WRC bodyshells

[Langdale Forest]

In a WRC car, if the roll cage gets damaged, does the entire bodyshell need to be rebulilt?

[dimviii]

In a WRC car, if the roll cage gets damaged, does the entire bodyshell need to be rebulilt?

depends from the damage

[ProRally]

In a WRC car, if the roll cage gets damaged, does the entire bodyshell need to be rebulilt?

FIA rules say that the roll cage manufacturer can repair the roll cage, and as all WRCar makers make their own cage, they can repair damages.
But like dimvii says, depends how BIG the damage....

If main hoop is bend .... I doubt it....
If small dent near roof section, probably they will repair it

[Spud]

I agree...it all depends on the damage...

[kiil]

I was at Msport a year ago, and if i remember correct they have only scrapped 2 Focus bodyshells, both involved in fires. All others repaired, even the one from Latvalas Portugal crash. A new shell costs around 80000 pounds, so there can go plenty of hours into repairing a damaged shell.

[Mirek]

What the hell costs 800 thousand pounds on a bodyshell? Fabia S2000 bodyshell costs something like 24 thousand (as a spare part, not for manufacturer to produce), the rollcage is similar spec. made of very expensive Heggemann tubes. That's still expensive like hell although four times less. It's not a space shuttle. I can't understand these prices...

[kiil]

Just referring what we were told :-) It takes about 1000 man hours to just do the shell. The Focus was built from a naked floor pan. They then added most of the roll cage, and then put on all the panels around the floor pan and cage.

And its 80 thousand, not 800 thousand, still crazy money though :-)

[Mirek]

Of course 80, sorry AFAIK Fabia bodyshell is built same way from the floor platform. That's one of the reasons I don't get the price. For me it's just crazy

[kiil]

Everything about WRC cars is crazy :-)

[cali]

Of course 80, sorry AFAIK Fabia bodyshell is built same way from the floor platform. That's one of the reasons I don't get the price. For me it's just crazy

Maybe has something to do with british salaries? Man hours cost more than in Czech Rep. or maybe Wilson is good businessman Still crazy money.