So I purchased this 72 Spider on the intent of restoring it. Had a guy come in to look at the repairs done previously on the floor pans and everything seemed to be fine. So after cleaning up the spare parts and garage I decided to put the front end back together and first thing I noticed was the cross member was rotted on the one side, had the 4 bolts replaced and the nut on the one side also replaced. Looked closer under car and came across a rotted frame rail to go along with the rotted cross-member, on the other side the bolts that come out of the frame rail are loose so the question is..........how bad is this repair and should I maybe consider cutting my losses and dump the car for something more structurally sound , all opinions welcomed cause at this juncture I maybe better off stopping
Thanks Rob

i would fix it.
you can spot weld the bolts so they dont spin, and just run with it
or replace all the rusty metal and bolts. then you know its all good

Hi,

If the rest of the car is in good shape then I would fix it. You already have it all apart...
You should be able to weld in new metal and reinforce the area. The easy fix used to be to drill all the way through from the top and drop long bolts down from the top of the box section. A reinforcing plate was used top and bottom. But a proper repair would be better looking.

Where are you located? I could fix it for you if your close to NJ

Thanks for the offer in repairing it but I think southerrn Manitoba is a bit of a stretch from New Jersey. Got to take a look at your Fiat and repairs and I'm sure you would have no problem fixing mine. So by fastening a plate to the underside would it cause any difference in riding, rougher, stiffer, higher, turning radius etc. I know it would not be much higher but you never know, thanks again for the offer. Rob

just plate both under sides the same"with bolts

I'd clean the metal right up,even media blast it, make it shine. If those are done,look close for more hidden rust elswhere
A couple of pics of my current project(72) after I started digging. Ended up giving the car a lobotomy and put a front end of a 79 on



Chris

chico wrote: So by fastening a plate to the underside would it cause any difference in riding, rougher, stiffer, higher, turning radius etc. I know it would not be much higher but you never know, thanks again for the offer. Rob

Well, the bottom kind of has to be at the same level as it was before, otherwise the horizontal bolts for the crossmember will not line up. So if you plate the bottom most of the thickness will have to be on the 'inside'.

Brady, provide him with the pictures or a link of how you repaired your frame rails. Or send me an email and I can send you a series of 26 step by step pictures of how I repaired mine. I showed Brady the pictures, and that is how he did it too.

matt.scarton@gmail.com

So the question I have is...... If I would have extensions welded level with the cross member where it meets the frame so they ride front to back on both sides and then install another plate on top of the frame rail drill all the way through bolt it up and good to go? Hope this is understandable it does not fix the rusted out area but provides more structure to the top and bottom of the frame rail and then the bolts would sandwich it into place. Let me know what you think. By the way labotomy is defiantly not my answer even though I thought it to be really cool. And I thought I'd have a Frankenfiat Lol

Csaba,

Just curious, why don't you suggest a new crossmember here? You have them and the other vendors do too.

I see the rails need work, but why patch together the old member?

The old records that came with my Spider, the PO had a new crossmember installed around 2001. Calif car, no rust, so I guess it just busted or cracked.

Exit98 wrote:Csaba,
Just curious, why don't you suggest a new crossmember here?

I just re-read his post and noticed his 'rotted crossmember' comment. I guess I was paying attention to the pictures. It's rare for a crossmember to rust out, when they do the rest of the car is so far gone that it's not an issue They usually crack or break...
If the crossmember is rotted then a new one is in order.

I have a crossmember from a 74 and a 78 (i dont know if they are a direct or possible bolt-in) so let me know, i can have a look, pull them and send pictures if you are really needing one, PM me and we can exchange contact information. If your rust is just in the frame rail in the one spot, then I would spend the time to contact a few local welders until you find one that is not too expensive and will come out for 2-300 to come and cut, measure and replace the metal in the damage portion, just make sure and clean everything up so you know exactly what needs rebuilding. if the rest of the car is fine then go this route, shit people always talk about throwing a car away over a rusty frame rail or some spun nuts but in reality, welding of this kind, to me anyways, is way easier than welding bloody sheet metal!! its really no biggy if thats the only rust and you can replace the crossmember. Hell, with some good schmoke, some pizza, beer, basic tools and knowledge, one could build a better crossmember at home....hhhmmmmm

P.S. I am in Salmon Arm, BC so still not that close though.

So after getting welder number 2 in the decision was made to grab as many of the remaining parts of the car off and scrap the carcass. Not only would the frame rails need replacing but the front rad cradle looks buggerd as well. The option would be to find a doner car and replace the front end. This may not be the worse thing in the world if I new how to weld but the amount of labor would be really expensive and After everything is said and done ill have upwards of 6000 or more in the car and. Not be any further ahead of buying a ground up restoration. Very sad but now I've got a garage full of parts for my 79. Thanks for all the help guys. If anything it was a good lesson what to look for next time Rob

That sucks! my 74 was a beautiful car...until i went to paint and found out that is was basically a masterpiece of bondo, nearly the whole car....even underneath in the frame was bondo!! It had some good parts though!! I sure hope you dont lose your passion for the spiders and manage to find a really good one as they sure are a great car to have fun restoring and feel amazing to drive!