Can I assume this crack means I need to consider one of maddog's inner long stiffening kits?

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For starters I'm going to drill the ends to stop it from cracking more and weld it up.

that's a common crack along the e-brake recess. I drilled the ends of the cracks and welded them up. that should be all you need to do

I'm running some pretty high spring rates:

21mm torsion bars
225 lbs rear springs

...and will probably go higher, but won't race much this year. I'll weld them up and keep maddogs website url handy...

I am running 22's and 250's, & I did do the engman kit at the same time. I found the crack when I was going to install the kit

Yup. Pretty much standard on all the cars.

Mark,

What's your opinion on jumping in to the long stiffening kit? I'm tossing the idea of a cage around, but that could be years away still.

Not quite true.
This crack only occurs on cars with the later handbrake.
Early cars with the articulated handbrake have a different shaped inner long which doesn't crack.

Early cars rarely crack there, the only time i have seen this on an early car was a no cage and no long kit car that was run hard at AX on sticky slicks.

Yeah, I forgot the early cars.



If you're gonna get a cage, the long kit will become unnecessary weight.

Decide and go one route. You might ask nicely at an event to try sitting in and getting in and out of cars with a full cage. This may sway your decision.

Prepping for welding.
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Welded!
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The one I'm installing had the same crack in the same spot.