Scamp suspension

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BigMO

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I am looking at a Scamp 1971 with no top...it is made to look like a convertible....I am wondering if the thing will twist in two without a top for rigidity. How rigid are these frames?I'm not a hot rodder but would like to make sure it won't break in two or sag in the middle. Thanks for your help.
 
BigMO said:
I am looking at a Scamp 1971 with no top...it is made to look like a convertible....I am wondering if the thing will twist in two without a top for rigidity. How rigid are these frames?I'm not a hot rodder but would like to make sure it won't break in two or sag in the middle. Thanks for your help.
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If they just cut the top off without any frame connecters or other mods, RUN. That car was never designed to be a convertible.
 
Are you saying it was made into a convertible? I do know the convertible frames have some reinforcements due to not having the unibody. There is a thread floating around here where somebody made a 70 Dart 2-door into a convertible. If the Scamp wasn't reinforced I would be looking at that very closely. Can you show some pictures of the car?
 
The top frame does very little for the rigidity of the car when its up, and none when its down. I cut up a convertible years ago and I found no hidden bracing. What it did have was the torque boxes underneath, like on 340 cars. If the doors shut good, and the panel gaps look good, its probably ok. Put in frame connectors pronto, ones that weld to the floor. Best thing I did.
 
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340doc said:
The top frame does very little for the rigidity of the car when its up, and none when its down. I cut up a convertible years ago and I found no hidden bracing. What it did have was the reinforcement bracing brackets underneath, like on 340 cars. If the doors shut good, and the panel gaps look good, its probably ok. Put in frame connectors pronto, ones that weld to the floor. Best thing I did.
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It was a hard top originally....I'm trying to upload some photos!

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Those are welded in frame connectors. If the doors open and close OK I'd say you are good to go enjoy the sunshine. I had an old Valiant years ago we cut the top off of and drove it all summer like that. We were dumb kids, never did anything to it and never had any problem. Sold it to my buddy and he drove it into the ground like that.
 
Yeah, like Hellrats said, those frame connectors look good. Lets see some above pictures of it.
 
340doc said:
Missed that!
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I missed that also....thanks to every one for the help....here are more pics...he wants 7.5k...I offered $5k..What do you think about price? All I do is buy something, tinker with it for a while, get bored with it, then sell it (almost always at a lose). With no top it would probably be hard to sell...I usually don't care what i pay as long as I can get most of my money back. He said it has a positive track rear, but doesn't know ratio....said he unplugged the speedo because pegs the needle.

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What do you think about the stance....looks low to me , especially the front...he said sometimes the tire rubs on sharp turns....will I be able to raise the front without to much trouble?
 
Yes, just crank the torsion bars up a bit in the front. The rear is springs or the band aid air shocks. Maybe coil over helper shock/springs on the rear. Doesn't look bad in the pictures but yea no top at all kinda sucks. It is unique :)
 
Someone put a lot of time in it for sure. Agree it would be a hard sell. If you can get it for your price and will have fun with it for a while, then why not. That's why we have our cars, to have fun. Good luck.
 
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