420 SEAC restoration begins

420 SEAC restoration begins

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Transmitter Man

Original Poster:

4,253 posts

223 months

Saturday 29th May 2010
quotequote all






No, that's not mine in the background.

My chassis it seems has less rot that Henry's later 450SE but more welds have come away from the main chassis, several tubes are bent or damaged and there is some serious flexing in the chassis as a whole. Pile of poo in it's present state. Welds will not be re-welds but complete tubing replaced with stronger seamless tubing and superior welding - my car must of come of the production line on a Friday!
Both front adjustable shocks were up against the bump stops - I though the handling was strange.

Chassis off to be grit blasted to see what other damage has yet to be spotted before rebuild begins then of to the hot dip galvaniser at 400 degrees C. That'll stop the bd from ever rotting again.

Gearbox was semi-shagged so dropped that of at Gearboxman in Redboune with a remit to do whatever's necessary to make it perfect and quiet.

More to come, same time, same channel

Phil
420 SEAC


Transmitter Man

Original Poster:

4,253 posts

223 months

Saturday 29th May 2010
quotequote all
BTW, anyone that's done a chassis job will note on the front of mine that the left hand diagonal tube has been re-located further forward. Has anyone any idea why or if this is unique on SEAC's? It's not a particular neat job.

Also, anyone any idea of the front and rear spring rates used on the SEAC's?

Were they any harder than the normal V8 wedge's?

Phil
420 SEAC

pwd95

8,382 posts

237 months

Saturday 29th May 2010
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Brilliant, keep em coming Phil, can't wait to see the outcome of the galv process. clap
Probably do this either this winter or next. yes

Edited by pwd95 on Saturday 29th May 22:40

wooly350i

2,248 posts

207 months

Saturday 29th May 2010
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Im no expert but i know someone who was asked to look at a problem chassis that had been galvanised and it had distorted to bucensoredcensoredery evidently due to the high temp even though the tubes had been drilled systematically to let heat escape,personally i would confirm with an expert before proceeding.Perhaps reconsider the merits of using zinc spray or powder coating and waxoil.JUST BEING CAUTIOUS! Before the weeping

redwedge5

583 posts

260 months

Saturday 29th May 2010
quotequote all
Transmitter Man said:
BTW, anyone that's done a chassis job will note on the front of mine that the left hand diagonal tube has been re-located further forward. Has anyone any idea why or if this is unique on SEAC's? It's not a particular neat job.



Phil
420 SEAC
Hi Phil I may be imagining this and someone else will comment I'm sure, but looking at your top photo and the front of the chassis, does your chassis have extra diagonal tubes coming forward from the suspension pillars (are these the ones you mentioned are located differently on each side?) to and what looks like an extra horizontal cross tube and extra vertical tube at the front. I'm sure my SEAC doesn't have these and they are not on the wedge chassis picture in the Wedge Bible.

pwd95

8,382 posts

237 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
quotequote all
Front of chassis definately looks different to mine. (450SE)

adam quantrill

11,535 posts

241 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
quotequote all
Yeah - hot dip galvanising does sound tempting but will distort the chassis - don't do it!

Also it doesn't get the bits that corrode - the insides of the tubes.

Glassman

22,501 posts

214 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
quotequote all
Bookmarked.

T-man knows why

wink

Transmitter Man

Original Poster:

4,253 posts

223 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
quotequote all
Hi Gerald and others, hi Paul,

Yes, it those tubes you mention.

I think some have to do with the fact the SEAC has a different nose to that of normal wedges but the modified diagonal tube gets me.

Will no doubt cross that bridge as and when.

I hear what others have said re galvanising but if enough drain holes are drilled and importantly the chassis is correctly fed into the 'hot' tank then I think distortion can be minimised or eradicated completely.

I need to confirm that my man is experienced as dipping chassis, such as for trailers etc.

Did you see my link in a previous thread re someone's galvanised Chim:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I'd imagine that if the drain holes are large enough and at both ends of the tube that the hot zinc would also coat the insides, no?

Phil
420 SEAC

cuneus

5,963 posts

241 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
quotequote all
Phil

best of luck

WRT to the chassis
I have seen a few with corrosion - looking at the inside of the tube the corrosion only extended a short way the rest was in remarkably good shape. I would urge caution.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
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Hats off to you sir, good luck. Mine is getting done as it falls off wink

rev-erend

21,404 posts

283 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
quotequote all
Phil

At last - hope it goes well.

Maybe the mystery of the rear suspension height will be
resolved too !

Waynester

6,324 posts

249 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
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Will follow Progress closely Phil...good luck

Whats the time frame for completion?


Transmitter Man

Original Poster:

4,253 posts

223 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
quotequote all
Thanks Alan,

I haven't forgot I have you PS parts.

Yes, big things happening on the rear end so will update as and when.

Wayne,

ASAP but going for new paint and new interior as long as the funds hang out.

More photo's in two weeks time when the chassis should of been blasted, repaired and blasted again ready for the hot dip..

Phil
420 SEAC

gsx600

2,740 posts

247 months

Monday 31st May 2010
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If you have any spare bits left over at the end let us know ascould do with the odd seat etc smile

Whats the framework in the body ? Is that jst to try and hold together whilst not on the chassis? Would love that sort of covered space to do mine in, but at least I'm now working on solid concrete yikes

Transmitter Man

Original Poster:

4,253 posts

223 months

Monday 31st May 2010
quotequote all
Yes, the frame is to stop the body from flexing.

This is part of a professional restoration shop with separate fabrication and engine building rooms and further adjacent storage for other customer cars.

They are far from short of work and have a wide variety of different cars. Aside from that early Corvette such cars as Ruf Porsche, Mercedes 190, Triumph TR5, 1930's hearse! and others.

The SEAC is in good hands.

Phil
420 SEAC

blaineuk

2,614 posts

246 months

Monday 31st May 2010
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The tube that is further forward usually has abend in it, may be by moving it they found they didn't have to bend it to clear the steering arm.

adam quantrill

11,535 posts

241 months

Monday 31st May 2010
quotequote all
Hmm - even if you are corect and drilling all the holes will stop it distorting, won't you have to weld up the holes afterwards - this will burn off the zinc (which incidentally will give off toxic fumes - be careful) so it'll end up almost galvanised.

If the outside is clean I would just fill the tubes with oil and seal them up = much less drilling involved.

pacman1

7,318 posts

192 months

Monday 31st May 2010
quotequote all
adam quantrill said:
Hmm - even if you are corect and drilling all the holes will stop it distorting, won't you have to weld up the holes afterwards - this will burn off the zinc (which incidentally will give off toxic fumes - be careful) so it'll end up almost galvanised.

If the outside is clean I would just fill the tubes with oil and seal them up = much less drilling involved.
I read somewhere, that provided the correct number and position of holes are drilled, it's not the actual hot dip process that causes the chassis to deform, but whether the galvanizer's normal practice of leaving it over the tank to drip and cool is followed. The trick in maintaining the chassis undistorted is to remove it immediately from the area of heat after dipping, IIRC. Best have a word with your galvanizer to clarify things. HTH.

Transmitter Man

Original Poster:

4,253 posts

223 months

Monday 31st May 2010
quotequote all
Hi Guys,

The tube that has been moved forward does not look like Blackpool work but that it's been carried out at a later date!

AFAIK galvanising, just like zinc spraying has a creeping effect and in fact protects metal around the actual coating. Not sure how true that is.

I spoke to Mr Chim who galvanised his chassis and he was advised to use 5mm drain holes. Post dipping he plugged the holes with QuickSteel then painted the chassis for aesthetic reasons with POR15.

Phil
420 SEAC