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Costa makes up a dummy forward tube out of scrap tubing tacked together to act as a jig for the one piece tube he will bend. This ensures a good tight fit of this critical tube to the unibody, speeds up fitting and reduces the chances that good tube will be wasted. |
The jig tube is held in place with tape and clamps as Costa builds it. Next he will use it as a guide for bending the final real tube into shape. |
A look at the jig tube coming into shape from another angle. A lot of fabricators skip this step and I notice that the fits are much worse. All good fabricators I know do something like this to get really tight fitment. The forward leg must be one continuous piece and only have two bends by the rules so getting it just right is tricky. |
A lower bar is added to the main hoop. This bar helps in side impacts and gives a solid point to mount the seats. This tube is missing in plenty of poorly built drift and race cars. |
A tower to tower bar is welded in place to the capped shock towers. |
The fitted forward leg is held in place with magnetic clamps and fabricator's vice grips prior to being welded in place. |