Rear Body Modification

12th March 2008
After the first attempt at installing the IRS brackets I realized that the rear body dropped quite low into the area where the new IRS A-Arms where going to fit. I had already cut down the drivers side battery box and removed the side of the frame horn ready to use the IRS bracket jig. I had been thinking about the frame horn trusses and new that they needed to fit between the upper shock absorber mounts in addition to needing to create space for the passenger side A-arm to move. The spare tyre well placed a bulge on the underside of the body that was directly in the way of any bar that would traverse the top shock absorber mounts. I was already committed to rebuilding the battery box bottom and decided that whilst I had access to the rear of the car that I would cut out portions of the spare tyre well laving enough space for the new IRS parts and the frame horn truss to fit. You can see from the two images above the differences in the bottom profile of the buggy. The height of the rear projections in to the chassis had been reduced substantially.

The picture to the right shows the inside view from the rear seat area. You can clearly see that the cut-outs follow the line of the battery box. With the areas rebuilt and the rear shelf extended to meet the new back of the spare tyre well area. This hopefully would leave enough clearance for the frame horn truss to be fitted, if and when I managed to find one for sale at a reasonable price.

Finally I was nearly ready to see if the new gearbox fitted.