A request

[TreVoR Cheddar]

Hi fellow Wedgers

My baby is, for the first time under my care, going to have a chassis re-coat with POR-15 by my trusty mechanic, Terry, as I am too chicken to do this myself.

Being as this is my first time I am naturally concerned.

My mechanic is brilliant and has always looked after all of my cars with excellence.

I know there are some established experts on this forum and I would ask whether any of you would be willing to provide a contact number to me via my profile email that, should any queries arise, Terry can call for a bit of advice.

Many thanks guys in anticipation.

Big love - see you at the Wedgefest

Paul

[chassis 33]

Just post you're questions on here, that way everyone can benefit, because problems and headaches are rarely confined to one particular car!

Regards
Iain

[TreVoR Cheddar]

Sure, I appreciate that and I will post any probs/info that comes to light.

I don't particularly anticipate too many problems that he can't sort out. I've also printed out loads of info from here, the Wedgepages etc - copies of sprint and Steve Heath's bible will also be going with the car.

What I was looking for was numberrs for that aaaaagh WTF is that moments if they come up

Paul

[adam quantrill]

If you are a club memeber there are a bunch of people that give out phone numbers. Doesn't Terry have a pooter - even my local garage has been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century by the DVLA! Other than that I agree, get him to ring you and post the questions up here, you'll usually get an answer quite quickly.

[boltontvr]

The best advise I can give when using POR-15, is don't forget to wear gloves. If it gets on your skin, you'll have a tattoo until you shed your skin .
I applied a couple of coats last week, and now need to apply the chassis paint top coat. I haven't attempted the full chassis though, just the outriggers.

[rev-erend]

POR-15 went thru my nomex gloves - came off in about 3 days .. so not as bad as some have said.

Terry is welcome to contact me about chassis condition / prep if he needs to - although any good mechanic will know when the chassis needs fixing and will be able to show and explain to you why.

[TreVoR Cheddar]

Thanks for the replies guys and thanks for the offer Adam.

Don't get me wrong, I have no worries over Terry's abilities to do the job - He's worked on my Wedge before, as well as an S and Chimaera, but being a fretting "parent" I want as much back up as possible on hand - I always do this - He is very patient with me as far as Trev is concerned

Went to have a look round TVRCC site but have forgotten the bloody password and don't have my Sprint at work (I have a cold - that is my only excuse)

Thanks again

Paul

[rev-erend]

Paul

I'll mark you down as coming to the BBWF.

Are you staying over for the full party effect !

[TreVoR Cheddar]

rev-erend said:

Paul I'll mark you down as coming to the BBWF. Are you staying over for the full party effect !

Thanks, at the mo' I'm probably just going up on Saturday as I have for the last 2 years.

S'later

Paul

[TreVoR Cheddar]

TreVoR Cheddar said:

Hi fellow Wedgers My baby is, for the first time under my care, going to have a chassis re-coat with POR-15 by my trusty mechanic, Terry, as I am too chicken to do this myself. Being as this is my first time I am naturally concerned. My mechanic is brilliant and has always looked after all of my cars with excellence. I know there are some established experts on this forum and I would ask whether any of you would be willing to provide a contact number to me via my profile email that, should any queries arise, Terry can call for a bit of advice. Many thanks guys in anticipation. Big love - see you at the Wedgefest Paul

Update with added Aaaaaaaghhh

Having now looked closely at the chassis, it seems that it will need a bit more than a quick rub down and a few patches doing. Terry thinks that although the chassis seems structurally sound, there is far more surface rust and crud than first thought and he is recommending that the body comes off so all areas can be thoroughly rubbed down/blasted and fully coated.

He doesn't have the facilities to do this. He doesn't think the chassis has been done before fully. Given my own lack of oily knowledge and having read various horror stories on here, I am now in somewhat of a panic and can only see £ signs and 000's in front of my eyes.

HHHHHHEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPPPP!!!!!!!

Where/who/how long/how much ?????

Already called Fernhurst - who is the closest to me here on the South Coast and they don't do it.

BTW - before I took the car to him on Saturday, I had a niggle and checked my MOT - which ran out on 10th March - but Terry has checked the car and doesn't think it have any problems going through the MOT on Thursday.

Can anybody help me please :frown:

[rev-erend]

Get it MOT'd first - if it passes then you will not have so much of a worry.

A chassis off takes around 60 hours - so you get the idea..

It's not really feasible (£ unless there really are problems.

As long as it's not an MOT failure then I believe the wedge chassis is pretty straight forward to clean up and paint.

Get the MOT first and then see where you are.

[adam quantrill]

Chassis off not necessary. Just POR-15 it where you can, and spreay waxoly on the hard-to-reach bits.

Apart from anything, the tubes rust from the inside, so it's partly futile coating the outside thoroughly.

[trevor cheddar]

Thanks for the replies Alan and Adam - I'll see how the MOT goes - just me being panicy as usual where the wedge is concerned

Paul

[rev-erend]

adam quantrill said:

Chassis off not necessary. Just POR-15 it where you can, and spreay waxoly on the hard-to-reach bits. Apart from anything, the tubes rust from the inside, so it's partly futile coating the outside thoroughly.

Agree with this comment .. I'll be bringing some really good outriggers (old & new) to the BBWF to do a demo.

[leorest]

adam quantrill said:

... the tubes rust from the inside, so it's partly futile coating the outside thoroughly.

I was thinking about drilling holes (6mm or so)in unstressed parts of the frame so that an extended waxoil spay tube can be fed along the chassis tubes. I haven't looked into this in detail but the first place would be a hole in the end of the outrigger tubes. Once treated the holes can be tapped and plugged with a non-corroding bolt, nylon, brass etc. I imagine the problem with doing the rest of the chassis is finding "safe" locations to position the holes that don't compromise the integrity of the chassis. The other thought was to drill small holes at low and high points and to pump in used engine oil till it came out the top, drain it back out and then plug the holes with the mig welder but not sure if this risks cracks?

If the chassis is good enough to get through an MOT then giving it a good wax-oil all over would maintain the status quo till you work out what to do!

[adam quantrill]

Yeah I was thinking along the same lines. The rails under your arse just in front of the rear wheels snap anyway every 20k miles or so, so I think it would be quite safe to drill them, and they are easy to inspect for cracks if you are worried.

These tubes connect to the main rails that go along the bottom of the transmission tunnel right to the front. On series 2 cars they also commect to the sill tubes. So they seem like a good way to getting old oil into the lower chassis.

[TreVoR Cheddar]

Yeeeeehaaaaah

Straight through the MOT - not one thing wrong with it



A big thanks to all for advice - will sort chassis out at leisure now.

Paul

[leorest]

Well done that man!
Bet you end up enjoying it all summer and don't think about the chassis again till the nights start drawing in That's what I'd do anyway!