Another "body off" restoration...

[S7Paul]

I decided it was time to bite the bullet and get the chassis done, so entrusted the car to Southways Automotive as I knew that I had neither the time nor space to do it myself.

This is what they found:

Close-ups of outriggers (bad, but I've seen worse)





"Repair" to main chassis member, which must have been done within the first 9 years of the car's life.




And some little perforations!




And now the fully repaired chassis, after hot zinc spray, powder coat, and additional stone-chip protection on the outriggers.




When they re-assemble the car, it's also being treated to Gaz Gold Pros, polybushes, stainless steel fixings, powder coated rocker covers, silicon hoses, uprated power steering hoses, braided brake hoses and smooth-bore intake hoses. I'm also re-finishing the interior leather/ambla bits using one of the kits from Furniture Clinic.

Can't wait to get it back now (though I think it'll be a while yet).

[911legend]

if only they had used stainless steel when they were built.....

[Discopotatoes]

I'd be wary of stainless fixings they are not suitable for some areas

[S7Paul]

Discopotatoes said:

I'd be wary of stainless fixings they are not suitable for some areas

Yes, they won't be used for anything that's load-bearing.

[zed4]

I saw this at Southways recently. It's looking great, well done.

[S7Paul]

Thanks Dan, I'm pleased with how it looks. Adding the extra protection on the outriggers might be a bit belt'n'braces, but I don't want to have to have it done again any time soon.

[portzi]

once it done properly zinc primer and powder coat its good for 20 years at least, Blackpool powder coating was probably the worst there is, I am surprised TVR chassis have lasted this long, luckily most of it cant be seen, as some people would be shocked to see a seemingly go looking chassis when up on the ramps, to when the body is lifted and finding all the botch jobs that blackpool did to the cars .

nice looking chassis, by the way. I think it is very prudent to get the whole chassis refurbed rather than just the outriggers if your car is a keeper, as you will end up doing the main chassis anyway at a later date.

Mark

[Twistygit]

portzi said:

once it done properly zinc primer and powder coat its good for 20 years at least, Blackpool powder coating was probably the worst there is, I am surprised TVR chassis have lasted this long, luckily most of it cant be seen, as some people would be shocked to see a seemingly go looking chassis when up on the ramps, to when the body is lifted and finding all the botch jobs that blackpool did to the cars .

nice looking chassis, by the way. I think it is very prudent to get the whole chassis refurbed rather than just the outriggers if your car is a keeper, as you will end up doing the main chassis anyway at a later date.

Mark

Hi Mark, I'm in the middle of a body off now and I keep changing my mind on chassis finishers (usually weekly) I know everyone says Blackpool's powder coating was dire but I'm just a bit apprehensive about powder coating on a old chassis. do you think it is the best coating, I remember reading your thread years ago, is it holding up OK , is it OK near manifolds.

Graeme

[portzi]

Twistygit said:

portzi said:

once it done properly zinc primer and powder coat its good for 20 years at least, Blackpool powder coating was probably the worst there is, I am surprised TVR chassis have lasted this long, luckily most of it cant be seen, as some people would be shocked to see a seemingly go looking chassis when up on the ramps, to when the body is lifted and finding all the botch jobs that blackpool did to the cars .

nice looking chassis, by the way. I think it is very prudent to get the whole chassis refurbed rather than just the outriggers if your car is a keeper, as you will end up doing the main chassis anyway at a later date.

Mark

Hi Mark, I'm in the middle of a body off now and I keep changing my mind on chassis finishers (usually weekly) I know everyone says Blackpool's powder coating was dire but I'm just a bit apprehensive about powder coating on a old chassis. do you think it is the best coating, I remember reading your thread years ago, is it holding up OK , is it OK near manifolds.

Graeme

Hi Graeme. Well it been 2 years since my refurb and l went for powder coat. And it is still perfect , but l would be worried if it wasn't. I had the extra chassis protectors fitted both front and rear which are bolted on the the chassis. I removed these about 2 months ago to see if any debris was behind them and there wasnt . Still clean wax oil was present. So great news. The part that was wax oiled was the tops of the outriggers. How's your refurb going? I have been reading your thread with great interest.
Mark

[portzi]

zed4 said:

I saw this at Southways recently. It's looking great, well done.

Hi Paul.
Only heard good reports from Southways. Looking great. My main rails too were knackered which like you can't be seen whilst the body is one!!!!!!!!

[AV8]

Twistygit said:

I know everyone says Blackpool's powder coating was dire but I'm just a bit apprehensive about powder coating on a old chassis.

Graeme

From what I have read on the subject down the years, it wasn't that there was anything wrong with the powder coating itself, it was that they powder coated the bare metal directly with out any surface prep at all, and to make matters worse the chassis were often stacked outside before powder coating.

[portzi]

AV8 said:

Twistygit said:

I know everyone says Blackpool's powder coating was dire but I'm just a bit apprehensive about powder coating on a old chassis.

Graeme

From what I have read on the subject down the years, it wasn't that there was anything wrong with the powder coating itself, it was that they powder coated the bare metal directly with out any surface prep at all, and to make matters worse the chassis were often stacked outside before powder coating.

Your right, My brother in law said the bare chassis were left outside and in the lovely salty sea air too.

[pb450]

The other thing with powder coating is that once the coating is chipped it lets in the moisture which can then 'creep' beneath the good coating. Once in there it can't dry out so further corrosion is inevitable. Powder coating is great but once compromised by a stone chip, for instance, it has no 'healing' capability. After all, it's a coating system, rather than a bonded system.

[Twistygit]

I need to remove all the bushes then it's ready for shot blasters. When removing everything the only worn bush was the N/S diff bush and only slightly worn. I couldn't believe how good they all were

[portzi]

pb450 said:

The other thing with powder coating is that once the coating is chipped it lets in the moisture which can then 'creep' beneath the good coating. Once in there it can't dry out so further corrosion is inevitable. Powder coating is great but once compromised by a stone chip, for instance, it has no 'healing' capability. After all, it's a coating system, rather than a bonded system.

Its a hard choice to make, and there has been multiple theads about pro and cons of paint over powder coat. As blackpool did a poor job of the chassis first time round it will be interesting to see how a quality modern powder coated chassis fairs up ln ten years time!!!!

Mark

[Twistygit]

portzi said:

Hi Graeme. Well it been 2 years since my refurb and l went for powder coat. And it is still perfect , but l would be worried if it wasn't. I had the extra chassis protectors fitted both front and rear which are bolted on the the chassis. I removed these about 2 months ago to see if any debris was behind them and there wasnt . Still clean wax oil was present. So great news. The part that was wax oiled was the tops of the outriggers. How's your refurb going? I have been reading your thread with great interest.
Mark

I think you getting me mixed up with Nerbo (I think it's spelt) he started a thread. I haven't done a thread but post on the garage thread now and again. When I was TVRCC forum Nero had finished his refurb but he didn't update the piston heads thread

[Steve_D]

portzi said:

Its a hard choice to make, and there has been multiple theads about pro and cons of paint over powder coat. As blackpool did a poor job of the chassis first time round it will be interesting to see how a quality modern powder coated chassis fairs up ln ten years time!!!!

Mark

The issue of powder coating 'lifting' once a chip has occured is well known but I suspect is not as bad these days as the whole process has improved over the years. Also I suspect those that do still lift were not grit blasted first and in many cases the steel had either started to rust or still had on it the oil film applied by the steel supplier.

When we started talking to our finishers about the hot zink spray process they could not understand why we wanted to then powder coat over it. They claim railings that they have zinc sprayed are doing fine on Southsea sea front with no additional finish.
We have not been asked for the 'Galvanised' look by any TVR owners so most are powder coated.
The process is... grit blast, Hot Zinc spray, Oven, zinc primer spray coat, Oven, powder coat, Oven.

Steve
Southways

[portzi]

Steve_D said:

portzi said:

Its a hard choice to make, and there has been multiple theads about pro and cons of paint over powder coat. As blackpool did a poor job of the chassis first time round it will be interesting to see how a quality modern powder coated chassis fairs up ln ten years time!!!!

Mark

The issue of powder coating 'lifting' once a chip has occured is well known but I suspect is not as bad these days as the whole process has improved over the years. Also I suspect those that do still lift were not grit blasted first and in many cases the steel had either started to rust or still had on it the oil film applied by the steel supplier.

When we started talking to our finishers about the hot zink spray process they could not understand why we wanted to then powder coat over it. They claim railings that they have zinc sprayed are doing fine on Southsea sea front with no additional finish.
We have not been asked for the 'Galvanised' look by any TVR owners so most are powder coated.
The process is... grit blast, Hot Zinc spray, Oven, zinc primer spray coat, Oven, powder coat, Oven.

Steve
Southways

Your place does a quality job on the chassis as l have seen a few threads about the work you do. I used willow sports cars in Newark as he was local to for mine and again l can't complain about workmanship. My chassis was not hot zinc sprayed, but zinc primed then powder coated. If my poor initial chassis from Blackpool lasted this long then my new coated one should double that time span.

[portzi]

Twistygit said:

portzi said:

Hi Graeme. Well it been 2 years since my refurb and l went for powder coat. And it is still perfect , but l would be worried if it wasn't. I had the extra chassis protectors fitted both front and rear which are bolted on the the chassis. I removed these about 2 months ago to see if any debris was behind them and there wasnt . Still clean wax oil was present. So great news. The part that was wax oiled was the tops of the outriggers. How's your refurb going? I have been reading your thread with great interest.
Mark

I think you getting me mixed up with Nerbo (I think it's spelt) he started a thread. I haven't done a thread but post on the garage thread now and again. When I was TVRCC forum Nero had finished his refurb but he didn't update the piston heads thread

I knew you was doing a refurb Graeme, but there's a few on here at the moment, cerberas will be next in a few years and the t cars will follow in a few years after that. There's one or two early tuscans getting the body off treatment as those hot manifolds are devilishly close to the main rails.

Edited by portzi on Sunday 5th October 23:29

[Twistygit]

I've read a lot in the cerb forum, I think the heat burns off the powder coat, then THE wheeler dealer cerb