Question from a non inititated: Chassis rust.

[J B L]

Hello,

Are SP6 TVRs suffering from chassis and outrigger rot as much as the RV8 ones?

What sort of horror, if any, can a thick coat of waxoil hide on a Mk1 Tuscan or T350?

Are later TVRs much more improved (i.e. Tuscan/Sag Mk2) and what model year did you start seeing much improvement.

All in the name of research you'll understand

Cheers.

[Zippee]

I can't speak for all but mines a 54 plate and I've no sign of any chassis rust at all, very solid chassis.

[NTEL]

Not really heard of any chassis rust problems with the "T" cars.

[gordonsalive]

rust seemed to be a problem between 1997-99 something to do with inferior powder coating. Not heard of any t-car problems out of the ordinary. Having said that waxoyl can hide those sort of problems.

[cookie450]

Generally accepted that T cars have much better chassis protection and not heard of any issues, except where accident damaged. That said I wouldn't buy one without getting it up on a ramp and poking around to ensure powder coating and baed material intact.

[MPETT]

My chassis was built in Jan 2000. Here's the video taken late 2011:

http://youtu.be/x8fNUFo-vcA

My project link for more details of what else needed replacing. Car haS done 24K.

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

[sidpinup]

I would agree that T cars are better protected. However I would check as they can rust and it can sneak under the powder coat causing it to flake off on sheets. There are a few ways to treat this POR, epoxy paint etc. I have a few rust areas on my Tamora chassis so they are not immune.

[Basil Brush]

I've seen a few with rot on the chassis rails from exhaust heat burning the powder coat off.

[TVR_owner]

Far from being a big problem, but its not unusual.

When looking at Sags (that were described very well and not lower end price wise), more than one was in poor condition considering the miles and years.

I wonder how many owners think -I have a plastic car and so can forget corrosion?

[heightswitch]

Generaslly the T cars seem to have approximately 6-7 years less corrosion on them!!

[Derek Smith]

Tales of cars having to be scrapped because of rusting outriggers is far from the truth. There is a fairly quick and quite cheap (if taken over the life of the car) remedy. Main chassis rails can go but it is extremely unusual. The only thing that is habitual in cars where chassis rust proofing is not an annual event is the outriggers. Dig them out every year, or every other if you keep your car garaged and don't drive it much in the rain or in winter, and they should last a very long time.

[VictorMeldrew]

heightswitch said:

Generally the T cars seem to have approximately 6-7 years less corrosion on them!!

Nailed.

Working practices won't have changed overnight, and there was no feedback from chassis horror stories to prompt any changes.

The other reason there are not so many T car horror stories is of course the simple fact that they didn't really sell very many ..

[Hamish400]

My T350 (2005) is used as an everyday car, all year round, with abt 57k miles on it, and thus subject to a lot of attack by salt, grit etc.
It has been waxoyled, and this is touched up as rqd.

I have found that the powder coat gets abraded through where road muck hits it ie a few inches at the outer end of the transverse tubing for the outriggers - especially the front and middle ones.
Recently chassis coating has been repaired and a heavy coat of underseal applied in relevant local areas. If the problem recurs, I will fit stainless steel sheet shielding in local areas (this has been very successful in protecting the outriggers on my 400SE)

Have also noted coating is coming off a few chassis "narrow edges/ends" at the rear close to exhaust - probably due to heat. (coating also repaired here).

Otherwise chassis coating appears in VGC.

Rgds
Hamish

[J B L]

Thanks all for the replies. I'm a bit wiser now.

Cheers.

[Ron98]

I tuck the rear exhaust cover off to clean. found the powder coating from the two rear legs that the tank sits on loose started to remove it the hole lot came off, wire wheeled off to bear metal (no pitting got it early)and got some eppoxy 121 on it. then waxoil.

[blueg33]

My 2000 52k mile Tuscan was fine as far as chassis rust was concerned. Powder coat was chipped in a couple of places but the steel underneath totally sound