Rambling on Cutting Cars.....was: Re: [Shotimes] Looking at the possibility of a SHO Wagon

[George Fourchy]

On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 09:24:38 -0500, Donald Mallinson wrote:

>By taking the firewall and all that wiring, they could do 
>the car without as much trouble.
>
>In the case of going manual, this would also solve the 
>problem of the clutch pedal.  Just have to put in the 
>shifter mechanism, which should be no big deal.
>
>That seemed to work out well, but I wonder about the 
>adviseability of cutting the all important A pillar.  I know 
>why they did it though, cutting the B pillar involves a lot 
>of work on the doors, and how they fit.

When the Lowrider was spliced, it was at the center of the rear window pillars, and
the floor under the center of the back seat and the lower center jambs (the pictures
are still there on the website).  The shop that did it said that a front splice
could just as easily and safely be done, and if the windshield pillars were
reinforced correctly (and cut correctly...the hardest part of all of it), a SHO
wagon (or any pair of cars with the same dimensions) could easily be spliced
together.  Reinforcing is done by cutting slots in the back of the pillars and
welding in same thickness plates inside the pillars.  The floor is simply
overlapped, measurements are taken from front to rear to make sure it is flat, and
then the floor is welded.  Everyone has a different opinion, and when I took
Lowrider to a different shop to be painted, the comments were that the repair was
too strong....the car wouldn't collapse (where it was designed to) when it was hit
again.  Since IT WILL NOT BE HIT AGAIN, I took note of but disregarded the comments.
 

The cost of obtaining and welding Lowrider's new rear end in place was $3200. 
Theoretically, out here in California, it could cost as much as $5000, but the shop
did not put anything back in other than basic wiring or plumbing required for the
lights, fuel, exhaust and brake systems (to make it driveable).  How badly and how
fast I wanted a Gen 1 SHO wagon would determine whether I did the cut and splice
method or the transplant method.  A person can get as strong a cut and pasted car as
he wants to pay for, but a transplanted original body has a lot to be said for it,
too.  

It just depends on what you have time for, or what you can afford.  

The longer I wait, the less "new", but more "cool" a stick SHO wagon would be. 
However, the longer I wait, the older I get, and (I'm discovering!) that also is a
factor to consider.  If there were more SHO nuts like me withing spitting distance,
it might happen a lot sooner than if there isn't anyone else to help and to keep me
going.  I'd be game for doing a transplant....you REALLY learn how the car ticks
when you take it that far apart (and you also find all the shreaded wire looms that
make it stumble mysteriously when you push the brake and clutch pedals!).  

Right now, I just need to get my original fleet back up and running.....

George