Impact resistance

[Fspp369]

Hi everyone, my car is currently in a million pieces and the body has been blasted and had the sills removed prior to shell reconditioning. Whilst it’s like this I had a thought about the 1974 body design and current specs for modern cars!
Does the forum have any thoughts on improving the side impact protection for my S3 OTS?
I’m already going to reinforce the sills, and have noticed the work done by Monocoque Metalworks with their S1 and S2 bodies and wondered about trying to improve the ”safety rating “ of the car.
Given the fact that as far as I know no impact information is widely published for the S3OTS.
Should I bother?
Peter

[eddiecross]

Hi Peter,
Maybe drop over an email to Chuck at Monocoque. He is really helpful and friendly and his S1/S2 sill and body tub mods are well thought out. Be interesting to get his opinion.

Eddie
67 S1

[abowie]

It wouldn't hurt, but there's not a lot of room inside the doors.

[dxke38]

US spec series 3 doors had side impact bars fitted I believe.

[Fspp369]

Eddie,
I have already “spoken” with Chuck and he says he has very little to do with S3’s .
Peter

[Fspp369]

Derek,
Do you have any info or images of S3 American spec car doors?
Peter.

[dxke38]

Well now I have to hold my hands up! My series 3 was in reasonable condition when I bought it in 2007 but I decided to improve it with a bare metal respray. This meant stripping the car of all removable panels including the doors. The passenger side I could lift easily but when I removed the drivers door it weighed almost twice as much. When checked I realised it had side impact bars fitted which I assumed meant the door had been replace way back with an American spec door. If I can remove the trim easily this weekend I will certainly take some pics for you,

[dxke38]

Well I managed to remove the trim easily so was able to check the impact bar in the door. I'm now not so sure that the door is not the original, it looks like the paint inside the door matches the original paint on the rest of the car. With the car being an early Ser 3 number 45 off the line it could have been assembled that way. Anyhow, I enclose three pics that show the inside of the door. It may be difficult to see the beam inside as it was hard to photograph. The beam is really heavily made and is the length of the door and approx 6" x 2" in section. Hope this helps.

[Fspp369]

Thanks that’s really helpful.
P