Advice on Corrosion Protection!!

[dj_efk]

Me again. I think this one should prove a popular thread!

Firstly, I have bought a set of GRP liners for the front wings from Jaymic here in the UK, as driving the car here even only in the summer means that some bad weather use is inevitable.

I note there appears to be no similar products available either from Jaymic or Lokari for the rears however, nor does there seem to have been any posts on this subject?

- Has anyone else ever made and fitted rear wing liners for their coupe?

In addition, could as many of us as possible with knowledge on the subject give their opinions on what special measures should be taken on these cars to protect them from the elements as much as possible? Obviously they are pretty rust prone so I won't be leaving mine in the rain if I can help it (and certainly not driving it on gritted / salted roads), however I'd feel a little more secure when driving it if I was sure I'd done everything possible - Otherwise I can imagine myself becoming an expert of "reading" the skies and becoming rather paranoid whenever I see cloud!

 

[decoupe]

Do you have a sunroof? Make sure the sunroof drains exit to the ground without accumulating in the rockers first. This would entail re-routing or making sure the drain holes are clear at all times. Some sort of rust treatment and coatings inside the rockers would be a plus - cavity wax has been mentioned.

 

[dj_efk]

Thanks DE, my car doesn't have a sunroof (I've never seen the point of them anyway) so that's one thing at least I don't need to worry about!

 

[de coupe]

Just another options as our coupes get older and technology increases,

There is a process that I have been looking into called metalizing. It is a coating process that use's a welder to apply the zink material to the metal of our cars. So the zink act's as the anode for the cathode "car". I am looking into doing the underside of one of the coupes that I have. It has a 1450 psi pull test at a 3mill thickness so very strong. Please let me know if I can get or if anyone wants more information. THANKS Daniel

 

[Sven]

Daniel,

I would be interested in any information you have on the zinc process. I always thought this electro-plating process required dipping of the part in a solution and only worked on the part surfaces that the cathode could "see".
Thanks,

 

[Bill Riblett]

I note there appears to be no similar products available either from Jaymic or Lokari for the rears however, nor does there seem to have been any posts on this subject?

- Has anyone else ever made and fitted rear wing liners for their coupe?

In addition, could as many of us as possible with knowledge on the subject give their opinions on what special measures should be taken on these cars to protect them from the elements as much as possible? Obviously they are pretty rust prone so I won't be leaving mine in the rain if I can help it (and certainly not driving it on gritted / salted roads), however I'd feel a little more secure when driving it if I was sure I'd done everything possible - Otherwise I can imagine myself becoming an expert of "reading" the skies and becoming rather paranoid whenever I see cloud!

The rear wheel wells don't have as many places to catch and hold grits and other matter which holds moisture which leads to the rust.

If you do drive your car in dirty conditions or when it rains, cleaning out the wheel wells with either water or air pressure occasionally helps.

(I know Murray disagrees, but most of us don't live in southern California!)

 

[d-ace]

Doing it right.......

Many of these couples are going to show what corrosion can really do now. About 70% of them were gone 20 years ago due to the lack of rust protection when built. Water traps cause the most damage, trunk spare tire area, sunroof drains, floor everywhere, rocker panels and more. The other main problem was when they were spot welded together BMW did not go back and recoat the burn areas. The worst is the rocker panels. As mention above just drove in the rain a few times 35 years ago on the best looking couple you have ever seen and one of these would tell the real story in the rocker panel area >> http://www.amazon.com/Video-Scope-C...f=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1263334644&sr=8-10

There is only one way to be 100% sure rust free. Although the time consuming time it takes to totally strip a car and then tank dropped in muriatic and phosphate acid for 7-days following days in a neutralizing tank is only done by a few. As many know this is the only way to remove any and all corrosion in all compartments and as most know the correct way to start for a true restored car.
Media blasting used now days is a good rust removable on strong metal parts although a car body can become distorted. A car body also has closed structural compartments you can only media blast what you see. So the sub-frame, closed rocker panels, wheel wells, door compartments, doorpost, hood & truck compartments and more never get touched. Most just see rust bubbles coming through their expensive new paint job in a very short time.
From one that has seen many of these couples taken apart be careful what you are looking at it can be very deceptive what paint and undercoating can do.
Best coating for metal is a basic coat of synthic latex. Goes on looking like milk and turns black once it burns into the metal, no oxygen no rust.
Here is how did it >>> http://shred-master.com/new_page_2.htm
Good Luck

 

[jranmann]

...agreed and with that said, I am currently having a shell inspected by the body guy that prepped it for paint and next week it will with luck recieve it's undercoating (Lizard skin) and sound deadening materials.

I live in Southern CA where the EPA holds sway and enjoy having a sunroof and am certainly NOT going to comprimise my driving enjoyment by not driving in the rain...or dry washing my car and environmental protection and it's applications are the reasons that in my book, starting with the bare shell might be a good way to, well... 'begin'... a proper restoration.

 

[atan888]

When I had Jabberjaw restored I had all the seams sealed in the engine bay and front fenders just for precaution. They used a product from Wurth called flexible seam sealer. I also added more drainage holes in lowest point of the bottom rockers for water to exit. I'll try to find photos but here are some from the resto of my 2002 turbo.

 

[jcat]

You might want to take the advice of our friends in Northern Europe and try using Fluid Film sprayed in the wheel wells. The guy from Lokari said that it is a standard in Northern Europe and it works well. I have been using it on my coupe and on my tractor and it really does work well. Maybe not for everyone but something worth looking at anyway.

 

[d-ace]

Quote
“atan888
I also added more drainage holes in lowest point of the bottom rockers for water to exit.”
Very smart I did the same thing.

Here is a good spray can type of synthetic latex paint for a basecoat in small areas. “LOCTITE ” Extend Rust Treatment .
I sprayed gallons with a gun of another type it works great.
Although it needs a good primer coat afterwards followed by a good rubberized undercoating next on outside sections, bottom, wheel-wells, rocker panels, I even did the motor compartment, trunk and inside floor.

Randy, have them check the rocker panels. It’s not what you visually see easily on these cars, it’s what you cannot see that will come back and haunt you.
And watch the California water base primer coats I only use oil base myself. I buy them when we go to Arizona once a year. Funny one side of the Colorado River you get water colored paints the other made by the same company the real auto oil base paint.
Also if the rocker panels are good see if the guy can spray that “Lizard skin” coating in there too.
There is a way, I did it with synthetic latex paint, oil base primer coat and undercoating using a airless spray gun with a 4’ foot long 3/16” diameter extension hose on it.
Good Luck that is where it starts.

 

[jranmann]

The shell has no rockers and I am trying to convice my partner not to do the painting in CA but in NC where the shell is now located. EPA has decimated the CA paintshops and I agree with your assessment completely Bob...

Cheers!

Ran

 

[d-ace]

With no rocker panels on check the sup-frame any corrosion there it’s a good time to replace the sub-frame, rocker panels and rocker covers if you can still find them new.
The sub-frame in this area is what holds the body together between the front struts and rear axle although needs to flexes in the turns very important.

 

[atan888]

Thats one reason I insisted that Jabberjaw be painted by Sept last year. I wanted the last of the oil based Glasurit paint =)