Discussion
^^^^^^ 
They are all old whether or not they were better or worse back then is a mute point. Some older cars are rotton and others are holding up very well, most at this age will have outrigger rust or replaced. Newer can be better but unlikely., take each one by its merits on how and what it looks like now rather than past history. Having a later car I do tend to agree the earlier chasss were coated better and lasted longer but most of those are 7-8 years older than my chassis so now about the same condition. Most at this age if they haven't had chassis repairs will need to soon imho.
They are all old whether or not they were better or worse back then is a mute point. Some older cars are rotton and others are holding up very well, most at this age will have outrigger rust or replaced. Newer can be better but unlikely., take each one by its merits on how and what it looks like now rather than past history. Having a later car I do tend to agree the earlier chasss were coated better and lasted longer but most of those are 7-8 years older than my chassis so now about the same condition. Most at this age if they haven't had chassis repairs will need to soon imho.
As I understand it somtime in 1998 TVR started doing powder coating in house, for a period of time that resulted in poorly adhered coating. My car is a '99 and has required several thousand pounds to put right that poor workmanship. I don't know when they reverted to outsourcing but you should expect cars from the late 90s to either have refurbished chassis or they're in need of refurbished chassis
If you're in the market for one, don't assume anything, if your told the chassis is from a certain year that means absolutely nothing now. The only way to help you confirm that the chassis is not rotten, or needing repairs, is to get the car up on a 2 post lift. If all you can see is clean powdercoat without any flaking, or the powdercoat is not peeling off due to poor chassis prep ,then the chassis is fine.
If the chassis is top coated with anything else; waxoyl, Dinitrol, you will need to clean it off and check underneath. If there is any signs of rust or it looks like whoever has repaired it has painted over a poorly preped chassis, your pretty much certain the areas of the chassis you can't see are rusting away, especially those areas; that hold water and moisture, are exposed to heat from the engine manifolds, and exposed to road debris to chip the powdercoat or paint.
Assumption is the mother of all F
k ups on the Chassis of any of the TVR models, including the Sagaris 
you need to check each car individually and carefully.
Good luck.
If the chassis is top coated with anything else; waxoyl, Dinitrol, you will need to clean it off and check underneath. If there is any signs of rust or it looks like whoever has repaired it has painted over a poorly preped chassis, your pretty much certain the areas of the chassis you can't see are rusting away, especially those areas; that hold water and moisture, are exposed to heat from the engine manifolds, and exposed to road debris to chip the powdercoat or paint.
Assumption is the mother of all F
k ups on the Chassis of any of the TVR models, including the Sagaris you need to check each car individually and carefully.Good luck.
Edited by portzi on Saturday 3rd June 04:52
Edited by portzi on Saturday 3rd June 05:05
A fair amount must depend on how the car has been looked after and used for the last 18 years. Mine is a 99 car, 102,000 miles, has been used and abused, and has lived outdoors in my ownership.
It needed outriggers 12 months after I got it, but when it had a full body off 6 months ago, 30,000 miles after the riggers, was shotblasted and repainted, my TVR guy was shocked that it needed precisely zero metalwork - he had been expecting rampant rot.
In general, I understand that the pre-98 chassis are betterthan the 98-99 ones. No idea about 2000-01 cars, sorry, but I am not aware that the factory changed its practices after 99.
It needed outriggers 12 months after I got it, but when it had a full body off 6 months ago, 30,000 miles after the riggers, was shotblasted and repainted, my TVR guy was shocked that it needed precisely zero metalwork - he had been expecting rampant rot.
In general, I understand that the pre-98 chassis are betterthan the 98-99 ones. No idea about 2000-01 cars, sorry, but I am not aware that the factory changed its practices after 99.
Would the Chassis rot be related to the season when they were made and the salt air in Blackpool. Perhaps chassis's made in the winter months, were stacked outside prior to being powder coated and then started to corrode prior to be powder coated?
Would a late Summer car have a better chassis, due to better conditions.
Would a late Summer car have a better chassis, due to better conditions.
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Engineer1949 said:
all this supositon just check the chassis as has been said no matter what the year just have a look at my current thread for lots of pics of a bad chassis
john
And there are some that are scary as hell!!!john
That seatbelt mount is just sitting in a groove in the tube. the tube was not welded in. Powder coating on the tube is holding up well though.
Steve
citizen smith said:
Would the Chassis rot be related to the season when they were made and the salt air in Blackpool. Perhaps chassis's made in the winter months, were stacked outside prior to being powder coated and then started to corrode prior to be powder coated?
Would a late Summer car have a better chassis, due to better conditions.
There is no way of telling, I've just lifted the body on my Feb 99 car, chassis is solid, and I could have got away with minor repairs to two small holes in the front outrigger corners.but I wanted to do the repair right so it's had new outriggers both sides. It didn't need them but it's better for it.Would a late Summer car have a better chassis, due to better conditions.
Chassis needed no other work once blasted. And that's a winter built chassis stamped Feb 99. When I was looking I saw worst cars from 97.
SMB said:
citizen smith said:
Would the Chassis rot be related to the season when they were made and the salt air in Blackpool. Perhaps chassis's made in the winter months, were stacked outside prior to being powder coated and then started to corrode prior to be powder coated?
Would a late Summer car have a better chassis, due to better conditions.
There is no way of telling, I've just lifted the body on my Feb 99 car, chassis is solid, and I could have got away with minor repairs to two small holes in the front outrigger corners.but I wanted to do the repair right so it's had new outriggers both sides. It didn't need them but it's better for it.Would a late Summer car have a better chassis, due to better conditions.
Chassis needed no other work once blasted. And that's a winter built chassis stamped Feb 99. When I was looking I saw worst cars from 97.
portzi said:
So what your saying is until the body is lifted there is no way to ascertain the chassis's condition?
Well you and I both know that's the only way, until I took a screwdriver aggressively to mine in the area you can't reach with the body on, it was all good. Anything that is crusty on the outside is almost certainly missing on top. Adverts that show surface rust on th underside show lack of maintaince even and scream chassis problem to me. That said it's only metal and can be replaced.Edited by SMB on Saturday 3rd June 12:48
SMB said:
portzi said:
So what your saying is until the body is lifted there is no way to ascertain the chassis's condition?
Well you and I both know that's the only way, until I took a screwdriver aggressively to mine in the area you can't reach with the body on, it was all good. Anything that is crusty on the outside is almost certainly missing on top. Adverts that show surface rust on th underside show lack of maintain even and scream chassis problem to me. That said it's only metal and can be replaced.Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff