Snips from REVSPEED Video 36. Anatomy of FT86 revealed in some ways. Techician describes the body structure is extremely rigid. First, obviously from the huge B-Pillar as shown here, but also, the metals used on the unibody is light, but is unusually tough to cut or drill, or extremely strong. So much so to the point where, in constructing the D1 race chassis for Hibino's UpGarage car, the drill bits used to stitch weld, were getting dull very quickly and prevented the holes from being made easily. Interesting!!
Apparently, it is a very advanced new steel developed for Toyota, which is very expensive, but used in many places throughout the BRZ/86/FRS body structure.
Furthermore, the body stamping and joints are so precisely made that all of the jointed sheet metal surfaces mate very accurately, making the task of advanced race car building an easier task, saves weight, and helps keep the rigidity up even more.
While the crossmembers, suspension arms, and peripheral parts of the chassis are made of very lightweight and seemingly not so strong parts, the unibody structure being so very rigid, they report that the car is really a tuner friendly car. Where in locations and parts the users cannot easily modify (unibody,frame, and basic shell outline), it is very capable already out of the box, and where the users can indeed swap parts easily, and third party to make (arms, rods, joints, etc) there are many ways a tuner/constructor with some talent and resources, can customize to make it behave and tune in further directions as required.
Watch the rest on REVSPEED Magazine DVD Vol.36 (Japanese DVD)
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B-Pillar by
Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr