Body Off - The Naked Truth
Discussion
So here's what 'Ol Gasbag' looks like with her kit off, being shy she's kept her dignity since late November 1996 when she first got dressed at Bristol Avenue.
From the front:
From the back:
NS front outrigger corner:
OS front outrigger corner:
NS rear outrigger corner:
First pass with the pressure washer:
Lots more cleaning down and intensive degreasing required but as I fully expected its already clear the outriggers need replacing, after all that's what the car is in for. However, they're not nearly as bad as I expected and the main chassis is in fantastic condition after the first pass with the pressure washer, elsewhere the two part Dinitrol rustproofing treatment I applied over 8 years ago certainly helped and is proving way more difficult to remove than Waxoil.
So far so good then, and further proof of just how much better the zinc phosphate primed and painted silver/grey painted chassis' lasts when compared with the dreadful white powder coated finish TVR started applying very badly from February 1997. When I was hunting for a Chimaera back in early 2009 I saw some shocking chassis', I must have looked at 8 cars before I found the right one.
Back then I had no knowledge of the life expediency difference between the white powder coated and earlier silver/grey chassis', however I did know I wanted a Mk2 without a corroded chassis, but every one I inspected was rotten. This was all so disheartening I very nearly gave up on the idea of buying a Chimaera completely. My belief they can't all be as bad as the last 7 rotten Chimaeras I'd viewed kept me going, in May 2009 I viewed Chimaera number 8 and my search immediately took turn for the better, this early Mk2 face lift 4.0 HC built in November 1996 had 29,800 miles on the clock and had been Waxoiled from new.
Boy what a difference in chassis condition!
So I struck a deal with the very honest 3rd owner from new for £7,900.00 and my TVR adventure began, fast forward almost 11 years of enjoying the car properly and we take her cloths off to see how she's fared. I conclude the old girl has held up well over the last 23 years so with a set of new thicker wall seamless tube outriggers let in, two coats of Jotamastic 90 Aluminum 2k epoxy mastic paint, and a set of outrigger protectors... I see no reason why the chassis won't give a good 30 more years of service before the next body off inspection is due
People make a big play over Chimaera chassis corrosion and sure the white chassis cars and especially the 1997 to 1998 ones were shockers, but mine was a 96 so I tend to compare it with other 96 cars for corrosion, for example have a look at a 1996 Mazda MX5 of the same mileage and I guarantee you it'll be rotten as a carrot.
From the front:
From the back:
NS front outrigger corner:
OS front outrigger corner:
NS rear outrigger corner:
First pass with the pressure washer:
Lots more cleaning down and intensive degreasing required but as I fully expected its already clear the outriggers need replacing, after all that's what the car is in for. However, they're not nearly as bad as I expected and the main chassis is in fantastic condition after the first pass with the pressure washer, elsewhere the two part Dinitrol rustproofing treatment I applied over 8 years ago certainly helped and is proving way more difficult to remove than Waxoil.
So far so good then, and further proof of just how much better the zinc phosphate primed and painted silver/grey painted chassis' lasts when compared with the dreadful white powder coated finish TVR started applying very badly from February 1997. When I was hunting for a Chimaera back in early 2009 I saw some shocking chassis', I must have looked at 8 cars before I found the right one.
Back then I had no knowledge of the life expediency difference between the white powder coated and earlier silver/grey chassis', however I did know I wanted a Mk2 without a corroded chassis, but every one I inspected was rotten. This was all so disheartening I very nearly gave up on the idea of buying a Chimaera completely. My belief they can't all be as bad as the last 7 rotten Chimaeras I'd viewed kept me going, in May 2009 I viewed Chimaera number 8 and my search immediately took turn for the better, this early Mk2 face lift 4.0 HC built in November 1996 had 29,800 miles on the clock and had been Waxoiled from new.
Boy what a difference in chassis condition!
So I struck a deal with the very honest 3rd owner from new for £7,900.00 and my TVR adventure began, fast forward almost 11 years of enjoying the car properly and we take her cloths off to see how she's fared. I conclude the old girl has held up well over the last 23 years so with a set of new thicker wall seamless tube outriggers let in, two coats of Jotamastic 90 Aluminum 2k epoxy mastic paint, and a set of outrigger protectors... I see no reason why the chassis won't give a good 30 more years of service before the next body off inspection is due
People make a big play over Chimaera chassis corrosion and sure the white chassis cars and especially the 1997 to 1998 ones were shockers, but mine was a 96 so I tend to compare it with other 96 cars for corrosion, for example have a look at a 1996 Mazda MX5 of the same mileage and I guarantee you it'll be rotten as a carrot.
Edited by ChimpOnGas on Thursday 23 January 07:13
ChimpOnGas said:
Cheers Alun, you'll be roaring about in yours soon too mate
We can then both forget all about chassis corrosion for another 30 years or more
I don’t know about you but I felt better once I’d seen mine, all the scare stories and doom over riggers, that’s a 23 year old chassis. I bet the cars covered 70,000 miles in that time and not always in the dry We can then both forget all about chassis corrosion for another 30 years or more
I’m starting to think water pooled in the foot wells from poor roof sealing then draining through onto floor plates causes a lot of problems. Cars kept dry inside probably fair far better. Leven cover should have been sold with the cars when new
Better than mine but my car spent its first ten years in Scotland, it’s wet most the year in some parts. It’s just inevitable. True some MX5 are rot boxes.
Classic Chim said:
I don’t know about you but I felt better once I’d seen mine, all the scare stories and doom over riggers, that’s a 23 year old chassis. I bet the cars covered 70,000 miles in that time and not always in the dry
You're right again Alun I feel much better, and yes I believe in using the car, countless trips all around the European continent the car has been driven from Inverness to Italy and every country in between many times.The way I view what we found when the body came off was there is just enough corrosion to reassure me the work was justified, but it's also revealed a chassis that's in way better condition than we are all conditioned to expect
Classic Chim said:
Better than mine but my car spent its first ten years in Scotland, it’s wet most the year in some parts. It’s just inevitable. True some MX5 are rot boxes.
I wouldn't say my chassis has survived better than yours Alun, sure mine is a few years older but it seems in similar condition to me, neither are shockers by any stretch, indeed both really are surprisingly good in the main chassis department.Keep up the good work Alun, I'm following your progress with great interest and respect. Mine is all being done by Alex Wheatly so all I'm doing is presenting his hard work not mine, I wish I had the time and space to do it myself like you.
I have positioned my chassis under the body for a trial fit tomorrow.
Welds have been addressed, more made pretty actually.
Just be sure before it’s finished off it all lines up. I had a 2m spirit level over it the other day, each side is within about 2mm of eachother height wise from the centre rails. Bang on.
Welds have been addressed, more made pretty actually.
Just be sure before it’s finished off it all lines up. I had a 2m spirit level over it the other day, each side is within about 2mm of eachother height wise from the centre rails. Bang on.
New outriggers under construction 
Original 2mm rolled tube on the top, and below what we're replacing it with, the new outriggers are being made up using 3mm cds with a 3mm sleeve running the entire length.
So we're going from the original 2mm tube TVR used to 6mm wall thickness, three times as thick for three times the life.
With the 2k epoxy mastic paint over the top and a set of outrigger protectors this should future proof things nicely
Original 2mm rolled tube on the top, and below what we're replacing it with, the new outriggers are being made up using 3mm cds with a 3mm sleeve running the entire length.
So we're going from the original 2mm tube TVR used to 6mm wall thickness, three times as thick for three times the life.
With the 2k epoxy mastic paint over the top and a set of outrigger protectors this should future proof things nicely
Dougal9887 said:
The original tube is actually 16 gauge so 1.6mm, so you're now 3.75 times the original weight 
Additional weight for sure, but its additional weight carried absolutely as low as you can get it, the only side impact protection you have in a Chimaera is in the outriggers so I want it as strong as we can get it.Cold drawn steel tube has many advantages
Firstly it's hard as hell, it also has an extremely high tensile strength and is massively more corrosion resistant than the 2mm rolled tube used by TVR. By using cold drawn steel tube then going up to thicker 3mm wall we're not only adding considerable strength to the chassis we're also significantly extending it's life over the 23 years I got out of the original 2mm rolled tube.
We then take it to a whole new world of strength by internally sleeving the outer 3mm CDS with 3mm wall rolled tube, these new super strong and corrosion resistant outriggers are built to last, they are then sealed in two coats of Jotunmastic Aluminum 2k epoxy mastic paint as used on oil rigs and marine ship hulls. This paint system is bullet proof, the aluminum element offering a further level of defense in the form of galvanic corrosion protection, to finish the job off we will then fit laser cut stainless steel outrigger shields to deflect the flying stones, road muck and water spray that's thrown up by the tyres.
There's quite an investment in time and effort to remove the body which in my opinion is the only way to correctly fit new outriggers, so we're not messing about here, we're doing this properly to make 100% sure we only ever need to do this once!
Personally I would not want stronger outriggers, a side impact on a Chim is going to be bad anyway. We don't buy these cars for the ENCAP rating.
The outriggers are very low anyway, energy from impact needs to be dissipated, the outriggers need to collapse. A stronger outrigger could act as ramp or a spear.
The outriggers are very low anyway, energy from impact needs to be dissipated, the outriggers need to collapse. A stronger outrigger could act as ramp or a spear.
Oh come on 
lets keep it real the extra rigidity may or may not be an advantage on a side impact 
lets face it TVR did no crash testing and there is no telling how a side impact however caused is going to deform those out riggers be it stock or heavier gauge , and as for weight increases lets face it many of us are no spring chicken and if weight was a thing a diet wouldn't go amiss or leaving the spare wheel or jerry can or any other useless crap thats often living in the car at home would cover the increase in beef surely good job Oh good morning
lets keep it real the extra rigidity may or may not be an advantage on a side impact lets face it TVR did no crash testing and there is no telling how a side impact however caused is going to deform those out riggers be it stock or heavier gauge , and as for weight increases lets face it many of us are no spring chicken and if weight was a thing a diet wouldn't go amiss or leaving the spare wheel or jerry can or any other useless crap thats often living in the car at home would cover the increase in beef surely good job Oh good morning Stronger, longer lasting, better!
My policy has always been.......
"Whenever something on the car needs fixing, try to make it better than when the car was new."
Better brakes, better suspension, better fuel economy, better performance and now a better longer lasting chassis... it all makes for a better TVR.
My policy has always been.......
"Whenever something on the car needs fixing, try to make it better than when the car was new."
Better brakes, better suspension, better fuel economy, better performance and now a better longer lasting chassis... it all makes for a better TVR.
joke 
That’s great for the age of the chassis. A couple of questions. Is a tank of LPG lighter than a tank of petrol? If so there’s some of your weight offset. With the way things are going is it worth making up a couple of sets of the doubled up tube to maybe store or sell on to like minded owners.
Full LPG tanks add a little weight, thats why I run bespoke sprung and damped Mk4 Bilsteins, with the new super strength outriggers I estimate the car will weigh 1113kg wet (fully fuelled) by the end of my chassis refurb.
As far as Im concerned its still a light car, almost a1/3 of a ton lighter than a Nissan 370z or Porsche Boxster in fact, if I ever feel the need for more speed I'll just add boost.
As far as Im concerned its still a light car, almost a1/3 of a ton lighter than a Nissan 370z or Porsche Boxster in fact, if I ever feel the need for more speed I'll just add boost.
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff