1996 Griffith, Silver Chassis with original outriggers??

[urquattroGus]

I've looked at 6 Griffiths now and I've found one that is very tidy all round.

I believe it wa off the road for a few years.

However, unlike most cars, it has not had the outriggers changed, certainly no invoices for it etc.

They are solid from below, and it's being sold by a dealer, but I understand they can be bad from the top....

I have to say it's the cleanest most honest car I have seem from underneath, the silver chassis paint is all intact more or less, much better than some white chassis cars I have looked at.

So I know most people say "if it hasn't been done then it needs doing" but is it impossible for the originals to be in good shape?

Hard to look at the top of the tubes!

Maybe I need to get an independent inspection, who can people recommend? preferably not another dealer that is local to Hampshire as the car as at one of those two dealers...

[andy43]

Silver chassis were better than the later white chassis coatings. Think the white ones were done in house.
You can get 5mm diameter endoscopes that plug into a laptop on ebay for a few quid - might be worth a shot.
I'd guess that the tops could be bad, but if the visible bits are genuinely clean and perfect with no flaking or rusted chips there's a chance you could be lucky.

[V8Firm]

Yes it is possible that there are ok..as said particularly on an early car.

Always worth double checking first of course, but chassis and outriggers on my '92 pre-cat are all original. Just passed it's 22'nd MOT with no advisories!

[MisterT]

My 94 Griff 500 has an ALL original chassis as far as the metalwork is concerned, when I needed a new engine the chassis was looking a bit ropey cosmetically with peeling (silver) powder coat so while the engine was away I dropped the chassis out, stripped and recoated it. After sand blasting there wasn't a mark on it. Having said that my car has only covered 30k miles. Whatever you are looking at you should carry out a thorough examination to be sure.

[RobXjcoupe]

My 95 griff still has a lovely original chassis with original outriggers. 90k miles as well.

[Pete Mac]

When I had the chassis of my 95 Griff blasted, I was also very surprised to find that the only corrosion was on the surface and still with the original outriggers. Pete

[Rob_the_Sparky]

My 95 has holes that are visible from the front wheel arch if you know where to look and on the main chassis the original paint has flaked off around the welds (just surface rust). I'd assume they need doing and then you can be happy if later you find they are fine.

[BIG DUNC]

Look on top of the front of the near side outrigger where it joins the two transverse tubes at the rear of the front wheel arch.

That is where they normally go first (in my experience).

[v8sss]

Another 95 car here that has never needed any metal work. Looking underneath she looked dreadful with flakey powder coat and surface rust everywhere. Once stripped and blasted...not a single hole and all good metal!!

My V8s on the other hand which is a 93 car looked fabulous underneath had a bloody great hole on the passenger side tube!!

Christian.