Rear Shock tower replacement.

[jfchoate1]

I recently gained owner ship of a '57 baja'd body on a '71 pan. Whoever converted it to a Baja thought they could cut the rear shock mounts and just attach the shocks to the cage they bolted to the luggage tray behind seat. Obviously that didn't work. Now my question is are the rear shock mounts replaceable at all or am I better off finding a different pan to start with? The mounts were cut just after the body mount. Are there other options that don't require a "racing" cage?

[joe cool]

My rear shocks are bolted to a half cage / rear cage and it works just fine. The shocks just control bounce, they are not supporting the weight of the car, the torsion bars do that.

[Dale M.]

IF the socks cage seem just flimsily bolted to luggage tray , just add a couple of braces from the cage to torsion bar tube.... Lot simpler than changing out pan...

Dale
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“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[dustymojave]

Since you are asking if it can be done, then I have to conclude that you're not confident in your own ability to fabricate replacement upper shock towers and shock mounts and probably don't have the equipment to do the job.

So ANY solution is probably going to involve someone else who DOES have the skills and equipment to do the job, whether it's fabricated shock mounts on the remains of the original towers, or installing a real roll cage and shock mounts on that. That might be a fabricating shop. It might be someone on this forum who is willing to do that sort of fabricating for you.

On the other hand, it might mean you should sell the car and seek one that does not have such issues.

There may be someone on here who has cut that part off their car and will sell/trade/give you those bits for someone else to weld on. This is NOT a job for a 110V welder. It will take more heat than such a welder can generate. But those are not parts generally considered replaceable. But they can certainly be welded on. Or replaced with other materials. Or mounts added to a roll cage.

Plenty of options, just not for a novice doing it himself.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
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