Body flex, welded repair panels and bondo

[bones]

Open to suggestions here. I'm debating on replacing rusted panels on a karmann ghia vs. parting it out. Panels would of course be welded in and finished for paint. I havew been told however that using a hipo motor will result in body flex and the repairs will crack resulting never ending repairs. Anyone have any experience in this area?

[Rescue912]

I hate to see cars get boned out so if you have access to a welder see about fixing it. Properly done the welds are going to be as strong as the original sheet.

Use a good non-talc based filler and you shouldn't have any problems. Not sure what Hi-Po is to you but it is pretty common to make 115-120HP with a slightly tweaked 912 motor and I've never broken bodywork - few other things, but not bodywork

The whole porsche monocoque vs. pan/body thing in the Ghia is a bit different but the pan tends to isolate any motion in the vehicle running gear from the bodywork even more than the 912's arrangement.

Get a good MIG (not flux core, true MIG) and stitch pieces back in with short bursts and it'll be fine.

[Kubel Nick]

If that's your case then I'd upgrade the chassis to keep it from flexing as much first.

[bones]

I don't know what you mean by strengthening the pan so it won't flex. Doesn't torque affect the body even more if the pan won't flex? The pan is solid and the heater channels have been redone using .095 box steel. The body was then bolted to the new channels. The frame horns have berg intermediate mounts, sway bars front and rear and rear engine support / traction bar. The motor I paln on using dynos at 147 hp. The tranny I plan on using is a berg 5 with 3.88, 3.78, 2.36, 1.59. 1.21, .82. Tires are 195/50/16. i paln on driving the car hard at times. Just don't want ot have everything crack. What do you all think?

[Rosebob]

Incidentally, where did you get the new set of floor pans??

[bones]

I didn't replace the floorpans. Instead I found a pan in the local wrecking yard. A telephnoe pole or tree fell on top of the car and creased the car from front to back. The pan was in great shape, not one dent or any rust. I then had the pan sanblasted and powdercoated. It looks like it came off the factory assembly line.

[moebius3]

neverending repairs are half the fun....fix it up and enjoy it for a while....if you want to sell it afterwards im sure that someone would love to buy it problems and all...