffness, but having a sound body is always a good start.

--DD

Since I believe you can spend what ever you want to enhance safety on the race car, maybe you can have the chassis stiffening kit welded inplace. Say it is a safety item, it will improve handling, even in a rust free car.

Read the rules. There is certain bracing you can and can't do. The techs have seen it all so you aren't going to slip anything by them. But he's right, there are things you can do. The cage alone really stiffened our car.

I'd love to see some pictures of your car.

Here is one we're working on for next season:

http://i944.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/P1150284.jpg

http://i944.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/P1150286.jpg

It will be a V-8 car ( class X )


KT

with that roll cage, a bit of rust wont make a differance. So long as the car is straight before the cage is welded in place!

looks like a very strong design.