UP next, installation of the DSE minitubs and outer wheel houses.
First Nick used tape to mark the areas that needed to be cut out of the stock floor and frame rails for the DSE minitubs.
You can see here that to clear the minitubs, the frame rail needs to be notched as shown on both sides. That "window" in the frame gets reinforced and welded closed before the mini tub goes in.
A little trial fitting of the minitub confirms that the layout for cutting was on the money.
Next he cut out some material to reinforce and close off the frame rails where they were notched to clear the mini tubs.
This area also needed to be reinforced and closed back up so Nick made a piece to fill it all in nice.
Nick drilled holes to allow plug welding the patch to the sheet metal flange behind it.
Lots of trial fitting both in and out of the car.
During mock up and fitment the parts were marked so holes could be punched for plug welding in the appropriate areas. Not sure, but I'm suspicious the smiley face may have been compliments of Kelle.
Starting to look like wheel wells again..
Next the wheel well brackets all needed to be massaged and welded back in to the body reinforcement.
Nick decided to make his own brackets that tie the minitub structure to the seat back frame on each side.
Next up, the quarters and fitment of the rear tail pan....