Galvanised chassis as standard ?
Discussion
OK there aren't a large number of cars with fibreglass monocoques so what about those kits with a galvanised chassis as standard ?
The reason I ask if I hate rust and rot so before I start drooling over the idea of owning a car I want to ensure it ticks the rust free box. I've already got a couple of "projects" (1972 Austin Sprite and Mahindra MM540) that need welding repairs so don't want another. Pity the GTM rots as otherwise it appeals to me.
Gilbern, TVR, Scimitar, Reliant SS1, Lotus Elite / Éclat, and such production cars already dismissed - yes I know you can always repair and have original chassis galvanised or in the case of Lotus buy an aftermarket item but now I'm thinking of kit cars where the manufacturer galvanised as standard.
Any suggestions ?
Cheers.
Paul H
The reason I ask if I hate rust and rot so before I start drooling over the idea of owning a car I want to ensure it ticks the rust free box. I've already got a couple of "projects" (1972 Austin Sprite and Mahindra MM540) that need welding repairs so don't want another. Pity the GTM rots as otherwise it appeals to me.
Gilbern, TVR, Scimitar, Reliant SS1, Lotus Elite / Éclat, and such production cars already dismissed - yes I know you can always repair and have original chassis galvanised or in the case of Lotus buy an aftermarket item but now I'm thinking of kit cars where the manufacturer galvanised as standard.
Any suggestions ?
Cheers.
Paul H
Big bonus with kit cars are that they are typically (sorry for the generalisation) driven on nice days in the summer and also garaged when not on the road so the opportunity for the chassis to get wet/salty and then start to rust are significantly reduced. They are also usually much loved and therefore kept clean/dry and serviced well.
Are you looking to buy or build. If build then you can do what you want with the chassis - galvanise, POR/paint coat,zinc oxide, electrocoat primer, powercoat, hammerite, dulux gloss, whatever make you feel you have done as much as you can to protect it. If buying then take advice from here and inspect well, particularly power coated chassis (look for bubbling).
Are you looking to buy or build. If build then you can do what you want with the chassis - galvanise, POR/paint coat,zinc oxide, electrocoat primer, powercoat, hammerite, dulux gloss, whatever make you feel you have done as much as you can to protect it. If buying then take advice from here and inspect well, particularly power coated chassis (look for bubbling).
There's always going to be something somewhere that corrodes, however if you liked the GTM then you ought to look at a Midas. If you want galvanising then you can even get the subframes from Alistair who owns Midas galvanised. He's currently doing a restoration for a customer on a Gold Coupe which will be stunning when it's finished which includes galvanised subframes.
The Midas is a cracking car and at the moment you can get some real bargains.
The Midas is a cracking car and at the moment you can get some real bargains.
It's a question that many ask, including myself. I looked into it, but was advised (by galvanising firms) that it's not really practical for a spaceframe chassis. You get warping of the chassis and accumulation of the coating. I understand that Dax actually did get a chassis dipped as an experiment, and it was a disaster.
What you'd really want is the charged paint baths that the large manufacturers use, I reckon. But I don't think anyone does that as a service!
ETA sorry that wasn't your question was it!
What you'd really want is the charged paint baths that the large manufacturers use, I reckon. But I don't think anyone does that as a service!
ETA sorry that wasn't your question was it!
ch427 said:
Your question may be better aimed at the kit manufacturers as they will know for sure what sort of coatings can be applied to their product.
I was thinking about what secondhand kit cars will automatically have a galvanised chassis as it was standard finish by manufacturer. Experience of powder coating has shown me that it's not the best finish for a chassis either (small scratch / chip and water gets under the surface until it come off in large flakes).Pilgrim offer it as an option on their kits but then I'd have to find a vehicle that had specified for the original order.
Paul h
I can't recall any kits that came with galv as standard. It may have been an option but that does not help you find one.
Better to find and buy a car design you like and have the body removed and the chassis treated.
This is what we do with TVR's. We take the body off, grit blast then repair the chassis, followed by another grit blast then straight into 'Hot Zinc Spray' which is basically a blow torch with zinc wire fed into the flame and melted onto the steel. The heat is localised and short lived so does not distort the chassis. We then have it powder coated but only because the customer wants his chassis back to the colour it came from the factory. The finisher says it does not need anything after the zinc and claims the railings he does for Southsea sea front are just fine without paint.
Steve
Better to find and buy a car design you like and have the body removed and the chassis treated.
This is what we do with TVR's. We take the body off, grit blast then repair the chassis, followed by another grit blast then straight into 'Hot Zinc Spray' which is basically a blow torch with zinc wire fed into the flame and melted onto the steel. The heat is localised and short lived so does not distort the chassis. We then have it powder coated but only because the customer wants his chassis back to the colour it came from the factory. The finisher says it does not need anything after the zinc and claims the railings he does for Southsea sea front are just fine without paint.
Steve
SPL do a treatment called Electrophoretic coating after their chemical stripping, I guess thi sis similar to the manufacturers elctro priming.
Good shout on the robin hood, they did a folded stanles sheet chassis.
The Midas - mmmmmmmm - love that blue colour, though I'd use a subframe kit from pro-motive and replace the A series with an R1 engine.
Good shout on the robin hood, they did a folded stanles sheet chassis.
The Midas - mmmmmmmm - love that blue colour, though I'd use a subframe kit from pro-motive and replace the A series with an R1 engine.
Compo_Simmonite said:
I was thinking about what secondhand kit cars will automatically have a galvanised chassis as it was standard finish by manufacturer. Experience of powder coating has shown me that it's not the best finish for a chassis either (small scratch / chip and water gets under the surface until it come off in large flakes).
Pilgrim offer it as an option on their kits but then I'd have to find a vehicle that had specified for the original order.
Paul h
Id agree with that, i thought powder coating was far more robust than it is. My car has a powder coated chassis and its started to rust as you suggest in places.Pilgrim offer it as an option on their kits but then I'd have to find a vehicle that had specified for the original order.
Paul h
Didnt the wheeler dealer cerbera chassis have some sort of double coating on it when the company supplied it?
We (Vortex Auto) have had one customer decide to galvanise his chassis, however it was a lot of work, every single tube had to have a hole drilled in it, these then need plugging, the chassis didn't distort in the process though.
To be honest, its a bit over kill though, on my own car the chassis was painted with a two pack paint, and this has lasted very well, it's now been on the road since 2006 and hasn't got any rust, there was the odd spot underneath where something had chipped the paint but a bit of touch up and it's fine.
Don't make the mistake of assuming powder coating the chassis will guarantee no corrosion, we've had a couple powder coated and have been really disappointed with the results, when we spoke to a different powder coaters they suggested that in order for it to be corrosion free it needs to be red oxide primed and rubbed down, before powder coating. In which case, you might as well just paint it really! Two pack paint is pretty tough!
To be honest, its a bit over kill though, on my own car the chassis was painted with a two pack paint, and this has lasted very well, it's now been on the road since 2006 and hasn't got any rust, there was the odd spot underneath where something had chipped the paint but a bit of touch up and it's fine.
Don't make the mistake of assuming powder coating the chassis will guarantee no corrosion, we've had a couple powder coated and have been really disappointed with the results, when we spoke to a different powder coaters they suggested that in order for it to be corrosion free it needs to be red oxide primed and rubbed down, before powder coating. In which case, you might as well just paint it really! Two pack paint is pretty tough!
Compo_Simmonite said:
ch427 said:
Your question may be better aimed at the kit manufacturers as they will know for sure what sort of coatings can be applied to their product.
I was thinking about what secondhand kit cars will automatically have a galvanised chassis as it was standard finish by manufacturer. Experience of powder coating has shown me that it's not the best finish for a chassis either (small scratch / chip and water gets under the surface until it come off in large flakes).Pilgrim offer it as an option on their kits but then I'd have to find a vehicle that had specified for the original order.
Paul h
there is also an important lifing issue with thin walled spaceframes in that the lower exposed sections progressively corrode from the inside unless wax injected through very small holes in structurally safe locations.
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