| Author | Message | ||
     Alan Dibley Experienced User Username: alsdibley Post Number: 46 Registered: 10-2009 |
Does anyone know how the monocoque fuselages of "modern" RRs are repaired. The techniques for straightening, cutting and welding traditional chassis are established and - in the right hands - reliable. What happens when one of the current models with chassis made out of digitally machined lumps of alloy are bent out of shape? Are the bits and skills available? Just wondering. Alan D. | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Grand Master Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 545 Registered: 4-2015 |
Reality may be ugly but facts are facts. Depending on how it has been bent, tweaked, distorted, in all liklihood the vehicle has been converted to a parts car. As noted in another recent post, there is no point spending many dollars, or other units of value, in order to create an end product that is worth but a fraction of the expenditure. Trying to straighten a tweaked frame, chassis, monocoque body, falls into that category. . | ||
| Jeff Young Grand Master Username: jeyjey Post Number: 318 Registered: 10-2010 |
From my experience racing, the aluminium monocoques are extremely rigid, and it's usually the corners that come off in accidents (or the crumple zones crumpled). Both of those can be fixed. Sometimes fastening locations are torn out or mangled, but replacements can be glued and/or welded in. If sedans are similar, then anything major enough to bend the chassis probably totalled the car anyway. Whether or not sedans are similar, I haven't a clue. Cheers, Jeff. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1342 Registered: 5-2015 |
I have been involved in straightening bent monocoques and I have never been happy that the finished job is as good as new. safe yes The finished vehicle is often worth less as well and given the amount spent it often best to scrap the vehicle. It depends how bad it is. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 329 Registered: 11-2015 |
arthur tussik | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 710 Registered: 5-2009 |
Almost anything can be fixed, some how. Should it be fixed: economics, or safety, or? Also matters. At my local GM dealer recently, I saw a new frame for a Chevrolet Suburban. I wondered how that was an economically sound project but it obviously was. Somewhere there is a technical manual describing approved repair techniques designed by the Factory and it should be interesting reading. | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Grand Master Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 546 Registered: 4-2015 |
Randy... I suggest that your use of the word "obviously" is arguable in terms of "economically sound". | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 711 Registered: 5-2009 |
"Obviously" because the Suburban in question was in the body shop and the replacement frame was just unloaded from the freight truck when I saw it. Some insurance co. was paying to repair the thing. All I know. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1151 Registered: 9-2004 |
Plenty of flood insurance damage cars around for a straight body change. The financial reward can worth it on some cars. Not for Mercs, the Star diagnostic for the Mercedes £45000.00 though. | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Grand Master Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 548 Registered: 4-2015 |
A very unique set of circumstances that would have piqued my curiosity as to "why" and what sort of insurance coverage existed that would have gone for essentially a "frame up" rebuild rather than simply declaring a total loss. Insurance companies are not fools, so something was apparently in play there. Unlike individuals who can justify excess expenses on "bonding" or "sense of accomplishment", et cetera, companies are stricly "dollars and sense" driven, so...strange indeed. . |
