Yeah, I am a noob to this forum but I have a valid question:
Can anyone point me to a reputable shop in the Southern California area to get my '88 Civic hatch seam-welded and a simple roll cage installed into? Also, about how much will it cost?
Thank you for the help.

 

what class or racing are you planning? make sure the rules allow you to seam weld the chassis

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BrianZ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what class or racing are you planning? make sure the rules allow you to seam weld the chassis</TD></TR></TABLE>

Good question, but unfortunately I don't yet know. I didn't realize that seam welding would be illegal in any racing. I figured it was standard for stiffening the chassis in any format of racing.
Can you give me an idea of classes, etc. that WON'T allow seam welding? I know I can (and will) research the rules, but the rules and classes (SCCA, NASA, etc) are a bit daunting for a noob. Am I crazy for even wanting to get the car seam welded as much as a noob as I am? Thanks for any recommendations you can give.

 

The shops out here are major shadiness. There is a shop in Anaheim called.......something I forgot. PM kiwi it used to be three doors down from his shop

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by KFBhonda &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Am I crazy for even wanting to get the car seam welded as much as a noob as I am? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Honestly, yes. Almost all the racing classes that you enter the car in will not allow seam welding. Off hand, other than HC, I don't think any class of amateur racing allows it. While it will help to stiffen the chassis, it also will make it harder to repair in a major hit. It may also really make it hard to sell your car. eg My cage is welded to the body in several places since this is legal in HC. (Because of this, I have to add a extra 30 lbs to my min. weight.) I wouldn't be able to sell to someone to use for SCCA IT competition as it isn't allowed for that class. I could only sell my car to someone interested in racing HC.

 

I believe RcrewRacing does it to some of their cars..

http://www.rcrewracing.com

not sure if they are in Hocal tho

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civicrr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Off hand, other than HC, I don't think any class of amateur racing allows it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think I have some more work to do now!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by KFBhonda &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Good question, but unfortunately I don't yet know. I didn't realize that seam welding would be illegal in any racing. I figured it was standard for stiffening the chassis in any format of racing.
Can you give me an idea of classes, etc. that WON'T allow seam welding? I know I can (and will) research the rules, but the rules and classes (SCCA, NASA, etc) are a bit daunting for a noob. Am I crazy for even wanting to get the car seam welded as much as a noob as I am? Thanks for any recommendations you can give.</TD></TR></TABLE>

What you really need to do (other than read the forum FAQ, and the so you want to drive on a racetrack thread) is find what class you want to race in first! I attended a few different races before I decided what I wanted to run. After you figured out what you want to run, then build the car to the rules.
Don't be like some others that build a car, then want a place to race it. Chances are you will not find a competitive place to run then.
After you have figured out what class you want to run.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BrianZ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What you really need to do (other than read the forum FAQ, and the so you want to drive on a racetrack thread) is find what class you want to race in first! I attended a few different races before I decided what I wanted to run. After you figured out what you want to run, then build the car to the rules.
Don't be like some others that build a car, then want a place to race it. Chances are you will not find a competitive place to run then.
After you have figured out what class you want to run. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Well said.
I incorrectly assumed that seam welding was a given in any class. I did not mean to ask a stupid question. But, now I will:
How much will the seam welding help? The way I figured it before, when I thought that seam welding was a given, was that it was done to counteract the inherent flexibility in the Honda unibody construction. Even on the street, I assumed, a stiffer chassis could be very much appreciated. A roll cage and seam welding seemed to be the tickets to less chassis flex and better handling. So, how wrong was I?

 

Try Culver Misaw at GT Fabrications. He used to work at Road Race Engineering and now has his own shop. He's done a few of the JIC Magic cars...

GT Fabrications
6880 Oran Circle Unit J
Buena Park, CA 90621
http://www.gtfabrications.com
714 521-6612
gtfabrications@sbcglobal.net

 

Buy a rulebook, steal a rulebook, download a rulebook! As long as there's a rulebook involved you're 10 steps ahead of where you were.

Don't some rally classes allow seam welding just for the sake of lower costs (keeps the chassis from being bashed to death by the suspension as quickly)?

 

seam welding is uber expensive for anything more than the strut tower areas usually

You can do the same thing basically your self without a welder using simple 3m automix seam welder. Alot of cars I've seen in the last year have done so including the car that won the E1 class @ the 25 hours of t-hill last year

 

ProMod- (323) 564-2213. Call them, you wont be dissapointed.

 

I have PM'd you.
For general information, check the rules &lt;www.honda-cup.com&gt; SCCA Honda Cup <U>does</U> allow seam welding.
For top quality fabrication work including Roll Cages, Seam welding, Custom suspension etc. etc. Contact Luis at L-CON Engineering Anaheim. 714 366 1711
We highly recommend him.
Kiwi

 

Thanks for the replies. Now I have something to go off of.
Nice hatch, Thawley. I saw you in the SCC "Ultimate Lap Dance" edition. Way to represent the 4thGens!

 

You could call Gary Steen @ Steen Chassis in Signal Hill.

He did the cage in my S2000 and does very high quality work.


He used to work for Boeing for ever.

Give him a call 562 989 1616

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sans &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">seam welding is uber expensive for anything more than the strut tower areas usually

You can do the same thing basically your self without a welder using simple 3m automix seam welder....</TD></TR></TABLE>

explain this 3m automix seam welder!! im interested

 

http://products3.3m.com/catalo..._html

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sans &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You can do the same thing basically your self without a welder using simple 3m automix seam welder. Alot of cars I've seen in the last year have done so including the car that won the E1 class @ the 25 hours of t-hill last year</TD></TR></TABLE>

is that the moton/HFP EP?

i did the prep work for my roll bar and wow its no fun at all trying to get rid of the seem glue stuff, any one have any pointers on it?

 

Our fabricater builds cages...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thawley &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Try Culver Misaw at GT Fabrications. He used to work at Road Race Engineering and now has his own shop. He's done a few of the JIC Magic cars...

GT Fabrications
6880 Oran Circle Unit J
Buena Park, CA 90621
http://www.gtfabrications.com
714 521-6612
gtfabrications@sbcglobal.net</TD></TR></TABLE>

I can vouch for Culver's work too.