I think its not so much the total thickness of steel, but the shape that defines the strength.

I am pretty sure this is gonna flex the whole front of the car.

I understand the new motor needs the space. However i would reinforce the lower radiator cross member to get back some rigidity. Maybe even put an X shape from steel tubing in front of, or behind the radiator.

For reference, i added a picture of an original k member

 

[QUOTE=Wilfred88;2894862]I think its not so much the total thickness of steel, but the shape that defines the strength.

I am pretty sure this is gonna flex the whole front of the car.

I understand the new motor needs the space. However i would reinforce the lower radiator cross member to get back some rigidity. Maybe even put an X shape from steel tubing in front of, or behind the radiator.

I understand the materials I removed from the K frame being a concern to some. It is in the car now and really does not need to be removed for it to be finished, for that the engine needs to be put back in for the final plates to be installed to the K frame itself. I do not understand what this section has to do with the radiator supports right now. I would really like to finish this part before I move to the radiator support, I have gotten into trouble before because I started on a part of the car that I was not ready to be touched, thus it all had to be removed scrapped and started from scratch again, take a look at the first K frame mods. It had a lot more strength by using 50mmx4mm RHS with a baseplate the went all the way back to the where the original K frame ended at the rear made from 6mm bissalloy 75. The problem I made was I did not install the engine and transmission to check how it would work, and I did not have the rear transmission mount made. The other problem I asked by so many friends around me what I was doing for engine mounts, so I forgot about the transmission and was I was so wrapped up in making the engine mounts first and not the rear transmission mounts, by the time I made the trans mounts and installed the engine, everything had moved forward 60mm and so the front crankshaft pulley actually hit the rear of the front section of the K frame mod, so now I am not going to be making that mistake again. For me the engine goes in next, the trans mount has been made. The engine mounts are quite a long way from being started. The new radiator is 100mm wider than the original radiator, and I need to install the condensor and engine cooler and transmission cooler. All from different makes and models of vehicles, which means my radiator support is going to need some changes made. I am therefore not going to touch the radiator support until the engine/transmission is finished and the rest of the K frame has been fitted. I am afraid you will have to wait to see what will happen next just as much as I will. I appreciate any concerns about what I am doing, but please let me finish one thing at a time, I really don't want to pull it all out again because I lost my concentration and stuffed it up again.

 

The right and left front wings are connected by the k member, and by the radiator lower and upper support. The radiator supports are not very solid. So removing the k member, or weakening it, will result in movement of the left and right front wings.

I understand you dont want to alter the k member anymore, so therefore i suggested strengthening the radiator supports to ge rigidity back in the front of the car .

I understand the steel you used is thick, but only rigid in 1 direction. Its still easy to flex in the other direction.

 

I understand you dont want to alter the k member anymore, so therefore i suggested strengthening the radiator supports to ge rigidity back in the front of the car .

I also wrote;

I understand the materials I removed from the K frame being a concern to some. It is in the car now and really does not need to be removed for it to be finished.

Now to me this indicates more work is coming, I also stated;

for that the engine needs to be put back in for the final plates to be installed to the K frame itself.

I also stated that;

I do not understand what this section has to do with the radiator supports right now.

I have taken a bit of time explaining what I am thinking of here by even pointing out that;

The engine mounts are quite a long way from being started. The new radiator is 100mm wider than the original radiator, and I need to install the condenser and engine cooler and transmission cooler. All from different makes and models of vehicles, which means my radiator support is going to need some changes made.

I thought I had explained what I was doing in the future, and merely pointed out that I was not even close to being ready to start modifying the radiator support right now. The other thing I am sure I have also pointed out a few times before is I have to satisfy the authorised inspector about any changes I make in order to get what we call a compliance plate. I need this to get my vehicle registered. I am trying to meet all of these regulations, and I realise I may need to do other things to get the approval. They will be done. You obviously know a lot more than I do about modifying cars and metallurgy, and I can respect that. I am just a simple boilermaker taking potshots into the dark. I am still not ready to do the radiator support yet, and will not start on it until I have been approved to move on to the next section with my approved transport engineer.