AL Side impact, attachment....

[Captain]

Hi Everyone,

I have decided to install AL side pannels. Lucky for me, I think I can do it in one piece, as the sides of my FV are on the same plane.

My question is, what is the best way to install these pannels? I really don't want to drill into the frame if I can help it. Is there an alternative? I saw that someone here attached pannels using a clamp that went around the tubes, and hung the pannels. Would this be OK (tech wise)? I don't see a problem as far as safety is concerned...as the AL is going to tear away from any fastner, weather it be in the frame, hung, or otherwise attached.


Thanks
Jim

[racer27]

If I were to do this on my car, I'd weld strips to the frame rails, flush with outter surface. I'd then add fastners every 6+ inches.

[rickb99]

The 89SF Reynard FC has full cockpit length aluminum side panels outside the frame rails. They are attached with aluminum/steel mandril rivets on 6" centers.

As I'm taking the car apart, I'm pondering changing them to rivnuts and hardened steel 10-32 button head allens with washers for the sake of ease of maintenance. With all else to do, might not get to that this year.

[Captain]

There must be more ideas!

Thanks for the replies. Welding on the mount is one consideration.

[Brian]

one major consideration when attaching intrusion panels is keeping them in place when they are being used as intended (in a crash keeping another car out of your intestines). So tie-wraps, clamps, dzus fasteners, etc, really aren't the best solution. Riveting to the chassis is a good solution, it's what I would do. riv-nuts and oval head SHCS are a good solution if you use steel rivnuts.

In my opinion, anyway.

Brian

[formulasuper]

Shouldn't be anything wrong with drilling holes right in the steel tubes, most formula cars with tube frame contruction use this method to attach the floor pans to the chassis. Drill smooth holes and chamfer the edges.