Arm chair Engineer playing with a welder ;-)

One of my favorite parenting insights is if you give a 2 year old a hammer of course the whole world needs hammering.  Turns out it's the same with arm chair engineers like me and welders too.  I keep coming across seams that seem to cry out to be welded and it's like everything in sight needs welding!

So it goes that I keep coming up with welding projects on the car.  I hadn't really planned on doing this now but for the last couple days I have been making braces to firm up the chassis.

If you think about how an engine bay is made it's kind of like a shoe box.  The frame rails, firewall and core support make up the sides and the engine cradle is the bottom of the box.  Well just like a shoe box the engine bay is much sturdier with a lid on it.  So parts companies have come up with lots of braces to put the lid on the box.  One of the more popular designs of engine bay braces looks like this gold one:

It nicely ties the fire wall to the shock towers to put a lid on the box.  The only problem with it is it costs $250.  But with $15 in tubing and a welder that can be resolved. :-)  So this is what I came up with.

I know it is kind of hard to see but if you click on the photo you can see it bigger.

Notice the braces going from the frame to the back corners.  I added those for a couple reasons but mostly because all convertibles suffer from cowl shake and these braces will eliminate it.

Tying the frame rails to the corner will hopefully also add structural support for cornering loads on the upper control arms.

 

Here you can really see how open the engine bay structure is with out the added braces.  It really is a wide open box!

 Yes I did pull the engine back out again.  I need to weld up the firewall where I made the cuts to widen it.  Next time it goes in for good thought!!!

The other contraption that makes a big difference in Miatas is the green critter in this photo called a frog arm.

It is a pretty cool hunk of bling that stiffens up the front of the car but again the price tag on them is $250 so I just welded up some pretty simple bars.

I may expand on that some but I'm really tired from not sleeping well this week so I quit with that.  We had a huge ice storm and the power was out for a couple of days.  It's amazing how you take electricity for granted until it's gone!!  The whole town looks like a war zone.

God has blessed us again with no damage to the house or property other than some limbs down.
Psalm 91:1-3  Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety  he is my God, and I trust in him.  Fore will rescue you from every trap and protect you from every evil.