S3C ...the paintwork is cracking on the boot
Discussion
Just started using this forum due to a recent purchase of 1990 S3C.
Had the car about 6-weeks and drove it back from UK to Sweden (which was great) and now the paint is splitting on and around the boot and rear of the car with what look like stress lines...
What the ***** is this?
My thoughts are chassis (weak due to rust?), though the TVR garage assured me after me insisting at least 10 times, that the chassis was in good order.
Or has it been badly resprayed after an accident?
Before you ask, no I did not do an HPi before buying (did have these in the UK before when I lived there)
Help!
Had the car about 6-weeks and drove it back from UK to Sweden (which was great) and now the paint is splitting on and around the boot and rear of the car with what look like stress lines...
What the ***** is this?
My thoughts are chassis (weak due to rust?), though the TVR garage assured me after me insisting at least 10 times, that the chassis was in good order.
Or has it been badly resprayed after an accident?
Before you ask, no I did not do an HPi before buying (did have these in the UK before when I lived there)
Help!
Can take some tomorrow and post them.
Basically fine, straightish lines (not crazing).
First noticed since when I purchased the car there was a crack from the bottom of the number plate (cirka 3cm long) which has now really split and will soon result in a whole.
Rest is around the boot lid, rear of the car....nothing elsewhere apart from a new one on the left of the front windscreen (0.5cm)
This one would imply a chassis problem I suspect.....
Basically fine, straightish lines (not crazing).
First noticed since when I purchased the car there was a crack from the bottom of the number plate (cirka 3cm long) which has now really split and will soon result in a whole.
Rest is around the boot lid, rear of the car....nothing elsewhere apart from a new one on the left of the front windscreen (0.5cm)
This one would imply a chassis problem I suspect.....
page3 said:
My S has a few small 'cracks' (not crazing) near the boot that have been there since purchase. Never got any worse and I'm told nothing to do with the chassis which is in a good state. Simply day-to-day use for 14 years I think. Can take photos if you want and compare!
Mine as well. I try not to worry about it.
I do not think it is the Chasis for one moment , the body only sits on it and is not taking any stress , I reckon it has had a bang ,has been repaired quickly not allowing the fibreglass repair to 'cure, thus the the rection that is taking place now. Get back to the garage you bought it from and quiz them.
Sounds like it has had a knock......
this a problem with fibreglass you can take a knock and nothing be evident, however 2-3 weeks latter and the damage can be seen is it cracks the gel coat. The damage could be a lot worse once the gel coat has been stripped back and the full extent seen.
When I had damage on the back of the Griff on the surface it looked like just the rear section between the lights, after it was stripped back it was from rear wheel arch on one side all the way to the other wheel arch
this a problem with fibreglass you can take a knock and nothing be evident, however 2-3 weeks latter and the damage can be seen is it cracks the gel coat. The damage could be a lot worse once the gel coat has been stripped back and the full extent seen.
When I had damage on the back of the Griff on the surface it looked like just the rear section between the lights, after it was stripped back it was from rear wheel arch on one side all the way to the other wheel arch
Contacted the former owner and asked if he knew if it had been in an accident. According to him it had not. (he owned the car for 6 years from 2000-2006 before trading in for a Griffith)
When he traded the car in, the garage knocked 500 quid off because of holes in the chassis, which they needed to repair.
So, could these repairs be substandard and therefore the reason for this damage?
The cracks must be the result of something and if it's not been in a bump then what else is possible?
Thanks for all possible support....
When he traded the car in, the garage knocked 500 quid off because of holes in the chassis, which they needed to repair.
So, could these repairs be substandard and therefore the reason for this damage?
The cracks must be the result of something and if it's not been in a bump then what else is possible?
Thanks for all possible support....
mannik said:
When he traded the car in, the garage knocked 500 quid off because of holes in the chassis, which they needed to repair.
So, could these repairs be substandard and therefore the reason for this damage?
The cracks must be the result of something and if it's not been in a bump then what else is possible?
Thanks for all possible support....
Nope the chassis it NOT responsible
I've an idea the garage may have lifted the body off to repair the chassis and possibly flexed the body leading to your cracks
pies said:
mannik said:
When he traded the car in, the garage knocked 500 quid off because of holes in the chassis, which they needed to repair.
So, could these repairs be substandard and therefore the reason for this damage?
The cracks must be the result of something and if it's not been in a bump then what else is possible?
Thanks for all possible support....
Nope the chassis it NOT responsible
I've an idea the garage may have lifted the body off to repair the chassis and possibly flexed the body leading to your cracks
It is possible this could have happened ......
Cracks like these usually appear for two reasons. The first is during lay up where the gel coat was put on too thickly in the mould and over time it stresses and cracks. The second, again during construction, is where air voids (usually on sharp edges like the return to the boot) are filled after the body is released from the mould and again movement and ageing causes the cracks to appear. Only one way to cure them permanently and thats to grind them out and refill!
The back of the body isn't supported by the chassis directly, and is relatively flexible. If you put any vertical loads on anywhere behind the rear wheel arches, the bodywork will flex which may lead to cracks over the wheel arches. It may be that somebody has picked the body up under the rear arches, or put too much weight in the boot. What puzzles me a bit is the vertical cracking around the number plate. The only reason I can think for that is something pushing the rear panel inwards (somebody drove into it?) or outwards (something heavy dropped on it from the inside?). The problem with all these causes is that the damage wouldn't be obvious immediately, so whoever did it may be unaware that they did it.
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