Winter chassis restored project started
Discussion
First day on the chassis restoration project went pretty well. No traumas with everything going surprisingly easily. It took just 6 hours to strip & split to a bare, rolling chassis.
Next step is to remove the corners, steering rack and brake pipes then up the road for shot blasting. From what I can see there are no holes nor rot, just a bit of scabby rust on the corner plates and then just minor patches of surface rust on some areas of tubing.
The outrigger tubes were replaced back in the 80's and although still solid the welding isn't great. But whoever did that clearly painted the whole chassis with a nice bright orange paint under a black hammerite top coat. It seems to have done a good job at keeping the water out.
Once blasted we can make the decision whether to refurb or have a new chassis.
Test day for next season is in April with the first event usually the first weekend in May, The clock is ticking ......
Moto
Next step is to remove the corners, steering rack and brake pipes then up the road for shot blasting. From what I can see there are no holes nor rot, just a bit of scabby rust on the corner plates and then just minor patches of surface rust on some areas of tubing.
The outrigger tubes were replaced back in the 80's and although still solid the welding isn't great. But whoever did that clearly painted the whole chassis with a nice bright orange paint under a black hammerite top coat. It seems to have done a good job at keeping the water out.
Once blasted we can make the decision whether to refurb or have a new chassis.
Test day for next season is in April with the first event usually the first weekend in May, The clock is ticking ......
Moto
Back from being blasted and it's showed a couple more issues top sort out. There is a crack in the top right main tube that goes approx half way around - not far from the engine mount. From the rather crap welding on the nearby joint this must have been repaired at some point, although I can't understand why as the tubes all look original. But maybe the welding has caused the crack?
Only one hole where water has presumably sat on the rear left side tub mount. Although again this has been welded at some point so probably not painted well enough afterwards.
Other than that all looks very good. But will know for sure on Friday when it's being assessed by someone who knows what he's looking at.
Moto
Only one hole where water has presumably sat on the rear left side tub mount. Although again this has been welded at some point so probably not painted well enough afterwards.
Other than that all looks very good. But will know for sure on Friday when it's being assessed by someone who knows what he's looking at.
Moto
I back ground and TIG’d over all the welds on my M chassis.
The MIG welding on it was dreadful, I suspect the welder ran out of CO2 and couldn’t be bothered changing the bottle half way through .
Lots of porosity, inclusion, oxidation and lack of penetration.
Still the chassis stayed in one piece for 30-40years regardless, but was corroded inside also.
The MIG welding on it was dreadful, I suspect the welder ran out of CO2 and couldn’t be bothered changing the bottle half way through .
Lots of porosity, inclusion, oxidation and lack of penetration.
Still the chassis stayed in one piece for 30-40years regardless, but was corroded inside also.
For anyone interested in an update on how things have progressed, I'm pleased to say the project is just about done with the car fully back together and drivable. It will be going in to have the geometry and corner weighting reset but that's it really.
In all it's taken just under 5 months from start to finish. In that time the following has been completed :
Chassis - fully rebuilt by Nigel & Ollie with 4 main tubes sleeved & welded, additional bracing to reduce twisting & stop future cracking, new outriggers & rear cross member, new suspension pick up lugs, welded in driver seat mounting frame, tow brackets front & rear, welded in crotch strap mounts, modified steering rack & mounts to reduce bump steer, split steering column bush mount, additional engine steady mount. All then thermal zinc sprayed & powder coated.
Suspension - A spanking new set of Nigel's uprated uprights, bearings & hubs on each corner, oh and new wishbones all round
Brakes - new front calipers & new rear drums - all standard
Gearbox - fully rebuilt (last component in the drive train that hadn't already been rebuilt or replaced)
Body - lowered driver side floor, clean, sand and repaint underside & engine bay, re-bushed door hinges
Probably quite a few other things that haven't sprung to mind. So mechanically we've now rebuilt everything over the past 3 winters. Only the paint left to do, which for me has always the least important element that I may never do.
The timescale for this project was always going to be the challenge, so having 4 weeks spare before the first event is all down to the guys who have helped bring it together - Nigel & Ollie Reuben for taking in a stripped chassis and handing me back a fully built rolling chassis, Adrian@ for lots of advice and those difficult to find bits, Rob at Helix for the advice and expertise in building a bespoke clutch system to suit the car, Brian Leigh who laboured with me stripping the car down to components and putting it all back together.
After all this work, the car looks no different on the outside but all the important bits are now sorted. There's not even been any performance tweaks done, in fact the only performance change is I've added a bit of weight as there will be some extra metal in the chassis.
A few photo's for interest :
Before :
Body lift :
Main bits separated :
Chassis in progress :
Rolling Chassis returned :
Drive train, brakes etc installed :
All Finished
- It's looks just like it did before 
In all it's taken just under 5 months from start to finish. In that time the following has been completed :
Chassis - fully rebuilt by Nigel & Ollie with 4 main tubes sleeved & welded, additional bracing to reduce twisting & stop future cracking, new outriggers & rear cross member, new suspension pick up lugs, welded in driver seat mounting frame, tow brackets front & rear, welded in crotch strap mounts, modified steering rack & mounts to reduce bump steer, split steering column bush mount, additional engine steady mount. All then thermal zinc sprayed & powder coated.
Suspension - A spanking new set of Nigel's uprated uprights, bearings & hubs on each corner, oh and new wishbones all round
Brakes - new front calipers & new rear drums - all standard
Gearbox - fully rebuilt (last component in the drive train that hadn't already been rebuilt or replaced)
Body - lowered driver side floor, clean, sand and repaint underside & engine bay, re-bushed door hinges
Probably quite a few other things that haven't sprung to mind. So mechanically we've now rebuilt everything over the past 3 winters. Only the paint left to do, which for me has always the least important element that I may never do.
The timescale for this project was always going to be the challenge, so having 4 weeks spare before the first event is all down to the guys who have helped bring it together - Nigel & Ollie Reuben for taking in a stripped chassis and handing me back a fully built rolling chassis, Adrian@ for lots of advice and those difficult to find bits, Rob at Helix for the advice and expertise in building a bespoke clutch system to suit the car, Brian Leigh who laboured with me stripping the car down to components and putting it all back together.
After all this work, the car looks no different on the outside but all the important bits are now sorted. There's not even been any performance tweaks done, in fact the only performance change is I've added a bit of weight as there will be some extra metal in the chassis.
A few photo's for interest :
Before :
Body lift :
Main bits separated :
Chassis in progress :
Rolling Chassis returned :
Drive train, brakes etc installed :
All Finished
- It's looks just like it did before Granturadriver said:
Great job and that quick, congratulations!
After the sandblasting it did not look like new outriggers & rear cross member were necessary. What was the reason for the renewals? Was it rust or more cracks?
The outrigger tubes which had been replaced in the 1980's (so weren't original) were quite good but the welding was shocking. They had to come off to be sorted properly so we just replaced with new sections. After the sandblasting it did not look like new outriggers & rear cross member were necessary. What was the reason for the renewals? Was it rust or more cracks?
The rear cross member had had a plate welded on the N/S at some point. Presumably damaged from rust but can't say for sure - just no signs of body repair so presume not accident damage. Again it was just the best solution to address any possibility of corrosion inside the tube.
Moto
"modified steering rack & mounts to reduce bump steer"
Great idea.
Any further details on the steering rack mods?
Shorten the rack with longer arms?
Speculate the mounts were lowered but by how much?
A bit more than required and adjusted (raised) with shims?
Some may find the bump steer a quaint peculiarity of good ol' TVR engineering.
But hit a bad pothole at the wrong angle at speed and ... don't be holding on to the steering wheel too tight.
At least on my car (original fin wheels and tire size).
The Zappa solution is intriguing although this is on an M chassis.
Nevertheless, one can see how much (a lot) the steering arm had to be raised for this particular application.
Wonder if longer steering arms are also required for maximum effectiveness.
Great idea.
Any further details on the steering rack mods?
Shorten the rack with longer arms?
Speculate the mounts were lowered but by how much?
A bit more than required and adjusted (raised) with shims?
Some may find the bump steer a quaint peculiarity of good ol' TVR engineering.
But hit a bad pothole at the wrong angle at speed and ... don't be holding on to the steering wheel too tight.
At least on my car (original fin wheels and tire size).
The Zappa solution is intriguing although this is on an M chassis.
Nevertheless, one can see how much (a lot) the steering arm had to be raised for this particular application.
Wonder if longer steering arms are also required for maximum effectiveness.
There wasn’t much else that needed doing. In the last few years it’s had
Interior re-trim
New suspension
Reconditioned diff with Quaife ATB, new prop & uprated drive shafts
Full engine rebuild
New custom exhaust & manifold system
Roll hoop installation
Full re-wire
and loads of other smaller items/jobs done
It was always going to be a long term rolling rebuild, to be used as a road car every Spring, Summer & Autumn and worked on through the winter. The last 4 years it’s also been hill climbed and sprinted but always remained primarily a road car. It’s compromised on the track but in the handicap TVR championship I compete in, she certainly doesn’t embarrass herself and won the 4/6 cylinder class last season and came 3rd overall.
Sorry Tyracious but the knowledge on steering mods isn’t mine to give away. Best speak with Nigel if you’re interested.
Moto
Interior re-trim
New suspension
Reconditioned diff with Quaife ATB, new prop & uprated drive shafts
Full engine rebuild
New custom exhaust & manifold system
Roll hoop installation
Full re-wire
and loads of other smaller items/jobs done
It was always going to be a long term rolling rebuild, to be used as a road car every Spring, Summer & Autumn and worked on through the winter. The last 4 years it’s also been hill climbed and sprinted but always remained primarily a road car. It’s compromised on the track but in the handicap TVR championship I compete in, she certainly doesn’t embarrass herself and won the 4/6 cylinder class last season and came 3rd overall.
Sorry Tyracious but the knowledge on steering mods isn’t mine to give away. Best speak with Nigel if you’re interested.
Moto
Granturadriver said:
Great job and that quick, congratulations!
After the sandblasting it did not look like new outriggers & rear cross member were necessary. What was the reason for the renewals? Was it rust or more cracks?
General question:After the sandblasting it did not look like new outriggers & rear cross member were necessary. What was the reason for the renewals? Was it rust or more cracks?
what gives you the security that a nearly 50y old chassis, even it "looks" ok after blasting, has not started corroding from inside?
such old cars, imo, always need a fully new chassis as its not safe to use the original one.
LLantrisant said:
General question:
what gives you the security that a nearly 50y old chassis, even it "looks" ok after blasting, has not started corroding from inside?
such old cars, imo, always need a fully new chassis as its not safe to use the original one.
How do you know that? what gives you the security that a nearly 50y old chassis, even it "looks" ok after blasting, has not started corroding from inside?
such old cars, imo, always need a fully new chassis as its not safe to use the original one.
Look at the pictures of the chassis before painting and after correction!
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the original sections.
What a strange thing to say!
How many miles do you think such a car will do per year!
Excellent re build and another car saved including extra strengthening by the looks of it.
Bravo
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