Water damaged cars

[yknot]

Copied this from the general gassing section.

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

How many expensive classic cars will be affected and thus reduced in value, I wonder, given that water WILL get into every inaccessible area?

Thank goodness TVR's are fibreglass!! Ok the chassis will fill with water, but if you don't start it what else will be affected?

[zacherynuk]

I think the primary issue is not if it hasn't been started, but what if starting has been attempted. Only takes a couple of seconds of cranking to get things truly FUBAR. It's a pretty epic engine rebuild if there's been water (and associated sediment) in there - people blame a dry sump but fact is oil of any grace is far lighter than water!

I once helped a friend fix up a water damaged GT6 (just over seats) - what was supposed to be a summer hobbie turned into nearly 3 years of (looking back is different - at the time it was frustration and financial carnage)

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Surely if there's the chance of water in the engine you'd crank it with the plugs out to start with?

[BarnFind]

We have had a "Flood" of these cars over in Ireland north and south these last few years,bought for nuts, parked up in a warehouse with a dehumidifier for a few months,quick valet,trouser handsome profit and mega electrical problems for new owner etc

[zacherynuk]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

Surely if there's the chance of water in the engine you'd crank it with the plugs out to start with?

That's the issue - it's not just compression damage - if water has got in, then so has other contaminants. Crank it through with an external source of filtered / neutral water sure! ... But once the sandpaper is in it bigger things needs to be done.

In the 90's I sold a Maestro with a utterly fecked 'box to a scrap yard on condition it was 'fit to drive'. Since I was selling it to a scarp yard I had no qualms In filling the gearbox with sawdust so that it would change gear and behave perfectly for the 30 minutes or so I needed it to before they gave me my £175.

You could do the same (though not as severe) with a water damaged car and resell it with nice new carpets etc - but the engine with eat itself.

Edited by zacherynuk on Friday 14th February 21:16

[roseytvr]

zacherynuk said:

In the 90's I sold a Maestro with a utterly fecked 'box to a scrap yard on condition it was 'fit to drive'. Since I was selling it to a scarp yard I had no qualms In filling the gearbox with sawdust so that it would change gear and behave perfectly for the 30 minutes or so I needed it to before they gave me my £

Edited by zacherynuk on Friday 14th February 21:16

Note to self, don't buy a car from this man

[jned2]

Just had 2 cars written off through flood damage, not TVRs. Both cars were in about 1 foot of sea water. After towing them to higher ground and drying them out they both started and ran perfectly apart from the airbag lights staying on. I contacted my insurance expecting to get the airbag lights fixed but their main concern was contamination of the carpets/felt and seats. They scrapped both cars arguing that it was cheaper for them than face a possible case in the future from someone working on the cars getting infected from being in contact with contaminated carpets etc.

[Chuffmeister]

It isn't just sediment, its the contaminants in the water. The flood water has dragged up water from the sewers and gawd knows what else. It will be full of bacteria and all sorts of other nasties, dead animals, chemical waste, Richard III's... you name it. This is why houses that have been flooded need to be completely stripped back, floorboards removed and re-plastered etc.

If you pick up a flood damaged car, It will need the interior and and furnishings gutting; that's before you've started on the engine. This is why they are scrapped, as they are often worth more in parts. Should they be sold on by the insurance company and then somebody contract something nasty… where there's blame, there's a claim!!!

[GTRene]

today when I saw the news again I was just thinking of that, all those cars under water or half under water, a lot of those will pop up on the market some day...
and when nicely ' covered' up its hard to tell for most.

[yknot]

I posted this topic slightly tongue in cheek to gauge the response from PH members. Even though it has prompted just a few replies I think that those that did demonstrates the risk involved when buying a 'classic' (and in many cases expensive) car.

Whilst our Chimaeras' are not in the realms of, say, an E-Type Roadster pricewise, are we happy to accept the word of the seller with regard to the history (good or bad) of our new acquisition?

Would you accept (given the recent weather) that a car with an owner address both present or past in a known area of flood risk, that may have been subjected to flooding and not declared through an insurance claim, is an acceptable gamble for your 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 ++ thousand pound investment?

How many expensive classic cars are now sat in flood water in the southeast, I wonder??

The obscene values of old sports cars of recent times may have reached their limit and I am very pleased to have bought a pedigree that is not in that league (and no I'm not jealous, been there done that!)