Anyone used the longitudinal outer clamshells on a street car?, Time for hard choices Options

[Superhawk996]

Curious if anyone has use the outer longitudinal clamshell reinforcement on a street car?

Did you have any unforseen down stream effects to other panels like the door jamb, or the rocker panel? Also thickens the upper flange and I'm wondering if this will cause fit issues later with the door stripping, or maybe even the cosmetic sill plates.

Starting to seem like this might be a good idea for race car prep but probably not ideal for just trying to fit up replacement sheetmetal and still have OEM fits. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

I'm not in love with the additional weight either.

I can keep mocking up additional pieces but thought I'd see what the collective wisdom of the forum knows.

[roblav1]

I made my own long inners... bent and welded to the floors, bent over the top shelf and welded near the seam, and welded to the rear bulkhead and inner fenderwells. Rosette welds all over the place too. It's now the stiffest 914 I've seen.
I also welded in triangular gussets between the inner longs and the rear bulkhead, like a 911 Targa.
I once had a Lotus Esprit V8 twin turbo. It was by far the worst sports car I ever drove. Awful torsional rigidity. I gladly give up about 20 lbs of weight in additional steel to gain even 20 percent more torsional rigidity. Besides, all the 911 engine and stuff is an additional couple hundred lbs.

[Superhawk996]

I once had a Lotus Esprit V8 twin turbo. It was by far the worst sports car I ever drove. Awful torsional rigidity. I gladly give up about 20 lbs of weight in additional steel to gain even 20 percent more torsional rigidity.

But have you driven an Elise or Exige? Esprit era was hardly a high point for Lotus. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)