Hey everyone, quick question:

My 2006 cabrio has these extra reinforcement bars in the engine bay:



I know that the coups do not have these standard, so I'm wondering if you think I could take these out for a few days to have them painted?

I'm installing a front strut bar and anti-mushrooming plates, which I'm having painted, and I was thinking that matching the color on these peices as well would look great. The question is - do you think I can drive to work and back for a few days with them of the car while they're at the painter's? I only have to go about 5 miles each way to work. Obviously the cabrio needs a bit more support because of the mising roof, but I can deal with a few days' worth of cowl shake so long as I won't actually damage anything by doing so...

What do you think?

 

My thoughts would be as long as you don't go jumping railroad crossings you should be fine.

 

You'll have no issues removing the braces to paint them. Just keep the stunt work to a minimum until they're back in.

 

LOL... The worst thing I'd have to do is do a bit of highway driving - about 15 miles each way to drop my daughter off at her mom's. Between my house and work is flat with no RR crossings or tight twisties, and I guess I could restrain myself from going down to SW Ohio to "straighten the curves" for a few days.

Thanks!!

 

Try to keep the roof up during the escursions that happen while the under carriage bars are removed. The top will help keep the car from flexing too much when driving. DO NOT DELAY the process of painting and reinstallation. I would hate to see the body flex too much, and then it needs to go to the frame straightener to have the under supports reinstalled. A scary process, seen it happen 2 other times.

 

Under what circumstances? On cabrios or coups? And were the bars deinstalled when this damage occurred? Leaving the roof up is no problem - better to have to use the AC (or just open the sun roof mode) for a few days than damage anything.

 

You don't really think the top will stop flexing, do you?
The vert top will do almost nothing to help the unibody. Top up or down will make no real differenc.

 

I thought ImagoX was only removing the small strut braces under the bonnet, not the undercarriage braces out back.

There is little if any risk of damage from removing those small bits on the strut towers for a short time. Just keep the Dukes of Hazzard airborne stuff off the menu till you got everything back in all nice and shiny.

 

Awwwwwwwwww... no jumping "poh-leese" cars for DAYS? I'll have to think about if painting them is REALLY worth it now!

 

No, please go! You'll be doing everybody a service if you tell us whether the braces make any difference .

 

Um... no thanks. I'll let someone ELSE be the guinea pig for THAT I think...

 

I concur - no worries.

And I've already jumped a poh-leese car - no worries there either.