Grateful for your thoughts on this. I'm half way through a restoration project that I was neither expecting or really wanted, but in order to avoid losing face (and my shirt) completely, I've bit the bullet and had a go. Wing and a prayer - feint heart and all that! I've finished welding the bodywork which started of as just the floor pans but then like a can of worms turned into all 4 cills ends. I've now finally moved onto the engine - replacing the aluminium sub-frame towers because the bottoms were badly chipped (both sides) where the bush that retains the wishbone (think that's what it is) is retained.

The original plan was to travel over 150miles to a scrap yard that unfortunately is the only place in the entire uk to have a set and spend best part of a day unassembling these myself (as they won't do it). It's a nightmare job, so I can understand why with loads of cotter pins and a 'widow maker' transverse leaf spring to detension.

However now that I've finally got one of the towers removed from my engine, I've got to thinking whether it would be possible for a specialist to weld in a repair? Is that even possible on something so structural that's cast? It's in a bit of an odd place. The ali is about 5mm thick. Is it worth me looking into welding (not something I'd even attempt myself by the way) or would it be better just to bite the bullet and take the pain and go get the scrap ones?...

chipped bottom of tower:

the other side (i.e. what it should look like:



picture of tower (one on both sides that sit just inside from front wheels either side of engine/gearbox on subframe.

Aluminium is funny stuff. I'm sure it could be welded but I'd get replacements.

You are scaring me as to whether my Fulvia has similar problems! Whilst not ideal I think it would be better to get the replacement as long as they are good, you can always keep the original as a spare. Other than that it is talk to aluminium experts for this, thinking of old racing cars that get rebuilt after accidents it is definitely possible, but could be cost prohibitive compared to the replacements.

If you do go to get the replacements there are a couple of bits I might be interested in off the donor car if possible....

Do you know the ones on the other car are good?

If you take yours to an experienced welding company I'm sure they'll be able to repair the originals.

Quick local search, worth a call.

www.artisaneng.co.uk/

Odd stuff, aluminium. It work-hardens; gets stronger as it flexes. I wonder whether this would require heat-treatment after welding?

Yup - broadly the same view as me. I'm sure it can be fixed - there are people that repair alloy cyclinder heads after all - but I think I'd go the the replacement part as a first option.

I'd also want to understand why it failed. Seized bush (a la Jag XJS front suspension)?

I suspect it's clouted a kerb rather hard.

Indeed, welding aluminum requires strict procedures, especially so if you're working to specific sizes. It can be done, but you need heat, more heat than you would expect & after things have been done it can shrink. I've worked with the stuff in the distant past, but only butt welding, nothing too elaborate.

Thanks for the feedback guys - very much appreciated. Apparently the scraps ones are in good condition - unchipped.

I'll give artisaneng a call to see what sort of price they'd want (thanks Joe), but on balance it's probably more of a known quantity to go get the scrap ones. I just need to stop being lazy and get on with it. There might be other things I can get off the donor while I'm there.

MRS/Barnacle - good point about the cause of failure. I've guessed it was a kerb, but now thinking whether is seized bush or it was overtightened. The last driver had the car 40 years driving it until he was 90 so I have visions that kerbs and roundabouts etc. knew no bounds at that age.

Andy - let me know if there's anything you want me to look out for (bearing in mind that it's only the front subframe there).

Thanks again all.

Quick update:

Thanks for all the replies. I've been messed around epically with the scrap ones to the extent that they wouldn't even let me know the price before I went up there and unassembled them - no thanks. But thanks to Joe for putting me in touch with local specialist http://www.artisaneng.co.uk/ who were just the job. They've sorted one tower and will be doing the next one just a soon as I've got it off the subframe.

I'm getting there, but it's painfully slow progress:



before after:


Note the coupe pics on the wall - regrets? I've had a few...

Excellent

Well done. That looks stupidly complicated versus the Alfa Giulia.