Heys people, as a few of you are aware the 1200 with the CA is going through final stages.

The engineer came back today regarding the gearbox mounts. They have to be re-inspected and certified again as they wont accept my welding qualifications (despite the fact I teach apprentices to weld) No probs there. But during the fitment of the s13 gearbox I blocked up the old hole in the tunnel. By cutting a piece of steel and pushing it up from underneith the car. Then I brazed this piece in to fill the old gear stick hole.

It looks sweet. However the engineer stated no structual modifications can be bronze welded. I cant see how patching or covering and existing hole with a piece of metal is in any way structural and would effect the strength of the vehicle.

What do you think???

p.s. The actual gearbox mountings pass no probs as they were mig welded into place.

I am the remove the interior and box and MIG weld this piece in place. WHY? I have seen people pop rivet a piece of ally over the hole in the past.

You should have painted over the top and said it was migged.

Any sustained heat application changes the properties.

Your engineer must be under pressure, might have been audited lately..


Just says: choose the most appropriate welding method.


VSI06 and NCOP4-LB-Transmissions don't specify the welding type for body mods.

NCOP uses the reference: " AS/NZS 1554.1:2004 :
Structural steel welding - Welding of steel structures"

Exactly - The interior is all in and I told him how it was done. Should have kept mouth shut.

AS1554 covers appropriate welding technique and a basic tafe cert covers this.

Your right about the national standards - I checked these before I disclosed how I had done the fitment of the gearbox.

Engineer wants fitment of gearbox mounts certified to AS1554 by an approved person. So might get a mate to do that and leave old gear stick hole welding as you cant see it. Get him to document that gearbox mount welding is up to scratch.

It impossibe to check without removal of seats and carpet. Maybe worth a go.

A engineer in WA lost his transport approval for passing my Auto trimmers Comaro with a 454 chev big block and some serious mods.

i agree it would be dissapointing to be knocked back for something so arguable.

but i dont see it as a huge problem.

pull the box, mig her up, and your legally on the road with a ca powered 1200.

thats what id be doing...

How much of the folding stuff have you handed over to said engineer? Would it be easier just finding another one, one you won't open your trap to?

Given the position your in I assume you've coughed up a bit already, just thought I'd throw the question at ya.

Do these engineers talk to each other ? They may be a bit snakey if one of them has done his $ ticket 'cause of you. Built an enduro bike in '78 nickel bronze brazed up the frame in cold drawn seamless. Put on a stock tank instead of the alloy hand made one,stamped a # on the frame and went to rta @ Roseberry
then rta headquarters. It was a wet day so they just got me to do a little circut in the yard to 'check the brakes'. Nutin like the good ol daze.

Engineer has been paid his initial fee ($250) and now at $50.oo per hour. He said get the car running so I can inspect and drive it on race track. I feel this is quite reasonable.

I then started asking questions relating to all the mods done to the vehicle. As last thing I want is to take vehicle to him 99% completed and been told to re do this and that. As was the case with the fuel system I had to remove a month ago.

I could remove the seats and carpet and drop the box a good 3 inches on the trolley jack and mig weld the plate once I get rid of the bronze. Its hard to get a good mig weld over bronze.

Its a huge job to drop the motor and box as I have standard tunnel and cant just drop the box. (So if you doing CA conversion get big tunnel)

$50 an hr is real cheap. I was thinking you might be able to find a bloke who's cheaper, cut your losses and go there, but I doubt you'll find cheaper.

Probably best to just MIG it. You could try and prove him wrong but it'll take time, and that's precious time you could be spending with the datto on the road or track.

Hey out of interest did your engineer specify that the gearbox crossmember be attached to the chasis rails. I was told that one of the engineers in Vic was demanding this and at the moment mine just bolts through the floor to large backing plates.
Good luck with it!

Going to get mate of mine who has a fabrication business to come out and certify my welding on the mounts. Will ask his oppinion, but will probally pull the carpet etc out and MIG it up.

cadet1200 the gearbox mount does not attach to the chassis rails. It bolts to custom mounts attached primarily to the sides of the tunnel and the floor pan. Originially it was bolted to the floor pan with backing plates and was told this would cause stress on the floor pan and could be done better. Hense all the effort I have gone to to fabricate moutings.