asmallsol

The del sol is pretty much a taco. I have an extremly agressive suspenision setup, and even while autocrossing, its almost impossible for me to do the "pissing Dog" basicly, it is because the targa top. Just running with the top on really does nothing because the top actually does not take any stress. It pretty much just floats on the top, and the latches are there so that when you hit a bump, it doesn't flyup. Because of this, I am pretty scared to make a bracing system out of this. Reason is, because it is not designed to take any load, by making it take load, you could possibly put too much force on the winsheild or rear window and patentailly crack them. That really isn't an option.

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The basic part of the sol that needs stiffening up is the passenger compartment. As you can see in pic 3, the top of the sol is basicly held up by the windsheild and the weld from part 2.

In Image one, there really is no supports on the floor. There is the one horizontal support that the seat mounts to, but other then that, its pretty much not there. Now here is where my idea comes in.

I saw this thing on autoweek one time were they show how they make Starcraft vans out of normal ford Full size vans. In full size vans, there really isn't any big windows. What they do is they buy full size windowless vans, then they cut a hole for the window, then they add sheetmetal strips that is folded (looks much like the bars that hold up street signs) around the area to build up strength.

Now what I was thinking is using this same technique on the sol. Basicly add some Vertical supports verticall (front to back) in part 27 in image one. Now how would I go about doing this.

I originally posted it here http://www.hondaswap.com/forum...18971 but I would like to see what you guys think

Justin Jones

TTT

13HYBRID20

put in a cage If you put really stif **** on it will just cause more body flex. Cage would help a lot.

Solracer

What model Del Sol do you have? I can left the rear wheels of the ground with out much problem since I lowered the car, do you have a rear sway bar, cars with rear sway bars will lift the rear wheel pretty easily, it does not have a lot to do with chassis. I could left it when it was stock in autocross, but it was always when going about 25 or 30 and trail braking into a turn around cone.

NA PRO

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 13HYBRID20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">put in a cage If you put really stif **** on it will just cause more body flex. Cage would help a lot.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Cage the bitch!

asmallsol

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Solracer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What model Del Sol do you have? I can left the rear wheels of the ground with out much problem since I lowered the car, do you have a rear sway bar, cars with rear sway bars will lift the rear wheel pretty easily, it does not have a lot to do with chassis. I could left it when it was stock in autocross, but it was always when going about 25 or 30 and trail braking into a turn around cone. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have a 95 Sol SI. For suspension, the list goes as follows

Tein HA's
ITR rear 22mm Swaybar
Potenza s03 tires
circuit 8 wheels
Skunk2 rear upper strut bar
Nuespeed Front Upper strut bar
GSR Front lower tie bar.

SkyeC

That's weird, my car lifts the rear like crazy. I have a 92 hatch w/ a comptech rear sway (22mm). When I jack the car up on the side, the tire only drops down maybe an inch compared to the mammoth drop I get in the front.

Solracer

I was thinking and I have not liffted the rear a lot since I lowered the car and put stiffer springs on it, also a friend of mine who has an S-ER which used to lif the rear big time does not since he switched to better shocks and stiffer springs, no lifting the rear wheel is not a bad thing, also are you auto crossing on R comps or Street Tires?

asmallsol

No, not enough cash for them, I am just running on the semi sticky potenza s03's

Solracer

With street tires it is going to be kinda hard to generate the grip to lift the rear tires, I am going autocrossing for the first time on stree tires in a while and I let you know the outcome, when I was on R Comps, I could lift the rear without much troube both stock and modified, but I bet that with streets it will be pretty hard, the del so does have a lower db than say hatch or a coupe in my opinoin.

AzntaggeR

maybe you could look into getting the cusco 4 pt. roll bar for you sol. thats what i plan on getting for my car. user mospeed on these boards has one on his del sol.

asmallsol

The cosco 4 point bar IMO sucks, and thats if you can even find it. Really I have yet to see a bar or cage for the sol that is worth buying. All the custom ones either dont comply with Road racing standards, or do not allow you the use of the rear window, which IMO is almost better then the targa top.

2trix

weld 2 runners on each side of the top section with tubing...im sure you could do it right under the targa so its still functioning? just a though?....

Solracer

Most of the stuff people are telling you to do is going to push you into a class you do not want to be in wiht auto-xing, just becuase the tire will not lift in the rear does not neccisarily mean your car is flexing, with the car lowered, and higher springs rates, you are going to get less body roll , and espcially on street tires it will be hard to pick up the rear.

Fuminsho

try this link out:

http://progressauto.com/delsol/hondaarticle.html

Read the whole artical and then give them a ring... it's a 1800 number..

asmallsol

I read that article about 2 years ago. Thats probally one reason I started autocrossing was because of that article.

Fuminsho

just added a mugen front and rear upper tower brace. I thought the rear bar would cause the tail to get more squirrelly like it does for the Type R, but it made it more stable! I was nicely surprised!

Kudos for adding a rear upper and lower tie bar

EK MONEY

iTrader: (5)

leave the lid on..

asmallsol

That does nothing. The roof is a floating design. It is not design to withstand any force. The latches are there just so when you hit a bump, the top does not fly up, catch wind and fly away.

Top is good for areodynamics and thats it.