The Spitfire has nothing additional added to it for stiffness. If you
remove that "bulkhead" you will find out it is cardboard and behind it is
only the gas tank. The only other structure is the scuttle (the deck are
behind the cockpit where the gas cap sits) and that provides no structural
support what-so-ever as most of it is a simple piece of sheetmetal with no
reinforcement.
I think as far as structure goes, you are fine. Be more concerned with
quality of work and how well you like it.
Patrick Bowen
-----Original Message-----
From: Douglas Frank [mailto:frank@zk3.dec.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2000 1:12 PM
To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: GT6 Targa
Claes Lagercrantz wrote:
>
> I'm a potential buyer of a GT6 converted to a targa top. I wonder if
> anyone have had any experiance of this. Will the convertion make the
> car considerable weaker or does it matter att all (having in mind it
> is virtually the same car as the Spitfire)?
Not sure what a "targa" top would be. How much of the roof
would
be removed? I would expect its top accounts for much of a
GT6's
stiffness. (Spitfires, being topless, have a bulkhead
behind the
seats instead.)
Of course, any stiffness lost from the top might be got back
by
installing a welded-in roll cage, or a Spitfire-like
bulkhead.
(IMHO)
--
Douglas Frank Compaq Computer Corp. Friendship, n.
ZKO 110 Spit Brook Rd. A ship big enough to
carry two in
603-884-0501 Nashua, NH USA 03062 fair weather, but only
one in foul.
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