Chassis Refurb Options

[Classic Chim]

This we can often attribute to the PC or more likely the lack of chassis cleaning / preparation before coating.
On a late chassis many of the welds especially on the rear section housing the diff are often rusty as Pc has broken down. The tubes are intact and zero rust along the tubes yet around the welds it’s bare metal.
This can only be poor prep or none at all.
I was told the PC along my chassis rails and backbone was very strong and took hrs to remove via blasting yet around welds just peeled off.
The PC is ok it’s the prep around the welds that’s not!
So that was then,
Luckily we know all about it and can now build a car to last

Edited by Classic Chim on Tuesday 8th November 10:26

[keynsham]

I just did a body on chassis refurbishment on my Wedge and I agree that the welded areas were where the powder coating was coming off. Up in the tunnel the chassis was all like new and due to TVR's built in "oil leak protection system" the lower parts of the cshassis just had surface rust on!! Outriggers were fine. The wedge chassis is like scaffold tube though. Maybe later models used thinner tube for weight? I used 40 grade sandpaper, parrafin (lots of it!) and white smoothrite and then covered everything in clear waxoyl. On the wedge pretty much the whole chassis is accessible without body removal.

[LucyP]

You might want to refurbish those Pirelli 6000's too. The technology is ancient. They were factory fit on my father's XJS - in 1989! If you look at the reviews and the ratings, they are identical to modern, cheap, Chinese ditch-finders.

[Classic Chim]

LucyP said:

You might want to refurbish those Pirelli 6000's too. The technology is ancient. They were factory fit on my father's XJS - in 1989! If you look at the reviews and the ratings, they are identical to modern, cheap, Chinese ditch-finders.

I think he’s referring to his build a few years ago as I think I’ve viewed these pictures with interest in the past.

[Classic Chim]

keynsham said:

I just did a body on chassis refurbishment on my Wedge and I agree that the welded areas were where the powder coating was coming off. Up in the tunnel the chassis was all like new and due to TVR's built in "oil leak protection system" the lower parts of the cshassis just had surface rust on!! Outriggers were fine. The wedge chassis is like scaffold tube though. Maybe later models used thinner tube for weight? I used 40 grade sandpaper, parrafin (lots of it!) and white smoothrite and then covered everything in clear waxoyl. On the wedge pretty much the whole chassis is accessible without body removal.

Nice
Luckily Tvr retained the oil leak protection system on later cars or mine would have disintegrated

After much consideration and after having a nice new white chassis coating on mine I will be using some form of oil or liquid based product to protect my outriggers some more.
Ideally I now invest in some front and rear rigger protectors for the ultimate in rigger protection. Stop the crud getting between the body and tubes and you will solve the problem to a large extent.

With everything we know and can do it’s possible for Tvr to have healthy chassis for decades after repairs.
The holy grail.
I love a good Wedge me and glad to see it looking so strong.

[keynsham]

Don't panic! They tyres will be replaced when I get around to getting the MOT done. The markings show them as 21 years old!! In their defence, apart from a single failed run for an MOT in 2016 (fuel pump failed after a mile so it went back in the garage!), the car has been off the road since 2009!

[LucyP]

That's good to hear. Don't forget to sell them. They look good for static show cars of the period. It's always a shame when you see such cars with Whoflungdung tyres because no one else makes a 225 75 15 tyre.

[Adrian@]

stevesprint said:

Has anyone had their chassis Thermoplastic coated and does it melt near the exhaust manifolds or the rest of the exhaust.

keynsham said:

I just did a body on chassis refurbishment on my Wedge and I agree that the welded areas were where the powder coating was coming off. Up in the tunnel the chassis was all like new and due to TVR's built in "oil leak protection system" the lower parts of the cshassis just had surface rust on!! Outriggers were fine. The wedge chassis is like scaffold tube though. Maybe later models used thinner tube for weight? I used 40 grade sandpaper, parrafin (lots of it!) and white smoothrite and then covered everything in clear waxoyl. On the wedge pretty much the whole chassis is accessible without body removal.



The early Tasmin/280i were wet dip painted black (which was the same as earlier M series) then TVR used Thermoplastic coating which regularly bubbled around the manifold area...THE worst thing about thermoplastic was that when you were refurbishing a chassis the whole chassis could be stripped with a Stanley knife blade leaving a skeleton of the chassis and a rusty chassis (if any of the plastic was stuck on, it was simply hot gun melted off leaving a dripping that could be scraped off...it doubled the chassis blast and refinishing cost. A@

[keynsham]

LucyP... Do people really buy old tyres for show purposes only??

[Steve_D]

keynsham said:

LucyP... Do people really buy old tyres for show purposes only??

The mechanic I worked for when I was 16 struck a deal with a customer that when she wanted to sell her spotless Morris Minor he would buy it. He then replaced all the factory fitted tyres free of charge so he could wrap them up in black polythene and store them in a cool dark place.

Steve

[stevesprint]

Classic Chim said:

Is that a home made jig or is this a TVR workshop tool?
I’ve rarely seen pics of a TVR chassis in its original jig

These are RT Racing’s original jigs used for the last 20 years and one of the welders there worked with the late Richard Thorpe for 20 years building & repairing TVR chassis so I feel my chassis is in good hands, they even make the new TVR approved chassis.

Classic Chim said:

I was told the PC along my chassis rails and backbone was very strong and took hrs to remove via blasting yet around welds just peeled off.
The PC is ok it’s the prep around the welds that’s not!

Thanks for reminder, I had a nightmare a few years ago trying to remove powder coating off my suspension arms with a rotary wire brushing, I ended up having to take them to a professional blaster who also spent hrs removing the old powder coating which proved to me it can stick better than wet paint.

ChimpOnGas said:

Once chipped, and even the best powder coat job will chip, the writing is on the wall because water will enter under the skin where it'll be trapped, it'll also start to creep as the powder coat begins to lift.

My rotary wire brush couldn’t get under & lift chipped powder coating so must have been prepared properly.

Adrian@ said:

The early Tasmin/280i were wet dip painted black (which was the same as earlier M series) then TVR used Thermoplastic coating which regularly bubbled around the manifold area...THE worst thing about thermoplastic was that when you were refurbishing a chassis the whole chassis could be stripped with a Stanley knife blade leaving a skeleton of the chassis and a rusty chassis (if any of the plastic was stuck on, it was simply hot gun melted off leaving a dripping that could be scraped off...it doubled the chassis blast and refinishing cost. A@

That’s a worry, thanks.


Anyone had their chassis powder coated at Central TVR / Central RT Racing?

Edited by stevesprint on Tuesday 8th November 23:21

[jazzybees]

Hi Steve.

I can’t answer your question regarding thermoplastic or powder coating at central.
I’m sure they can answer that better then anyone else. They have lots of experience in doing both.

I went the economical DIY route. All done in the midlands. Early last year.
I also removed the body and stripped the chassis.
I had new outriggers fitted. (Local garage/body repair/ welding repair shop.)
They recommended and used stainless steel.
I had the chassis shot blasted at Black Country shot blasters
Great job, great price. (£100)
Individual items, such as suspension arms (£5 each)
I then used Jotamastic POR 80. A two pack epoxy mastic coating.
4.6/5 litres, (£75) More then enough to do two thick coats.
Takes about a week to dry and fully harden.
I would recommend to then give the chassis a top coat of Hammerite metal paint for a nicer glossy finish.

Edited by jazzybees on Saturday 19th November 11:31

[never_thought_id_buy]

I had a full new chassis from RT Racing 10 years ago. It’s had no work done on it since and is still perfect. Mind you, it doesn’t go out in the winter and has only done 10% of the mileage since then that the original chassis had done in its 14 year life.

[stevesprint]

Thanks for your replies chaps, Frank, interesting, I've gone half cheap by stripping the chassis myself then trusting the pros for the outriggers.

Rob, your powder coat 10 years on is good enough for me & I know powder can be very tough if prepared properly plus RT Racing (now Central TVR) do zinc coat first.

Can anyone confirm if it's ok to leave the body on pallets without the nose and boot supported?

[TJC46]

stevesprint said:

Thanks for your replies chaps, Frank, interesting, I've gone half cheap by stripping the chassis myself then trusting the pros for the outriggers.

Rob, your powder coat 10 years on is good enough for me & I know powder can be very tough if prepared properly plus RT Racing (now Central TVR) do zinc coat first.

Can anyone confirm if it's ok to leave the body on pallets without the nose and boot supported?

I would support the boot and nose just to be on the safe side. Also keep the doors closed you do not want any flexing in the body.

Do not put a cover over the body, as over time this can cause micro blistering of the paint. You will have all the best intentions of reuniting the chassis

and body as soon as possible, but things can change. It may take a lot longer than you had intended to fully refurbish the chassis.

[stevesprint]

TJC

You're right RT racing are taking longer than expected but certainly worth the wait and I purposely started in Oct. I should have realised as I know from experience all TVR projects take longer than expected & how one job usually creates 5 extra jobs but in this case 50 extra jobs.

Good point about the doors thanks and I don't use car covers as it's staying in the garage.

The body is currently fully supported but I may have to move it as my son wants to work on him MX5 RV8 and I don't want to slow down his enthusiasm plus I doubt I'll see the chassis this side of Christmas, I need a cunning plan and 4 trollies.

[NicBowman]

Hi, if I can just add a little on hot zinc spray. You can get your chassis blasted then hot zinc spray, then either powder coat or paint.

Zinc is the best way to rust proof, this really isn’t up for discussion, just a fact. Boats use zinc anodes, these actually corrode preferentially to the steel and in the process plate any steel that is open to corrosion. Look it up, sacrificial anode or similar. So a hot zinc spray puts zinc on the steel, this will stop any further rust. You can’t think of this as unwanted zinc corrosion. More zinc plating the steel as needed, kind of self repairing.

I know some powder coaters who have not carried this out when asked, as powder coating covers it up. So either use someone you trust, get photos, or get it only zinc coated.

I like paint, as you can’t always do the whole chassis. Choice of paint complex and full of opinion. I like the paint to match the original colour as a priority. Only Rustoleum does that, I believe.

Best

Nic

[NicBowman]

My Vixen chassis, currently in the powder coaters. This pic taken yesterday. Hot zinc being applied.

Nic