4200 Spyder chassis brace.

[Oishi]

Hi all, and a chance to take a break from viruses and politics. I am in the middle of replacing all the brake lines in my 03 Spyder 6mt. Under the car looks really good, suspension tight, little to no corrosion, etc. But, there is a X shaped brace that is bolted under the resonator, that due to heat, has lost all paint and begun to rust. First question; Do all 4200s have this brace? Coupes, and 02 spyders also? Or is this part of the chassis stiffening that started in 03? The brace is heavy (about 10lbs), and stamped in a manner that tells me it is meant to resist bending or twisting. The bolt holes in the plate are much larger than the shank of the bolts that attach it.(+.200"). Second question; Might it be a good idea to make spacers to reduce the hole size down to the shank size, thereby reducing flex even more? The bolts are in tension and spacers would add shear to the equation. I have sandblasted and coated the brace with ceramic header coat. Can anyone suggest anything better? Thanks, Ed. BTW, my work on a Brembo 17z caliper conversion continues, however, it looks like it won't fly without major mods.

 

[BennyD]

I have one on my spyder and having had a look at it have concluded it is useless. As you say, the holes are bigger than the bolts and because it’s so small it will have little effect across the diagonal of the car. I think it was put on so they could say the chassis flex had been improved. You get a lot more benefit from putting the hood up and letting the frame resist the twist.