whats the latest on chassis repairs?

[bordseye]

I know that the factory say that a bent chassis cant be repaired, presumably because of the glue and rivet assembly. Maybe because the extruded bits arent available as spares. But I have been told that racers do repair bent chassis substituting welding for glue.

So factory backside covering apart, just how repairable in reality is an Elise / Exige chassis? Note - repair not bodge.

[bordseye]

Are both the sheet and the extrusions used in the chassis heat treated. If so, how and at what sort of temperature? My working life was in the steel industry so I understand heat treatment as it is used for steel but not for non ferrous.

And what about my F430. That has a welded ally chassis. Presumably from what you say it is a different grade of aluminium. Or maybe just thicker to give strength - it isnt a light car.

last question. I had thought that the Lotus chassis after glueing went into an autoclave to really fully cure the epoxy glue. Is that correct?