Thoughts appreciated.
Broken Shock Tower
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DogRocker
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:16 am
- Your car is a: 1981 FI 2000
- Location: Mountlake Terrace, WA
Broken Shock Tower
Looking to make an offer on a car, however the passenger side shock mount is completely broken at the top. What's the right approach to the repair?...assuming it's repairable.
Thoughts appreciated.
Thoughts appreciated.
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klweimer
- Posts: 550
- Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:45 am
- Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
- Location: Arvada, Colorado
Re: Broken Shock Tower
The shock towers can be replaced. Typically this will involve pulling the engine, disassembling the front suspension and drilling out a whole bunch of spot welds and then welding in the new tower. I'd be concerned about other rust on the car, if it appears the shock tower rusted to failure. I suppose it could have been "banged out" by a frozen shock.
Kirk
Kirk
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DogRocker
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:16 am
- Your car is a: 1981 FI 2000
- Location: Mountlake Terrace, WA
Re: Broken Shock Tower
Thanks for response. Weird thing is that I didn't see any rust on the other three towers. The rest of the metal around the frame rails, crossmember, etc. looks ok to my eye. I (would like to) suspect the rust we're seeing on this broken tower is a result of the break happening one or more years ago. Just a guess.
The seller took it to a nearby body shop and they quoted him $350 to weld a new mounting plate. I suggested he get another opinion. Meanwhile, I've got to figure out if this is a deal breaker.
I did a search here and found someone who did a repair using a washer welded in from the bottom. However, his original break didn't look as bad as this one (to me). Also, I'm not sure if welding a washer or similar into place would make the car slightly lopsided(?).
The seller took it to a nearby body shop and they quoted him $350 to weld a new mounting plate. I suggested he get another opinion. Meanwhile, I've got to figure out if this is a deal breaker.
I did a search here and found someone who did a repair using a washer welded in from the bottom. However, his original break didn't look as bad as this one (to me). Also, I'm not sure if welding a washer or similar into place would make the car slightly lopsided(?).
bass_and_vocals AT hotmail
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PhillySpider
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2016 6:51 pm
- Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000
- Location: New Hope, PA
Re: Broken Shock Tower
I'd move on...
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kmoses
- Posts: 366
- Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:28 pm
- Your car is a: 1979 Spider 2000
Re: Broken Shock Tower
A good welder can fix it if he can get to it. Mine was buster out on the passenger side about that bad (shock body was dented).
With the engine out and using a small tig torch head, it was fixed and ready for some primer in less than three hours. The guy that fixed mine sat right in the engine bay on the cross member.
With the engine out and using a small tig torch head, it was fixed and ready for some primer in less than three hours. The guy that fixed mine sat right in the engine bay on the cross member.
Last edited by kmoses on Thu Sep 21, 2017 4:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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DogRocker
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:16 am
- Your car is a: 1981 FI 2000
- Location: Mountlake Terrace, WA
Re: Broken Shock Tower
What worries me is a bad welder can screw it up. :\
Appreciate the responses.
Appreciate the responses.
bass_and_vocals AT hotmail
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chrisg
- Posts: 746
- Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 7:30 am
- Your car is a: 1971 FIAT
Re: Broken Shock Tower
it's repairable & if the car is otherwise cheap/great/solid/straight/full of great parts/combo then maybe it's worth it....but I'd have a hard time thinking that buying it like that when you can't repair it yourself would come out any way other than putting you upside down on the value of the car before you even go for a drive in it.
Chris Granju
Knoxville, TN
'71 FIAT 124BS (pretty), '72 FIAT 124BC,'76 FIAT 128 Wagon(ratbeast), '85 Bertone X 1/9, '70 124BC (project), 79 X1/9 (hot rod in rehab), '73 124BS (2L, mean), '74 124 Special TC, '73 124CS, '73 124 Familiare
Knoxville, TN
'71 FIAT 124BS (pretty), '72 FIAT 124BC,'76 FIAT 128 Wagon(ratbeast), '85 Bertone X 1/9, '70 124BC (project), 79 X1/9 (hot rod in rehab), '73 124BS (2L, mean), '74 124 Special TC, '73 124CS, '73 124 Familiare
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DogRocker
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:16 am
- Your car is a: 1981 FI 2000
- Location: Mountlake Terrace, WA
Re: Broken Shock Tower
It's got a very good engine, trans & diff. I'm good with the price of the car. I've got a plan in place now. Thanks for the response(s).... cheap/great/solid/straight/full of great parts/combo ...
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