Restoration blues....

[Jonathan]

Many of you know the bad corrosion issue on my car.

I managed to pressure wash the thing yesterday and underneath all the rubbish it's actually not too bad.

However the main area I wanted to ensure are good is the chassis, it's galvanised well and there appears to be zero rust on it what so ever (actually amazed as some parts inside the car had rusted to breaking point). However it seems to be covered by a scale and in the case of the rear cross member it has ground in dirt on it.

It's so badly fused to the metal even under heavy pressure washing, solvent and scrubbing I can't touch it !!!!

I've taken the rear cross member off and actually left it to soak for 4 hours....nothing......so I used a scraper and I am currently removing the crap that way. I've never seen anything like it, it's defiantly dirt (like mud) but it's so tough and subborn that you have to scratch it to take it off and even then its bloody hard !

Thats OK for the cross member where my scraping will damage the galanised metal somewhat but I intend to paint it with this special paint anyways - however thats not good for the chassis.

Any solvent tips I can use for the chassis that might budge this...so far I have used...

Carb cleaner

White spirit

Pressure wash

Scrubbing brush

Various de-greasing products

Obviously I need to remove it before painting.

[Alan Paterson]

Just wonder if someone had waxoyled it in the past?

Alan

[Jonathan]

I don't think it is - it's brown in colour but scrapes off sort of like a sand white - it's actually not too far gone of cement and or the barnicle things you find at the sea side on stone....wierd

[Loose Cannon]

Is it not just the zinc coating degrading?

[Jonathan]

I dunno mate - mebbe I get picture of it.

I got this bonza hyper etching metal paint here all to go on the chassis to make it all look lovey duvy but I'm wondering if it will still etch through the barnicles and other sea life.

Perhaps it's safe - esp as it didn't shift 1 iota when I hit it up close and personal with the pressure wash. We'll see how it goes, be nice if it goes well for a change

[Loose Cannon]

All the Esprit chassis I have seen looked like they spent at least a year or two in the North Sea. Maybe the "crusty" look is how the zinc sacrices itself, the brown tinge from oil spray/underseal? I know what you mean, it would be nice for the gubbins to be as pretty as the top half, but the only person who sees mine is the MOT tester so I'm not too bothered.

On a similar note, a month or so ago I visited the Lotus factory website where it invited people to contact the CEO Kim Ogaard-Nielson with comments/questions. Having just spent a frustrating day trying to work on mine I made a suggestion something along the lines of when they make the next Esprit, can they buy theirmetalwork/fittings from somewhere other than Walthamstow Market. Amazingly got a reply where he, basically, said yes, and the corrosion problems on the older cars were exacerbated by the fibreglass construction of the shell.

Now I admit to dozing off in chemistry at school, so am surmising that this means the little bits and bobs may suffer more than when the whole car is one big cathode. Is that how you read it? Any metallurgists around to confirm or deny this?

[Jonathan]

Spent 3 hrs today cleaning the rear x-member of this light tan cement stuff - chap at work also reakoned it was the zinc oxidising but I dunno....either way I sat there for hours with the block of wood and emery paper back and forth, back and forth and it's still not clean !!!

Gonna try a test piece on the chassis tonight - problem with me is I am a clean friek - it's either gotta be smooth and shiny or covered in oil enough that it's protected anyways.

Moment I crack it I'll let people know.

Main problem with Lotus metals is that they are a small company, when they want bits for cars they had / have to scrimp which is probably down to the reliability issues as well (being supplied with factory 2nds no doubt). Apart from the coral reef growing on my chassis, it is in excelent condition, however parts like the suspension etc were not galvanised like large manufacturers (to keep costs down ?) so they rust.

The Elise is exactly the same.

[Jonathan]

Update - took a stab at painting over it.

Actually worked a treat, i reakon mark's right in that its the zinc oxidising, I observed this on a piece of cable trunking today and you can see where 1 part has fossilised and the other hasn't.

Anyways the crust (which is very rock solid on the metal) actually acts as a great key for the paint I used - slapped on this stuff called POR-15 and OMG how good is this stuff !! B)

Miles better than hammerite / powder coating - you simply cannot get it off, even scraping / solvents doesn't touch it. Where the chassis was rough as sandpaper and a dirt haven it's now smooth so cleaning it is like wiping the windows. Best thing is if it ever does chip you simply cover the area affected.

Just means I have to do a better job with the pressure wash again now to get the rest of the poop off it.

[Loose Cannon]

Where is this POR15 from then? Sounds good; I really want to clean up my suspension parts but simply cannot be arsed to dismantle it all for powder coating.

Not entirely sure what the long term prognosis is for painting galv surfaces (I know you can get special metals primer, but I think that is more for painting on new parts). As the surface is effectively fizzing away like an Alkaseltzer in ultra slow motion might paint eventually lose its key?? Or is it like rust, take away the contact with oxygen and the process slows down??

[Jonathan]

Buy it here, Frosts auto restoration.

Encapsulates pretty good too - tried it out of some greasy dirt and although it's only has hard as the dirt is to the object it was stuborn enough to not chip - so if you encapsulate stuff it will hold it in no probs.

I'd recomend the small tins, it's so agressive on metal if you spill any it'll weld the tin / lid together. I'm gonna do everything in this paint - pitty it has to be silver as I prefer black but you can't see any damage / chips / dirt on black.

Not sure on galvanise either - but as long as the paint is solid it can only rot from the inside out. Given thats a lot less exposed it should be OK, only thing I've seen galvanised is the chassis and rear cross member so the suspension parts are safe.

The paint certainly doesn't seem to react with the scale what so ever, it must etch some (it burns into plastic) but the main thing is it's so bloody hard it's like trying to scrape glass to get it off....thats hammerites trick but it makes hammerite feel soft in comparison. Best paint I've ever used.

[Paul C]

I'm really not joking here Jon...

I'd probably go down to tesco and buy a kitchen/bathroom

heavy duty spray de-scaler (the mega fast ones need rinsing

off after two minutes). try that?, dunno...

They don't eat at chrome so i'd guess thay would not eat at the

galv. Worse case is it don't work and you give it your mum for

the kitchen.

[x6gas]

Buy it here, Frosts auto restoration.

Encapsulates pretty good too - tried it out of some greasy dirt and although it's only has hard as the dirt is to the object it was stuborn enough to not chip - so if you encapsulate stuff it will hold it in no probs.

I'd recomend the small tins, it's so agressive on metal if you spill any it'll weld the tin / lid together.  I'm gonna do everything in this paint - pitty it has to be silver as I prefer black but you can't see any damage / chips / dirt on black.

Not sure on galvanise either - but as long as the paint is solid it can only rot from the inside out.  Given thats a lot less exposed it should be OK, only thing I've seen galvanised is the chassis and rear cross member so the suspension parts are safe.

The paint certainly doesn't seem to react with the scale what so ever, it must etch some (it burns into plastic) but the main thing is it's so bloody hard it's like trying to scrape glass to get it off....thats hammerites trick but it makes hammerite feel soft in comparison.  Best paint I've ever used.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmmm, interesting stuff. I was planning on perhaps getting my suspension parts sandblasted and powder coated at some stage, but I have to confess I'm thinking about this now...

Do you have to get the brush cleaner too or does cellulose thinners shift it?

[Jonathan]

I've hammerited my suspension springs, they've done a few hundred miles and are in great condition (although a little dirty), this paint knocks hammerite into the ground as far as I am concerned - I can pick hammerite off with my nails, this stuff, even with multiple layers which you can get some purchase on will take your nail off 1st.

My take on powdercoating is that it works a treat and looks excellent (I had Kato's springs and shocks that are on the LEW write up and seen it 1st hand) however it does skuff, if you layer this paint I have found it to be flexible enough for springs yet my god is it tough.

With powder coating you also have to shot blast the stuff - it can end up expensive, with this stuff you just encapsulate rust, dirt, grease and leave it be - if it needs touching up later it's not a problem. It's also very expensive in comparison.

I intend to simply inspect the car every 6 months when I service it to see how it's going on and give it a little clean, few products have impressed me as much as this.

Another great buy was GUNK, it just destroys ground in dirt and grease like it was put there 2 seconds ago....

[CarlC]

Another great buy was GUNK, it just destroys ground in dirt and grease like it was put there 2 seconds ago....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jonathan,

The paint sounds like a great find, ill be following this up next time to boot floors out.

On the GUNK engine cleaner, totally agree its fantastic stuff and if you use a tooth brush with it too its even better. Just wanted to say that I bought some other carplan(IIRC) engine cleaner the other week to try it and it was absolute crap in comparison but it was a pound cheaper!

I know, I should have known better were this cars concerned.