Chemical dipping of bulkhead, tub etc.

[Richeee]

Sorry if this has been covered befor but considering getting my rear tub, bulkhead and bonnet of my 13/60 chemically stripped to remove all the old primer rust etc.    

Just wondering if anybody on here has actually had it done.   

I am having difficulties getting into all the nooks and crannies and would like to start from a clean sheet even it a sieve after it comes out the tank.

[Clive]

No, but I know of cars that have been done. Some have been a disater, with the fluid seeping out forever after, and damaging the new paint.

Surface processing ltd are very good. But the cost means it will need to be a very top end rebuild to be justified.

A good blasting company may be a better bet, but they need to understand cars as there are horror stories associated with that.

From my experience , I with I had hired in a proper steam cleaner (not pressure washer) as 1000psi+ of steam will strip almost any paint/underseal etc etc. You are then left with rusty areas, but they will be cut out. 

[DVD3500]

The guys in the Stuttgart club say if you never plan to drive in bad weather just blasting is probably good enough.

If you want a daily driver dipping and plating is pretty much the way to go.

Estimates here run about 3000EUR

[RogerH]

Hi Rich,

 have a look here  https://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/79703-ribble-tech/

The chap was/is very pleased with the result.

If you do go for the full dip process - then you can mitigate the trapped fluid issue by running a hot air gun over any joints to boil off trapped fluid.

You may still need to open some joints if you see the surface distorted - this is often caused by expanded corrosion products.

Roger

[Richeee]

Thanks guys.   

Getting a quote from Enviro Strip , for collection, paint sripping , de rusting and applying a primer, and delivering back anything that survives.    Will report back on costs.  

I can wield a spanner, weld if i have grinder near by , but lose patience with the dark arts of painting etc which does my head in.  Painting will be farmed out. 

In my mind to start with a derusted tub , bulkhead and bonnet even though i will then replace inner and out wings and weld the floor up , for me personally seems the way to go.

[Badwolf]

I have heard good reports about Ribble as well but, I hasten to add, have not needed to use them. One restorer takes his work to Preston from 'darn sawff' so he must really rate them.

[Peter Truman]

Ironically the Spitfire models 4 to Mk3 CKD assembled here in Melbourne Aus by AMI the bodies were assembled from individual Triumph panels and the whole body phospheric acid dipped to clean then electro statically dipped in primer so all parts of the body and cavities were fully protected, ironical because our climate and winter road protection didn't cause rampant corrosion yet our cars were better protected than the home market! Maybe this additional protection was a carry over of AMI's Mercedes car assembly undertaken at the same time. AMI assembled Triumph, Mercedes, Rambler and Toyota models locally.

The chassis were not treated just the std Triumph chassis black as they were shipped ex UK fully assembled, I have an original Aus 1964 AMI supplied spare chassis in the garage which has no internal & generally only light surface corrosion, only the drivers front outrigger has rusted thro a little where at some time it was partially buried in the ground, but the backbone is like new.

[rlubikey]

+1 for Surface Processing Limited. I haven't had any trouble with fluid seeping from joints, but this was done in early summer 2010 and I seem to recall we left it a few weeks before painting so maybe that gave it time to dry completely? The black is the electrophoretic coating - part of the anti-rust process.

Cheers, Richard

[Richeee]

That shell looks very good.    Did you repair any holes befor it went back for the plating? 

Certain on mine that after dipping it will need multiple repairs. 

[Clive]

18 hours ago, rlubikey said:

+1 for Surface Processing Limited. I haven't had any trouble with fluid seeping from joints, but this was done in early summer 2010 and I seem to recall we left it a few weeks before painting so maybe that gave it time to dry completely? The black is the electrophoretic coating - part of the anti-rust process.

Cheers, Richard

the problem dipping is when it is dipped in just paint stripper (Or whatever). Surface Processing use a far superior system. 

[DVD3500]

The process I am familiar with is dipped, backed, galvanized and then primered...

Expensive but supposedly bullet proof.

 

[rlubikey]

17 hours ago, Richeee said:

That shell looks very good.    Did you repair any holes befor it went back for the plating? 

Certain on mine that after dipping it will need multiple repairs. 

Thanks Richeee! It looks good because we did loads of work** before sending it off for dipping. My main reason for SPL was the so-called "modern rust protection" which is a dipping process so should get into all the seams. I think it was the only one available at the time. I haven't looked closely at Ribble or Enviro Strip but they both claim to do E-coating (electrophoretic coating - same as SPL) so may be just as good or even better, I don't know - check the details they publish. For some reason that chap on the TR forum didn't opt for E-coating, just phosphoric acid which, as he says, is only temporary protection.

Cheers, Richard

** Despite being a nice original car, Ziebarted from new with only 12 years on the road and dry garage stored since, it needed new sills, wings, numberplate panel, door skins ... plus the engine-back mods. Doing all these first meant the repairs - including the welds - were all E-coat protected.

When it came back from SPL resplendent in its black coat, people were going to Picton Sportscars and asking him "where did you get that NEW Spit body from?"

[Richeee]

Right.  Decision made.   Good or bad. Time will tell.

Going with enviro Strip for paint removal, derusting dipping, and then the application of a Novol weld through primer.   Not cheap at over 2 grand including collection from the south coast,delivery back and the dreaded tax.   Wont be for a couple of months and that gives me time to strip everything down, doors etc.   

There facebook page has a daily gallery of vehicles going through their process.

Not an easy decision but spent more time stripping paint etc the manual way and considered for me personally to be the best option.   

Going to sell another vehicle of mine to pay for it.   My toys have to be nominally self financing.   Not that it ever is in reality.  

This Herald was a basket case to me that I have had for 10 years and my brother 10 years before that and neither of us have ever seen it assembled.   The tub must have been off the chassis for a minimum of 20 years, and requires at least new arches and probably new wings, inner and outer.   The intention would be before it goes to be stripped is to weld a bar across at the mythical 46 1/2 and to keep in place to after all welding etc is done.   I have been researching in this forum ways of achieving this magical dimensions and will probably be asking some questions soon.   

On another note.   Am officialy now a club member.    Card came in post.

[Pete Lewis]

keep us upto date with how this pans out when its underway 

Pete

[Iain T]

Always good to think about bracing when dipping body shell. If the liquid can't drain out quick enough the weight can break its back. Modern shells are full of drain holes as time is money! When BiW designers think they are finished with the body the electrical and paint engineers plough in and punch holes everywhere! Seen it loads of times! 

Iain 

 

 

[Badwolf]

You will be horrified with what you see when you get it back, without the filler, fibreglass, other 'repairs' etc.

[rlubikey]

21 minutes ago, Badwolf said:

You will be horrified with what you see when you get it back, without the filler, fibreglass, other 'repairs' etc.

Yes, do the work first otherwise it must be really depressing when you get the shell back and it's more like a colander!

Cheers, Richard

[Bfg]

On 28/03/2022 at 09:05, clive said:

cars that have been done. Some have been a disaster, with the fluid seeping out forever after, and damaging the new paint.

I personally did the panels on a car and had this issue wherever there was double skin / panel overlaps that were originally spot welded  (ie., such as that car's inner wings).  I jet washed the panels and well dried them in summer breeze but still I was to face disappointment after a lot of hard work and the use of high quality 2-pack paints.  The car was white and although the paint stayed on, it very quickly yellowed (very unsightly).  Possibly not an issue with different colours ?  ..I don't know.   Problem thereafter is how to neutralise it, as even removing the new paint doesn't get you into the panel overlaps..  I'll not make that mistake again, and will only use the chemicals when it's only single skin ..and that may be brand new panels (before welding in place) such as floors and sills.. which are often painted (typically black) so they don't rust in storage.  But that black paint really isn't a very good primer.

Pete

[Richeee]

I an under no illusions of what may come back or not.  The potential for it to be very ragged and the theory of not enough drain holes when it is lifted out, think will not be a problem.   

Will take ample befor and after photos for your information and amusement.   Wont be for 8 weeks or so.   

[Mjit]

Worth adding some bracing to the shell pre-dip even if there are enough drain holes, in case it's just the filler/chicken wire/paint holding the A posts or something together.  In the worst case it could result in the tub just foling in on itself.

And for drain holes I seem to remember a few years ago someone on here getting their chassis galvanised and adding extra drain holes.  No reason you can't add some strategic extra drain holes to your tub pre-dip and you can then decide to either keep them or plug weld them when it comes back.

[Stratton Jimmer]

On 01/04/2022 at 08:58, Richeee said:

 Am officialy now a club member.

Welcome to the club!